As the UK university sport season gets underway today, we look at the different BUCS competitions that students will be able to compete in alongside their studies.
As the UK university sport season gets underway today, we look at the different BUCS competitions that students will be able to compete in alongside their studies.
Any student representing their UK university in BUCS competitions can earn BUCS points for their institution.
Points are awarded for individual and team performances in leagues, cups, and tournaments held throughout the academic year.
UK universities have individuals and teams competing across 53 different sports run by BUCS, with each one having denoted leagues (usually split into different region tiers) and hotly contested knock-out competitions.
BUCS Points Explained
Every year, students compete in both individual and team events to earn points through the league and cup system.
The points that individuals and teams win for their university feed into an overall table, creating a national sport ranking for higher education institutions in the UK. Last year, Loughborough University continued its BUCS dominance by winning an extraordinary 41st consecutive overall title.
BUCS Points are given to institutions depending on where they finish in leagues and events held during the season. The accumulation of these points determines which institution becomes the overall BUCS Champion.
Available Competitions
National Championship
The National Championship is contested between Premier or Tier 1 university sport teams, depending on the sport.
Over 25 different university sports will have a Championship final including American Football, Super Rugby, Volleyball, and Baseball. The opening round of fixtures for the majority of teams competing in this competition will take place on the 5th of October, with finals often being hosted at BUCS Big Wednesday in March.
The winner of each National Championship is considered the best overall university team in that sport.
National Trophy
The National Trophy is contested mainly between Tier 1 university sport teams from sports such as Badminton, Lacrosse, Dodgeball, and Table Tennis.
The opening round of fixtures for the majority of teams competing in this competition will take place on the 12th of October with the final taking place on BUCS Big Wednesday.
National Vase
The National Vase is contested in only two UK university sports; hockey and rugby.
The competition begins on the 15th of October and features Premier level teams. Knockout fixtures take place throughout February and March with the Final also taking place on BUCS Big Wednesday.
National Shield
The National Shield is contested between university teams from Tier 2 in a variety of sports.
Futsal, Basketball, Netball, and Squash are just some of the 10 different sports in which students from lower leagues can compete for the BUCS National Shield.
Learn more about UK university sport
With over 5,000 teams competing across 50 different sports each academic year, students have the opportunity to compete against other university teams in leagues and knockout competitions each year.
Whether you are an experienced player seeking the opportunity to compete at the highest level, or simply want to get involved with the sport alongside your studies, we can help!
Learn more about UK university sport via the link below.
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