Sussex sports clubs in top 50 national sports ranking
Posted on behalf of: Sussexsport
Last updated: Thursday, 28 July 2016
It's been a great year of sport for Sussex. We are finishing 43rd in the BUCS table, ahead of Brighton, Chichester and Kent!
Click through to see the highlights of the 2015/16 season
Women's Lacrosse was new for 2015/16
The club joined an expanding offer of Students' Union sports clubs and teams. And following additional investment in the coaching budget by the University for 2016/17, there will be a new Men's Lacrosse club and an increased number of teams to accommodate interest in club sport participation. New teams will include: Rugby Men’s 3rd Team; Football Women’s 2nd team; Rugby Women’s 2nd team and a Squash Men’s 3rd team.
Two Student Sport Activators were awarded places on a prestigious leadership course
Mathematics and Economics student Alex Cipa (pictured) and recent Law graduate Doron Mazor were both selected for the BUCS Deloitte Leadership Academy (BDLA). The one-day course took place in February in London. Alex, who runs twice-weekly drop in football sessions as part of the Active US programme, said: “Getting this kind of training early on in my career can only aid my future prospects. I hope that it gives me the edge that I will need to secure that position in whatever industry I enter after graduating."
Sport clubs showed their commitment to LGBT-inclusive sport
For the third year in a row, Sussex sports clubs wore rainbow laces on a BUCS Wednesday in February to raise money and awareness for Stonewall’s campaign for LGBT-inclusive sport. Sarah Hall, Sports Development Manager at the Students’ Union, said: “The sports community at Sussex have worked hard to promote the campaign and demonstrate that sport at Sussex is for everyone.”
Sussex University Hockey Club welcomed a former GB coach to Sussex
Double Olympic hockey player and triple Olympic coach Jason Lee delivered a tailored session for the men and women’s hockey teams in February.
Badminton Sports Scholars win bronze medals at UK's largest annual multi-sport event
Alice Torjussen (pictured left) and Wun Yan Huang (right) received their medals for the badminton women’s doubles event at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Nationals in February, bringing back all important BUCS points from the event.
Our Women’s Volleyball team ranked third in the country after the Final 8s tournament in Bournemouth
In March, the Women’s Volleyball team celebrated winning bronze in the BUCS Championship Super 8 Cup, ranking them third amongst university women's volleyball teams in the UK. The 2015/16 team had four Sussex Fund supported Sports Scholars, including Team Captain Evelin Potočnik who said the match was a: "perfect ending to the season.”
Sussex won Varsity for the third year in a row
Over 1,000 students from Sussex and Brighton watched the teams go head to head at Brighton’s Falmer campus in March. The Men’s Rugby team celebrated winning the fixture back from Brighton after a 40-0 defeat the previous year, securing a hard-won 14-12 result in one of the most nail-biting matches of the tournament.
Sports Scholar Jennifer Mankin wins gold at BUCS Outdoor Archery
Sussex Fund supported Sports Scholar and doctoral researcher Jennifer had big wins at the BUCS national indoors and outdoor championships this year. After winning silver at the BUCS indoors in February, Jennifer went on to win the gold medal at the outdoor tournament in June. Novice Eliza Miller, a first year Zoology student, also brought home the silver medal in her category at the same tournament.
Sussex's Women's Football Activator is named Student Volunteer of the Year by BUCS
Recent Chemistry graduate and 2015/16 Active US Women's Football Activator Becky Grimwade received the Student Volunteer of the Year award at the BUCS national awards in June, recognising her impact on female participation in sport at Sussex. Participation in twice-weekly Active US women’s football has almost doubled since last year.
Sussex are finishing the 2015/16 BUCS season in the top 50
A fantastic season of sport has seen Sussex surge to 43rd in the BUCS national league tables, finishing the year high above local rivals Brighton (52nd), Chichester (57th) and Kent (53rd). The achievement is the result of lots of hard work by students and coaching staff at Sussexsport, the University and the Students’ Union. Congratulating students and staff for their achievements, Head of Sport Karen Creffield said: "It has been a much stronger year for us in BUCS and we are delighted to be back in the top 50!"