Earlier this month a range of sports teams from our Colleges squared up against rivals from the University of York, coming away triumphant and retaining the Varsity cup for a second consecutive year.
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.
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.
What stands out each year is not just the level of performance, but the camaraderie and enjoyment our students bring to Varsity. This year was no different - they represented their Colleges and the University with real pride.
Our students showed incredible determination and team spirit across every sport. To retain the Varsity title for a second consecutive year is a testament not only to their talent, but also to the strength of our College sport community.
An array of men’s, women’s and mixed teams from our Colleges took on York in:
The full results are below.
Gender
Sport
A/B team
Durham College
Winning team
Match score
Varsity points
Women's
Netball
A
Van Mildert College
York
45-44
5
Mixed
Badminton
B
Van Mildert College / St John's College
Durham
3-6
3
Men's
Football
Collingwood College
5-3
John Snow College
3-7
Ultimate Frisbee
Bailey College Team
6-9
Lacrosse
St Mary's College
0-10
Pool
St Aidan's College
4-5
Grey College / Trevelyan College
6-3
Rugby Union
Forfeited
51-46
Squash
Josephine Butler College / Grey College
4 (12) - 4(13)
Touch Rugby
6-4
Volleyball
South College
0-2
Hockey
Grey College
1-7
Hill College Team
7-14
Darts
Trevelyan College
6-1
1-5
1-0
Van Mildert College and St Aidan’s College
5-1
St Chad's College
6-2
St Cuthbert's College
29-14
Tennis
University College
2-1
Grey College / John Snow College
3-0
College of St Hild and St Bede
2-6
2-3
Basketball
85-48
Stephenson College
1-2
Hatfield College
3-4
St Cuthbert's College / St Aidan's College
38-92
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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.
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