Four undergraduates have been announced for the men’s and women’s U21 hockey squads for England, Scotland and Wales in the forthcoming Junior Hockey World Cup.
Matthew Hughson, Darcy Littlefield, Ava Wadsworth, and Emily Edwards are flying the flag for the three nations in Great Britain, showcasing the strength of hockey at Durham and proudly representing the University at an international level.
Third year Mathematics and Collingwood College student Matthew Hughson has been chosen for the 20-strong men’s U21 England hockey squad. He will travel to Tamil Nadu, India, to compete in the first Junior World Hockey Cup tournament the England team has played in in almost ten years. Matches will be held from Friday 28 November to Wednesday 10 December, with the English team facing the Netherlands, Austria, and Malaysia in the initial round of the competition.
Matthew’s selection is the latest success in his burgeoning hockey career. He has previously played hockey for England and Great Britain in the junior age group teams. He has also recently returned from Malaysia, having helped the men’s U21 Great Britain team achieve bronze in prestigious international hockey tournament, Sultan of Johor Cup. 2025’s Cup marks the third time that he has been part of the Team GB squad for this competition.
Earlier this year he was the recipient of a Full Palatinate award in recognition of his contribution to Durham University sport. Matthew trains as part of the Great Britain Elite Development Programme, coordinated by England Hockey, as a player who has the potential to become a medal-winning Olympian in the future.
Darcy Littlefield (2nd year undergraduate, Business and Management, Grey College) and Ava Wadsworth (3rd year undergraduate, Business and Management with Placement Year, Collingwood College) will both play for the women’s U21 Scotland hockey squad. They travel to Santiago, Chile, to participate in the Junior World Hockey Cup in December. The Scottish team’s first match is scheduled for Tuesday 2 December against Spain, with further matches against Canada, and Australia.
From playing hockey at school, Darcy has represented Scottish Hockey since 2021, progressing through their Emerging Talent Academy League. She has thrown herself into hockey at Durham, quickly proving her talent on the pitch in our women’s 1st team.
Ava, who also plays for our women’s 1st team, is a member of the Scotland senior women’s squad, earning her first senior cap this summer. As part of the Scottish team, she has played in numerous international competitions, including the women’s U21 EuroHockey Championships in Turkey, and FIH (International Hockey Federation) Hockey Women’s Nations Cup in Chile. She was announced as a member of the Great Britain Elite Development Programme in 2024, with training encompassing teamwork, leadership and strategic thinking on and off the hockey pitch.
Emily Edwards (3rd year undergraduate, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Josephine Butler College) is set to play for the women’s U21 Hockey Wales squad in this year’s Junior World Hockey Cup. The Welsh team’s first match will take place on Tuesday 2 December, where they face Belgium. Further matches will follow against Zimbabwe, and Argentina.
Emily began playing hockey at Stockport Bramhall Hockey Club, discovering a passion for the sport. Selection for Hockey Wales’ U18 girls squad followed in 2021, with progression to the U21 women’s squad, where she competed in the Senior women’s EuroHockey 5s Championship in Poland, and the women’s U21 EuroHockey Championships in the Czech Republic.
Over 75% of our students engage in sport and physical activity and sport at Durham embraces all level of skill. Hockey is no exception, from elite level performance at national and international level, to providing opportunities to get involved through our Colleges.
We’re proud that Durham hockey is one of the highest achieving hockey programmes in the UK. Our hockey club (DUHC) currently has four teams competing in the BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) national league and the England Hockey National League. We support numerous international athletes, and can count several notable alumni within our ranks. Recent examples include Fiona Crackles, Tess Howard, Ollie Payne, and Jack Waller, who all competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics for Team GB.
Our thriving College hockey programme gives budding players the chance to participate in the sport, practice, train and enjoy the camaraderie of being in a hockey team.
Main image (left to right): Darcy Littlefield, Matthew Hughson, and Ava Wadsworth. Image by Hockey Centric Sports Photography.
-----
/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/wider-student-experience-/team-durham/86040-hero.jpg)