Universities from round the UK gathered at University of Leeds, for the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) annual awards dinner. The prestigious awards not only recognise the individual and team sporting success of athletes competing in BUCS competitions, but also the supporters, volunteers and the all important BUCS championship ranking.
This year saw England cricketer and Ashes winner Matthew Hoggard MBE taking on the after dinner responsibilities, where University of Birmingham Sport (UBSport) were in the running for two key awards.
Firstly, outgoing Vice President for Sport (VPS) Julian Adeniran was short listed for sportsman of the year for his amazing achievement in being crowned both the indoor 60m and outdoor 110m hurdles champion.
Secondly, the Athletics and Cross Country club were short listed for the team of the year for their performance on and off the track (and field) and also for their organisation and running of the BUCS Cross Country championship in February this year. They were praised by BUCS for what was considered a very well run event.
Sadly, neither Athletics and Cross Country or Julian were successful in their categories but there was still the chance for UBSport to shine.
The climax of the dinner, and in fact the university sporting year, was the revealing of the overall BUCS championship ranking, for which UBSport have been firmly ensconced in the top three for over 15 years, yet not made second place since the mid nineties.
The last known ranking was displayed on the BUCS website on 21 June, where UBSport lay, for the first time in BUCS history, second, with several competitors in hot pursuit. However, there were still results to come from summer sports which could spell disappointment or delight for UBSport.
It is therefore with incredible pleasure that UBSport can now announce we are second in BUCS! A huge well done to everyone who competed in the sporting season that was 2010-11 and huge thanks to all those who supported all our clubs and teams in what has been an amazing year!
Director of Sport Zena Wooldridge spoke of her pleasure on the ranking 'Second place overall in BUCS is a fantastic achievement for Birmingham students, and also a reflection of great teamwork between student clubs and the UBSport team that supports them on and off the pitch. In performance terms, the bar is constantly rising in university sport. So to achieve second place as we move into Olympic year is fantastic. I would like to congratulate Birmingham’s students who have contributed to this year’s success, to my colleagues in UBSport for their dedicated support, and to senior University colleagues for their continued support of sport, and their recognition of the value sport brings to university life.'