More than 80 Exeter College athletes played their part in the South West being crowned the victors at the Association of Colleges Sport National Championships.

The students competed across a range of different sports representing the South West alongside a number of other colleges – with Exeter College student Vicky Prouse one of the team captains.

Nearly 1800 college students from across England, Wales and Scotland travelled to Tyne and Wear to take part in the three-day event, which is now in its 38th year. The college athletes competed across 15 different sports, including swimming, golf, cross country running, basketball, hockey, football, and for the first time at the Championships, cricket.

The South West region retained their Wilkinson Sword title, with students from Exeter College competing across a wide range of sports.

Vicky Prouse said: “Retaining the Wilkinson Sword was an incredible achievement for the South West. It was great to be one of the student captains who could collect the sword on behalf of all the amazing South West students who competed so well.

“Winning my own silver medal was also a great personal achievement with many amazing memories made in Newcastle that I will keep with me for a very long time.

“I am so proud to get to captain such an amazing region in my last year at the AoC Sport National Championships.”

Pete Chapman, Head of Faculty Sport, Leisure & Tourism, said: “The AoC Sport National Championships are a wonderful opportunity for students to compete on the national stage and test their skills against the very best across all of the regions of England as well as teams from Scotland and Wales.

“The Exeter College team along with their fellow competitors from colleges across the South West performed superbly to dominate the national platform and bring back the Wilkinson Sword as National Champions once again.”

Our students were a credit to the College and performed excellently across the weekend:

• Golf (Jack Pope & Molly Pavey) Women's team Gold, Men's 4th;
• X-Country – Jake Smith, Joe Chamberlain, Phoebe Killen, Natalie Woods and Martika Gallagher) performing well on a tough course, with Jake Smith finishing forth;
• Mixed Badminton pair (Chris Millen and Vicky Prouse) Silver medal;
• Mixed Tennis Doubles (Ryan Masterson & Molly Wiltshire) Bronze medal;
• Swimming Dan Mather 4th in his 200m freestyle and 9th in 200IM
• Women's Rugby (Sophie Tansley);
• Men's Rugby 7's Bronze Medal
• Women's Football 4th
• Men's Football Silver Medal
• Netball 4th
• Cricket 8th