Scottish Universities Volleyball Cup

The Scottish Universities Volleyball Cup was traditionally the only formal university volleyball competition played during the season, the winner being declared the Scottish Universities Champions for that particular year.  Scottish Universities Cup competitions have been taking place for nearly forty years!

It was only in the late 80s that regular league competition was introduced for Scottish Universities Volleyball.  Initially the winning Cup team was crowned “Scottish Universities Champion”, but with the introduction of league competition, it is recognised that playing all teams throughout the season is more representative and reflective of sustained team performance, than playing a limited number of teams in one day.  However, like any Cup competition, the Scottish Universities Cup is much sought after and carries considerable kudos in the student game.
With introduction of BUSA (British Universities Sports Association) leagues in 1994, the opportunity arose for the best Scottish Universities teams to test themselves against the best teams in England for the title of British Universities Champions.  The top two teams in the Scottish Universities “Conference” (recognised as one of five divisions within BUCS) now progress to the last sixteen stage of the BUCS Cup and if successful in their knock-out match against English opposition, progress to the BUCS Finals Day at Loughborough University in March, where the top eight men’s and women’s teams compete for the title of British Universities Champion.

In the history of the BUCS Cup competition, Edinburgh University women and Glasgow men have both managed to reach the final – Glasgow University men famously beating Loughborough University 16-14 in the final set at Loughborough in 2000, to be crowned best university volleyball team in Britain!

In recent times Dundee University women have brought back two silver medas from the BUCS Championships and Edinburgh University men a bronze medal.

The Scottish Universities Cup competitions continue for both men and women and now provide the only opportunity in a busy calendar, for Scottish Universities Div. 1 and Div. 2 university teams to test themselves against each other.  The Cup is a unique gathering of student teams and provides an excellent advertisement for the energy and enthusiasm within the student game.