Saints Successes – the final round-up
Now that exams have finished, University Park has quietened down with most clubs wrapping up their activities for the year. We are taking a final look back to one of our most successful sporting years, where we celebrated the achievements of our athletes at Sports Awards and throughout the year.
The saints ultimate Women’s 1st team competed at the Indoor National Championships in Glasgow and Bristol, coming home with silver medals in Division 1. Despite the team’s victory at Scottish Indoor Regionals, the Saints went into the weekend cautious of setting high expectations for their performance as they would be facing English teams utilizing unfamiliar tactics. Instead, the Saints prioritized cultivating a positive atmosphere and playing at their best, no matter the outcome. The game against Nottingham was their proudest moment of the first day, coming back from being 3 points down to achieve a 11-7 victory. On day 2, the Saints once again focused on keeping their heads and successfully warded off the so-called ‘second day curse’. Having won their first game of the day and holding 1st seed, they became hungry for a medal and fought hard against UCL in the 1v4 semi-final to secure a spot in the finals. The UCL game was a highlight of the weekend, showcasing some incredible ultimate under a high-pressure match, which ended in a universe point with a 7-6 score to the Saints. From placing 16th at the same tournament last year, securing a silver medal this year was very representative of their hard work, as well as the dedication and talent on the entire team.
In March, the snowsports club participated at the Scottish Alpine Student Championships, achieving some exceptional club results. There were over 100 competitors from 14 different universities around the UK at SASC this year. Nevertheless, St. Andrews won Overall Best Team and celebrated many individual performances in top 15, including a bronze medal! The weather forecast aligned perfectly with the competition, with snow falling on the days prior meaning alongside sunshine and blue skis, Saints had the perfect weather on the day. On the Saturday morning, they all headed up the hill first thing in the morning – there were a two-run slalom race, a freestyle coaching session, and then a ‘jam’ style freestyle competition. The team shared that the environment was great, suitable to all levels of team members, and the team really pulled together, helping each other out and cheering on. Well done, Saints!
The lacrosse Women’s side saw the 1st team win Scottish league 1A and the third team win 2A. The 3s also won their Conference Cup final against Glasgow 2s in only their second year being in BUCS. The 1s team had a dominant year in their league, going undefeated and winning every game by at least 7 goals, scoring a total 208 goals throughout 10 league games. This was 38 goals more than the next closest team. Go Saints!
The volleyball club also had a successful year, where the Women’s 1st team were crowned champions in the Scottish Volleyball Cup Finals in Edinburgh. After a tough and competitive match against the Edinburgh Jets Bears, the Men’s 1’s took home silver, concluding a solid year.
The fencing club also brought multiple metals and a trophy to the halls of Saints Sports. In the the Scottish Student Sport individuals Competition in Edinburgh; St Andrews brought home 5 medals and at the Glasgow Open, the team won 2 medals and a trophy. It was also the debut of their unofficial adorable mascot, Saint Shark, which you may notice in some photos. Go, Saint Shark!
The trampoline and gymnastics club have had an incredibly successful season, coming away with a total of 21 gold, 24 silver and 13 bronze medals. Not only this but they were crowned champions at both the Scottish and Irish Opens this year, beating teams from all over the UK and Europe. We hear that their mascot Rudi was with them throughout all bounces. The most recent competition saw the team splitting, with a gymnastics team attending the Scottish Student championships in Dundee and a trampoline team flying out to Belfast for the annual Irish Student Trampoline Open. The atmosphere was brilliant at both competitions, with members competing for the first time in gymnastics, and a strong display put on from Team Scotland at ISTO. The gymnastics team came away strong with 14 medals between just four members at the first ever Scottish Student Championships of its kind. Trampolinists in Ireland underwent 3 days of competition to be crowned Irish Open Champions!
…and that’s a wrap! Thank you to all our student athletes for their perseverance, passion, and great spirit to bring home so many trophies, medals, and above all – unforgettable memories.
Good luck to the teams who still have fixtures throughout the Summer – Go Saints!