Over 1,500 members of Team UOP travelled to compete against Southampton for Varsity 2025.
Over the weekend, Team University of Portsmouth took on Team University of Southampton, competing in over 70 sporting fixtures. It was another fiercely contested Varsity Cup, with tight matches and wins going both ways, but ultimately, the University of Southampton retained the trophy.
Team UOP will compete again this week, with our development teams taking on The Royal Navy for a separate Varsity competition.
The build-up
Ahead of the main weekend, we competed in some early fixtures at external venues, including our Men’s and Women’s Football 1st teams at Silverlake Stadium.
Portsmouth teams secured early Varsity wins in Dodgeball, Women’s Futsal and Gymnastics!
With all the early fixtures complete, the score was Portsmouth 20 - 40 Southampton, giving the hosts a noticeable advantage going into the main weekend. Each Varsity fixture is worth 4 points for the win and 2 points to each team for a draw.
Saturday
The main Varsity weekend opened with a day of indoor sport, hosted at Southampton Students’ Union and Jubilee Sports Centre. Basketball and Volleyball dominated the atmosphere with huge crowds, where our Basketball Men’s silenced the Southampton fans with a 65-58 win.
Fencing and Table Tennis were both back-and-forth matches, with the men’s Table Tennis fixture going down to the final doubles match to decide the winner. Our athletes kept focussed under pressure to win the decider, securing the double victory for our Table Tennis club after an earlier win for the women’s team.
Our Cricket Club had an excellent day, with three out of four teams winning their fixtures, only narrowly missing out on another clean sweep of Varsity wins.
At the end of the Saturday fixtures, the Southampton lead had been extended to 72, as the hosts picked up wins across volleyball, squash, swimming and archery. With 30 fixtures still to be played the following day, Team UOP still had a chance at claiming the Varsity title despite the large points gap.
Sunday
For the final day of Varsity, Team UOP stepped out onto the outdoor pitches and courts looking to close the gap and bring home the win.
The netball and tennis courts were a sea of purple, and the support was invaluable to help secure another four wins.
Our newly formed Ultimate Frisbee team took on a strong Southampton team, narrowly losing 13-10.
As the day progressed, wins for both sides came in and it became clear that Team UOP wasn’t going to be able to close the points gap, but spirits stayed high with every pitch surrounded by supporters.
Fans at the Lacrosse fixtures were particularly vocal, with a win for our mixed team followed by a narrow loss for the Women’s and a draw for the Men’s.
Over 70 fixtures took place over the weekend with 4 points awarded for a win, 2 points awarded for a draw and 0 points awarded for a loss. Due to our locations we rarely play against our neighbours as we sit in different leagues and competitions in BUCS, so it’s great competition. We’ve seen progress so far as we attempt to climb the BUCS league rankings and hope to finish this season better off than in 2024. Although the Varsity Cup stayed in Southampton the result of 92-206 for Southampton means there is still some work to do for us to win Varsity, but we’re so pleased with our performances so far this year in the BUCS tables and competitions.
“There is something magical about Varsity, an event that brings together thousands of students in a celebration of sport, giving them the opportunity and pride of representing their University and the overwhelming sense of belonging from being part of one large incredible team. Sport has the power to transform people's lives and deliver lifelong memories and this year was no different. Although results did not go our way, the friendships made, the fun that was had and the lessons learned will be the real winners. Congratulations to the University of Southampton on their Victory and we already look forward to hosting next year's event at home in Portsmouth."
Paul Tilley
Head of Sport and Recreation
Navy Varsity
This week marked the third Navy Varsity, held across Langstone, Ravelin, and HMS Temeraire. The event saw Navy sports teams face off against development sides from the University Sports Clubs in a competitive showcase across multiple disciplines.
This year, the Varsity expanded to include 13 sports—up from 10 last year—featuring Tennis, Fencing, Rowing, and Hockey, among others. The final overall score stood at 30-22 in favour of the Navy. However, the University secured impressive victories in Table Tennis, Athletics, and Men's Football.
Support from University fans was especially strong for the Women's and Men’s Football matches, as well as Hockey towards the end of the day. Navy supporters also turned out in force, creating an electric and competitive atmosphere.
One of the standout performances came from the Table Tennis team, who dominated their matches, winning 22 out of 23 games for a remarkable landslide victory. Men's Football also delivered a thrilling comeback, overturning a 0-4 deficit at halftime to secure a dramatic 5-4 win.
Finally, an honourable mention goes to the Rowing team. Despite not clinching victory, they displayed exceptional passion and camaraderie, embodying the true spirit of Varsity competition.
“Well done to everyone who competed and took part, helped organise, and volunteered to contribute to a fantastic weekend. The results didn’t go the way we wanted to but everyone wore their heart on their sleeve and showed exactly what it means to be a part of Portsmouth Sport”
Ben Heyes
Team UOP Exec Performance Officer
Join us for Students vs Alumni Cup
Spring is filled with events and activities, so shortly after Navy Varsity, we have another amazing event planned for you! Get ready for an action-packed day of sport, celebration, and community at the inaugural Students vs Alumni Cup – a brand-new event that brings together past and present University of Portsmouth sports stars for a friendly competitive series of fixtures. Whether you’re a student, staff member, alumni, or sports fan, this is your chance to be part of something exciting, meaningful, and memorable. Come along to this FREE event on Saturday 5 April - check out more information HERE.
“Being new to the team, it was great to experience my first Varsity this year. I can see why it is an event held so highly by both students and staff as the atmosphere was electric! Well done to all those involved, it was a fantastic weekend. It makes me very excited to experience a home Varsity next year!”
Jordan Bradshaw
Sports Development Coordinator
Varsity Sponsor
Carrington West
Our lead Team UOP sports club sponsor Carrington West is an award-winning, Portsmouth-based, technical recruitment company. Carrington West are the main partner of competitive sport at the University of Portsmouth.
The partnership sees Carrington West become the front of shirt sponsor for the University’s sports teams. Carrington West will also deliver educational seminars and workshops for students, ensuring that students get both on and off-the-field development opportunities, which is vital to their continued success in the graduate market.
Founded in 2011 Carrington West is experienced and successful in the recruitment community, providing high-calibre talent in the UK for highways, transport and infrastructure, town planning, water and environmental, utilities, power and telecoms, building and rail industries. They recruit interim, temporary and permanent professionals from entry to board level for private and public sector organisations.