Launch of Winning Students 100: Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme

Fresh investment for Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme with launch of Winning Students 100

Following a new injection of funding from sportscotland and the Scottish Funding Council, Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme for talented student athletes has relaunched as Winning Students 100.

Helping student athletes balance their studies with high performance training and competition, the newly-branded Winning Students 100 provides athletes with grants of up to £3000 and works with respective colleges and universities to offer additional support such as academic flexibility.

Image: CEO of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop; Cathy Gallagher Chair of Winning Students 100; Professor Sir Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Stirling; Eileen Schofield, Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary, University of Stirling; CEO of Scottish Funding Council, Sharon Drysdale, Megan Keith (athlete), Lewis Stewart (athlete), Louise Duncan (athlete), Ollie Carter (athlete)

With funding secured until 2028, it is expected 500 scholarships will be awarded over the period with the programme also introducing a hardship fund to offer additional support to eligible student athletes.

106 scholarships have been awarded for 2023/24 across 28 different sports and 21 universities and colleges. New scholars for the revamped programme including current Olympic champion, Hailey Duff (curling), Paralympic medallist, Lewis Stewart (cycling), Commonwealth gold medallist, Grace Reid (diving), Britain’s first ever Para Nordic World medallist, Scott Meenagh (biathlon) and U23 European 10,000m record holder, Megan Keith (athletics).

Keith, who won the U23 European Cross Country by a record margin before her record-breaking efforts at the Valencia 10K in January, is one of Scottish athletics’ leading prospects and a prime example of a world-class student athlete pursuing excellence in and out of the classroom.

Commenting on the impact of Winning Students 100 on her sporting and academic endeavours, the University of Edinburgh, Applied Sport Science student, said: “I really appreciate the generous support from Winning Students 100 for the upcoming year. In what is looking like an exciting year of competitions, the scholarship will help fund the travel required to train and compete to the best of my ability”

Established in 2008, the original Winning Students programme saw over 1,700 scholarships awarded during its first phase of funding with noteworthy alumni including Olympic medallists Laura Muir (athletics), Duncan Scott (swimming), Vicky Wright and Bruce Mouat (both curling).

As the newest funding partner, sportscotland’s involvement brings true cross-sector collaboration to the programme with Scotland’s sport and higher education bodies both committed to supporting a duel-career pathway for the country’s leading student athletes.

Forbes Dunlop, Chief Executive of sportscotland, said: “We are committed to helping young athletes achieve their goals. Being able to find the right balance between training, their studies and other commitments is critical to the wellbeing of student athletes. We’re delighted that this programme will help these athletes to do that.”

Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “Having funded the Winning Students programme from the start, we’re incredibly proud it has helped so many people to be successful college or university students alongside developing a career in sport. The achievements of previous Winning Students in life and in sport speak volumes for the benefits of the programme, and I wish the new scholars every success.”

Executive Director of Sport at the University of Stirling and Chair of the Winning Students 100 Advisory Board, Cathy Gallagher, commented: “The importance of this dual career programme for talented student athletes, cannot be understated.  The coming together of the Scottish Funding Council, sportscotland and the HE/FE sector forms a significant collaboration within which to create even more impact for the current and future cohort of students”.

Winning Students 100 is managed by University of Stirling, Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, and supported by an advisory board and management group made up of professionals from across the tertiary education and sport sectors.

www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk

Ends

Media enquiries to David Lyon at david.lyon@stir.ac.uk or 07730 195 349.

About Winnings Students 100

Winning Students was established in 2008 as Scotland’s national sports scholarship programme supporting student athletes. The scholarships have been funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and managed by the University of Stirling, as Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence. An advisory board (WSAB), comprising representatives from key stakeholders, including SFC and sportscotland, provide guidance on the development of the programme.

Winning Students is a unique and pioneering initiative. Indeed, it is a global first. Since its inception, the programme has provided support to 632 athletes (1700+ scholarship awards) enabling them to combine pursuit of an academic qualification in the Scottish HE and FE sector, alongside a quest for sporting honours at the highest international level.

Winning Students 100 Objectives:

1. Support student athletes along their sports performance pathway

2. Enhance the levels of success of talented student athletes internationally

3. Increase partnership working between the sport and education sectors

4. Ensure the education sector provides flexible support to its student athletes

List of Winning Students 100 supported athletes 2023/24:

Forename	Surname	Sport	Institution Name
Adam	Hall	Alpine Skiing	University of Dundee
Megan	Keith	Athletics	University of Edinburgh
Alyson	Bell	Athletics	University of Edinburgh
Sarah	Calvert	Athletics	University of Edinburgh
Natasha	Phillips	Athletics	University of Dundee
Rebecca	Matheson	Athletics	Robert Gordon University
Adam	Pringle	Badminton	University of Strathclyde
Jack	Macgregor	Badminton	University of the West of Scotland
Rachel	Sugden	Badminton	University of Strathclyde
Abbie	Brooks	Badminton	The Open University in Scotland
Finlay	Jack	Badminton	University of Glasgow
Lauren	Middleton	Badminton	University of the Highlands and Islands
Scott	Meenagh	Biathlon	University of Stirling
Tyler	Mclelland	Boccia	Fife College
Vittoria	Pezzaioli	Canoeing	University of Strathclyde
Isla	Bethune	Canoeing	University of Edinburgh
Alexander Blair	Haswell	Curling	University of Strathclyde
James	Craik	Curling	University of Stirling
Robyn	Munro	Curling	University of Strathclyde
Laura	Watt	Curling	University of the Highlands and Islands
Holly	Wilkie-Milne	Curling	University of Stirling
Fay	Henderson	Curling	University of Glasgow
Amy	Mitchell	Curling	University of Stirling
Hailey	Duff	Curling	The Open University in Scotland
Lauren	Bell	Cycling	Edinburgh Napier University
Eilidh	Shaw	Cycling	University of Glasgow
Struan	Shaw	Cycling	City of Glasgow College
Lewis	Stewart	Cycling	University of Strathclyde
Cameron	Reid	Cycling	University of Stirling
Grace	Reid	Diving	University of Edinburgh
Danny	Mabbott	Diving	University of Edinburgh
Angus	Menmuir	Diving	University of Edinburgh
Clara	Kerr	Diving	University of Edinburgh
Jaimie	Cook	Fencing	Edinburgh College
Ellen	Buckley	Fencing	University of Edinburgh
Isaac	McKerr	Fencing	University of Edinburgh
Luke	Digby	Figure Skating	The Open University in Scotland
Christie	Shannon	Figure Skating	Glasgow School of Art
Olivia	Burke	Freestyle Skiing	University of Aberdeen
Chris	McCormick	Freestyle Skiing	The Open University in Scotland
Zoe	Winthrop	Freestyle Skiing	University of Aberdeen
Ross	Laird	Golf	University of Stirling
Ruby	Watt	Golf	North East College Scotland
Alexander	Farmer	Golf	University of Stirling
Lucy	Jamieson	Golf	University of St Andrews
Crystelle	Lake	Gymnastics	University of Stirling
Jessica	Ross	Hockey	University of Strathclyde
Bronwyn	Shields	Hockey	University of Stirling
Sophie	Hinds	Hockey	University of Edinburgh
Keir	Robb	Hockey	University of Edinburgh
Lunjika	Nyirenda	Hockey	University of Edinburgh
Calum	Douglas	Hockey	University of Edinburgh
Oliver	Short	Judo	University of Edinburgh
Josie	Steele	Judo	University of Stirling
Sunny	Doig	Judo	Heriot-Watt University
James	Gray	Judo	Heriot-Watt University
Jacob	Callaghan	Judo	Heriot-Watt University
Kirsten	Taylor	Judo	University of the Highlands and Islands
Kara	Lees	Lawn Bowls	University of Stirling
Cerys	Cairns	Netball	University of the Highlands and Islands
Rachel	Conway	Netball	University of Glasgow
Cerys	Finn	Netball	University of Strathclyde
Zara	Flett	Netball	Orkney College UHI
Joshua	Matthews	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Laura	McKenzie	Rowing	University of Glasgow
Hannah	Supple	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Maisie	Aspinall	Rowing	University of Aberdeen
Alexander	Patton	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Grace	Dawson	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Isla	MacCallum	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Josephine	Briggs	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
James	Deardon	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Freddy	Foxwell	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Oliver	Holmes	Rowing	University of Edinburgh
Shona	Campbell	Rugby Sevens	University of Edinburgh
Finlay	Callaghan	Rugby Sevens	University of Strathclyde
Lucy	Evans	Shooting	University of Edinburgh
Isobel	Mactaggart	Shooting	University of Stirling
Andrew	Goodall	Sport Climbing	Heriot-Watt University
Andrew	Glen	Squash	Heriot-Watt University
Katie	Shanahan	Swimming	University of Stirling
Faye	Rogers	Swimming	University of Aberdeen
Toni	Shaw	Swimming	University of Aberdeen
Samuel	Downie	Swimming	Edinburgh College
Keanna	MacInnes	Swimming	Forth Valley College
Holly	McGill	Swimming	University of Stirling
Archie	Goodburn	Swimming	University of Edinburgh
Evan	Jones	Swimming	University of Stirling
Evie	Davis	Swimming	University of Stirling
Thomas	Carswell	Swimming	University of Edinburgh
Lucy	Grieve	Swimming	University of Stirling
George	Smith	Swimming	University of Stirling
Abby	Kane	Swimming	University of Stirling
Jack	Milne	Swimming	North East College Scotland
Ciara	Schlosshan	Swimming	University of Edinburgh
Rory	Dickson	Swimming	University of Stirling
Jamie	Ferguson	Swimming	University of Aberdeen
Andrew	Bertoli	Swimming	University of Stirling
Michaella	Glenister	Swimming	University of Stirling
Zach	Speakman	Swimming	University of Stirling
Erin	Shaw	Taekwondo (WT)	University of Glasgow
Isla	Hedley	Triathlon	University of Edinburgh
Struan	Bennet	Triathlon	University of Stirling
Amelia	Peters	Water Polo	University of St Andrews
Finlay	Erskine	Wheelchair Basketball	West Lothian College
Josh	Manson	Wheelchair Basketball	University of Aberdeen
List of Winning student awardees Continuing from 2022-23
Lorna	McClymont	Golf	University of Stirling
Gavin	Roberts	Swimming	Glasgow Clyde
Ollie	Carter	Swimming	University of Stirling
Kara	Hanlon	Swimming	University of Edinburgh
Niamh	Hunter	Orienteering	University of Edinburgh
Julie	MacPherson	Badminton	The Open University in Scotland
Eilidh	Campbell	Orienteering	University of Edinburgh
Laura	Milne	Canoeing	University of Strathclyde
Charlie	Guest	Snowboarding	University of Aberdeen
Sophia	Green	Triathlon	University of Stirling
Lisa	Aitken	Squash	Heriot Watt University

https://www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk/

@WinningStudents