Top 10 national sports ranking for Newcastle University

The University has finished 8^th overall in the national BUCS rankings for Sport.

This overall position is the University’s best placed finish ever and puts Newcastle 7th within the Russell Group Universities.

Newcastle had 22 teams winning their respective BUCS Leagues – the University’s highest ever number of league titles in any season. Key highlight being Men’s Basketball winning the Premier North League who also went on to become national champions after winning the final against Durham University in Nottingham. On top of this Newcastle had another 10 teams winning their respective cup competitions. Newcastle finished the year with 13 sports inside the top 10 nationally, with 8 of those sports top 5.

International honours

Hot on the heels of the University’s highest-ever BUCS ranking, student athletes are gearing up for major international events this summer.

Throughout the year Newcastle University has had 48 students across a number of sports go on to international honours and / or professional contracts.

This summer there will be 3 students taking part in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Natasha Lee will be representing Jersey in Fencing, Femi Sofolarin for Scotland and Lauren Torley in the rugby sevens. The University will also have a staff representative at the Commonwealth Games in Richard Eaton, Head of Strength and Conditioning, who is part of the Falkland Islands Badminton Coaching Team.

Blue Star rowers ready to make a splash

The U23 World Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy in August will feature Newcastle University students Joe Adamson (double) Bruce Turnell (coxed four) and Sam Shuker (coxing the women's eight.) All three of them were part of the Newcastle University coxed four that reached the semi-finals at Henley Royal Regatta earlier this summer.

Meanwhile, Rachel Bradley will be sculling in a women's quad at the European U23 Championships in September.

Their selection follows on from the success of Newcastle University graduates James Rudkin and Tom Ford, who won a gold medal in the men's eight, Emily Ford, who won a bronze in the women's pair, and Will Stewart a gold winner in the men's four, in what was the most successful ever World Cup for British Rowing.

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President, Newcastle University, said: “Our national ranking is a fantastic achievement and one we should be very proud off. These results are testament to all the hard work of our student athletes and professional staff at the University . I know there is so much support work to allow our student athletes and respective teams to excel and be the very best they can be. I would personally like to thank them all.”

Fraser Kennedy, Performance Sport Manager, Newcastle University, added: “We worked so hard to be organised after Covid and this put us in good stead to allow our student athletes and respective teams a great platform to excel and go out and enjoy themselves.

“The national ranking is fundamental to the University’s reputation and sport really enhances our profile and the ability to attract the best student athletes. This is a record-breaking year in terms of league and cup achievements as well as the 48 students who have gone on to international honours and/or professional contracts this year. Everyone should be very proud.”