At the UCD Athletic Union Council Sport Awards ceremony yesterday evening in the UCD Student Centre, over 400 students from 26 different sports clubs were honoured for their sporting achievements on behalf of the University over the last twelve months.

A number of special awards were presented on the night.  Fittingly in its centenary year, the Rugby Club was named the “Elite Club of the Year” in recognition of its outstanding competitive success during the past twelve months.  The first team won the Leinster Senior Cup the Dudley Cup and secured promotion to Division 1 B of the AIL next season.  The Under 21 team won the All Ireland League for the first time in the clubs history and the J1’s won the J1B League.

The Men’s Basketball team were named the “Elite Team of the Year” following their historic victory in the Superleague National Cup against Killester.

International rowers David Neale and Finbar Manning were jointly named as the “Dr. Tony O’Neill Sportsperson of the Year”, in recognition of their victory in the Prince Albert Cup at Henley and their bronze medals at the World University Rowing Championships last August.

In terms of other award winners on the night, Steven O’Reilly from the Pool and Snooker Club was named the “Gerry Horkan Club Administrator of the Year”.  The Swimming team was named the “Varsity Team of the Year” and the Trampoline Club was named the “Varsity Club of the Year”.

Commenting on the sporting achievements the UCD President, Dr. Hugh Brady, said that “Sport is an integral part student life at UCD and the fact that we have so many students from so many clubs are not only triumphant at Intervarsity level, but many others taking on the cream of competition nationally and internationally, underlines the quality of our sportsmen and women”.  

Dublin, 24th May 2011