Volleyball teams landed Student Cup double

UEL’s male and female beach volleyball teams celebrated a double after winning their respective Volleyball England Beach Student Cups, the largest student beach volleyball event in the country.

More than 200 students, involving 29 men’s teams and 26 women’s teams, took part in the competition hosted by the Academy of Beach Sports and Parkdean Holidays.

The tournament was held in Croyde, North Devon – the venue for the first ever Student Cup in 2004 – and UEL’s women’s team, made up of Alex Vajdova and Nikki Hoevenaars, dominated the competition winning all their games in straight sets.

In the knockout stages they beat universities from Warwick, Loughborough and Newcastle and in the final against Sussex University, UEL was in great form and too strong for their opponents, easily beating them.

The men’s division was very competitive with Taylor Wilson and Mark Garcia-Kidd working hard to earn the title.

In the knockout stages they beat universities from Liverpool, Cambridge, UCL, and Bournemouth in the final.

Tomasz Morawski, volleyball head coach and coordinator, said: “It’s a fantastic achievement for UEL to win the men’s and women’s Beach Student Cup.

“We are a relatively new university on the volleyball scene and have made a big impact this year coming third for both the men’s and women’s Indoor Student Cup and now we’ve been crowned champions for the student beach volleyball.

“I would like to congratulate our players for their dedication and determination as they worked so hard after intense indoor seasons to prepare for the beach, juggling their academic commitments, work and training.”

David Cosford, UEL director of sport, added: “This is absolutely brilliant news and unprecedented for both our men’s and women’s teams.

“What’s especially pleasing is that earlier this year UEL’s women’s team made their debut in student volleyball championships and took third place. Now they’re the beach champions.

“To say UEL are kings and queens of volleyball, well, it doesn’t get better. I’m so proud of both teams and their coach Tomasz Morawski.”