UCL and Northumbria crowned Student Cup champions

Chants and ear-piercing shrieks of joy echoed through the sports halls at the University of East Anglia this weekend as the Student Cup Finals came to town.

Almost 100 games were contested between some of the best university sides around, with teams travelling as far as Cardiff, Liverpool and Newcastle-Upon-Tyne for the occasion.

In the women’s competition, University College London beat Cambridge 2-0 (25-17; 25-19) in an entertaining final.

The Londoners were dominant throughout the Student Cup Finals, winning every set on route to the trophy.

Shelisse Durity Wingson, Captain of UCL, said: “I’m really proud of all the girls out there. We all put effort into everything, including players on the bench cheering their hearts out, making sure everyone felt supported.

“The team worked for every single ball. We really went out there and we killed it and did what we want to achieve: to win the championship.”

Outside Marina Christodoulou was named MVP. 

Meanwhile, in the men’s final, Northumbria triumphed over Anglia Ruskin in a battle of power and athleticism, winning in straight sets (25-21; 25-16).

Northumbria kept an almost flawless record throughout the tournament, only dropping one set in a pool stage clash with their fellow finalists ARU.

Northumbria Captain Noah Sykes, who was also named MVP, said: “Winning the Student Cup, which Northumbria hasn’t won in a while, is a good achievement. It’s been a brilliant experience, we’ve loved every single minute of it.”

Credit to all finalists for putting on some fantastic displays of volleyball and well done to all teams that made it to the Student Cup Finals.

A huge thank you to the volunteers and referees who made these moments of magic possible. We really appreciate your dedication and commitment to the game.

Click here for a breakdown of all the results from the weekend. You can also watch a replay of the two finals on YouTube. A full catalogue of photos will be available via our photographer Steve Smith’s website.

Final standings: 

Women’s: 

1. UCL 
2. Cambridge Blues 
3. DMU 
4. OUVC 
5. Northumbria 
6. Exeter 
7. Cardiff 
8. Leeds 
9. Bournemouth 
10. Imperial 
11. Bath 
12. Sheffield 
13. Warwick 
14. Surrey 
15. Coventry 
16. Liverpool 

Men’s: 

1. Northumbria 
2. ARU 
3. Leeds 
4. UCL 
5. Coventry 
6. Sheffield 
7. Westminster 
8. Imperial 
9. Warwick 
10. Loughborough 
11. York 
12. Cambridge Blues 
13. Kings 
14. Cardiff 
15. Bath 
16. Bournemouth