College sports teams successfully defend Varsity title

Teams across 15 sports and from our 17 Colleges took part in a full day of matches in this annual fixture in our College sport calendar. A total of 30 matches were scheduled between 10.30am and 6pm, showcasing the best of College sport from both institutions, and balancing both competition and participation.

This year’s event was held in York, with Durham College teams under no small amount of pressure to extend their win in the 2025 Varsity. Results were exchanged throughout the day, with neither side able to build a decisive lead. The outcome remained uncertain until the closing stages, and the final result came down to the last two fixtures. The overall score was close, with Durham earning 69 points to York’s 51, and ultimately returning home with the trophy.

The day also coincided with International Women’s Day, and in a nod to this, the day’s opening and closing matches were women’s netball and women’s football respectively.   

College sport at Durham

Beyond the scoreline, Varsity continues to showcase what makes college sport so valuable. The ethos of providing as many students as possible with the opportunity to represent their College, be part of a team, and experience Varsity was clear in both the scale and spirit of the event.

It offers a platform where participation and performance go hand in hand, and where students of all levels can contribute, while also pushing the standard of competition higher each year.

Match-by-match: the results

An array of men’s, women’s and mixed teams from our Colleges took on York in:

• Netball
• Badminton
• Football (women’s and men’s teams)
• Ultimate frisbee
• Lacrosse
• Pool
• Rugby union
• Squash
• Touch rugby
• Volleyball
• Hockey
• Darts
• Basketball
• Tennis

The full results are below.

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Find out more  

• Explore our College sports, fixtures, and teams.
• Find out more about sport at Durham and watch how sport at Durham helps our students develop.
• Read more about our Colleges.
• View more about International Women's Day 2026 at Durham.

Main image (left to right): Men's rugby union match (St Cuthbert's College vs York's James College); College Sport Coordinator Elspeth Clarke celebrates with the Varsity trophy; Mixed badminton match (Grey College / Trevelyan College vs York's David Kato College). Images courtesy of Dan Webster.