 | |
| Institution | Durham University |
|---|---|
| Location | Durham, England |
| Established | 1927 |
| Affiliations | British Universities and Colleges Sport; Wallace Group |
| Colours | Palatinate |
| Type | Athletic Union |
Team Durham (formerly Durham University Athletic Union, DUAU) is a student-run organisation responsible for sport at Durham University. Durham University's sports programme, run by Team Durham, has produced more professional sports people than any other UK university (141 as of 2022) and has twice seen Durham named Times and Sunday Times Sports University of the Year (2015 and 2023).[1][2][3] It has ranked in the top three institutions in British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) every season since 2011–12. Eight Team Durham alumni or current athletes have won nine Olympic and Paralympic medals since 1996.
Team Durham played first class cricket as Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence and Durham MCC University from 2001 to 2020.[4] The rugby club plays in BUCS Super Rugby, BUCS's flagship competition and the highest level student rugby in the UK, and were league winners in 2019–20 and 2021–22.[5] Team Durham compete as the Durham Palatinates in the top-level Women's British Basketball League. With two members in each of the men's and women's GB Hockey teams at the 2024 Summer Olympics, BBC Look North branded Durham "the talent factory of the north".[6]
Team Durham awards the Palatinate as its sporting colours. Famous recipients of a Full Palatinate include cricketer Nasser Hussain, triple jumper Jonathan Edwards and rugby player Phil de Glanville.
Team Durham instituted a policy in 2016 allowing students to train and (if permitted by the national governing body) compete in the team that best fitted their gender identity. This was proposed to the National Union of Students as a model for a national policy.[7][8]
- ^ Sian Griffiths (16 September 2022). "UK university rankings revealed: The Times league table". The Times.
- ^ Zoe Thomas (21 September 2014). "Fit for purpose: success on the field of play and in community outreach programmes puts Team Durham ahead of the pack". The Sunday Times.
- ^ Lily Whear (17 September 2022). "Durham has been named Sports University of the Year". The Tab.
- ^ Derek Pringle (2021). "The end of first-class university cricket". Wisden.
- ^ Gary Heatly (30 March 2022). "Determined Davies wants Durham double before he heads south this summer". Taking Rugby Union.
- ^ Caine McCartney (3 August 2024). "Inside 'the hockey talent factory': Here's how Durham University Hockey Club produces Olympians". The Tab.
- ^ Camila Turner (24 April 2017). "Transgender students should not have to declare birth gender when applying to university sports teams, NUS expected to rule". The Telegraph.
- ^ Ted Lavis Coward (9 February 2017). "Improving intersex representation in Durham sports". Palatinate.