EUMHC Stars Shine Bright at EUSU & SSS Awards!
What a season it's been for EUMHC, and the triumphs just keep rolling in – this time, off the pitch! Our incredible dedication, talent, and sheer hard work were rightly recognised at both the Edinburgh University Sports Union (EUSU) Awards on June 5th and the Scottish Student Sport (SSS) Awards held just last week in Aberdeen. It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the very best of student sport, and EUMHC certainly left its mark!
Left to right: Ben Burton (First Year, 4XI), Florian Garland Hoff (5th Year, 3XI), Jamie Croll (3rd Year, 1XI), Neil Allan (1XI Coach)
EUSU Awards: A Night of Triumph in McEwan Hall
The magnificent McEwan Hall provided a fitting backdrop for the EUSU Awards on June 5th, where the cream of Edinburgh University's sporting crop gathered for a night of fine dining, good wine, and inspiring speeches from distinguished figures within the Sports Union and newly inducted Hall of Famers.
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that two of our very own walked away with top honours:
Ben Burton - EUSU Student Official of the Year! This is a monumental achievement and a testament to Ben's unwavering commitment. Ben had a landmark season officiating, taking charge of a staggering 61 matches for the club, not to mention junior and senior international fixtures and consistent umpiring throughout the BUCS Premier North League. His dedication saw him appointed to the EHL U19 Tournament in Amsterdam and join the prestigious Scottish Hockey Performance Umpires Group. And if that wasn't enough, he also made history as the first first-year student to serve on the EUMHC committee, leading our officiating appointments as Umpire Secretary. An incredible effort, Ben!
Neil Allan - EUSU Coach of the Year! What can we say about Neil? His leadership of the Men's 1st XI this season has been nothing short of transformative. Under his guidance, the 1XI enjoyed a historic, unbeaten BUCS campaign, dominating the Premier North before winning the playoff to seal promotion to the BUCS National Premier Division. The team also lifted the BUCS National Vase and, sensationally, secured their first-ever Scottish Cup triumph, making them the first men's university side in history to achieve this landmark feat. Beyond the silverware, Neil's instrumental role in developing elite-level talent saw five players earn senior international caps for Scotland this season. This award is truly well-deserved recognition for his relentless pursuit of excellence and profound impact on our club.
While they didn't take home the top awards in their categories, we also want to extend a massive congratulations to Florian Garland Hoff, who was rightly awarded Colours for his exceptional voluntary contribution and multi-year service across numerous executive roles for the club. And a huge shout-out to our incredible goalkeeper, Jamie Croll, who received Blues for his outstanding dual contributions to university and international hockey, including seven senior caps for Scotland. Both thoroughly deserved honours, even if the "of the Year" titles went elsewhere (to Florence Guest from Women's Lacrosse for Colour of the Year and Archie Goodburn from Swimming for Blue of the Year – tough competition indeed!).
The atmosphere was electric, celebrating not just individual prowess but the collective spirit that makes Edinburgh University sport so special.
SSS Awards: High Hopes and Fierce Competition
Just a few days ago, on Wednesday, June 11th, the Scottish Student Sport (SSS) Awards took place in Aberdeen, a gathering of the best student athletes and teams from across Scotland. Representing EUMHC with pride were Keir Robb, Jamie Croll, and Neil Allan, who made the journey north and thoroughly enjoyed the event.
We were incredibly proud to see Neil Allan nominated for the prestigious SSS Coach of the Year award, a further testament to his phenomenal work with the 1st XI. And our very own EUMHC 1s were also nominated for SSS Team of the Year, a nod to their historic, unbeaten BUCS campaign and Scottish Cup triumph.
Sadly, it wasn't to be a double celebration on the SSS stage. Neil narrowly missed out on the Coach of the Year award to Bradley Hay, and our incredible 1st XI were pipped to Team of the Year by the formidable St Andrews Women's 1s Football team, who rightly earned their accolade after winning the BUCS Championship.
While we didn't bring home the SSS gongs this time, the nominations themselves are a massive honour and highlight EUMHC's consistent excellence at the highest level of Scottish student sport. It just fuels our fire for next season!
A huge well done once again to all our nominees and winners. Your dedication, talent, and hard work continue to elevate EUMHC and inspire us all. We are incredibly proud to have you represent the club!
