Over 300 student-athletes are set to compete for the honour of being crowned National Individual Squash Champions this weekend!
Players from over 40 universities spread across the UK will travel to Nottingham to compete in the 2022/23 BUCS Individual Squash Championships.
The annual event which often takes place at the end of the calendar will feature almost 500 matches in three days, as students battle it out for the first medals of the UK university squash season.
Men’s and women’s players have been split into Grades (A-H) prior to the event, with Grade A consisting of the top 16 ranked male and female players in the competition. All remaining players have been seeded and split into the lower Grades, B-H.
In our BUCS Squash Championships Preview, we reveal where this year’s event will be taking place, how the tournament is structured, and how you can learn more about squash at the UK university level.
Where are the Championships held?
This year’s Individual Squash Championships will take place in the city of Nottingham at two different sporting facilities.
The University of Nottingham’s David Ross Sports Village will host matches from the higher grades this year, as well as the Championship Finals. The facility boasts numerous facilities including a fitness suite, climbing wall, glass squash courts, a hypoxia chamber, an indoor sprint track, and more.
Matches from the lower grades will take place away from the University of Nottingham’s campus, at the Nottingham Squash Rackets Club.
Did you know?
Players ranked in the Top 100 in the world competed in last year’s UK University Squash Championships!
Tournament grades explained
Every player competing in the Championships has been seeded into Grades, ranging from A to H, depending on levels of ability and experience.
An individual men’s and women’s champion will be declared in every Grade on Sunday, the final day of the event.
Players who do not make it past the first round have another shot at gold in the Plate competition, which will run alongside the main Championship Grades.
Above: Shots from last year’s Individual Squash Championships
Schedule of events
Almost 500 matches will be played during the three-day event which runs from Friday the 9th to Sunday the 11th of December.
On the opening day of the Championships, players will go through two sets of group matches with their graded counterparts ahead of qualifying for the next round. Day two will see another 200 games played across both venues, with quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place in the afternoon.
The third and final day of the competition will see all 22 Grade Finals take place, ending with the men’s and women’s Grade A. Presentations are then expected to commence from 2.45pm onwards.
Learn more about UK University Squash
Most U.K. universities will typically enter multiple teams into BUCS University Leagues each year to provide all of their players, regardless of ability level and experience, the opportunity to experience competitive squash.
Outside of the BUCS University Leagues, many U.K. universities will also enter teams into local and county leagues to provide their squash players with additional opportunities to compete alongside their degree.
Learn more about squash at the UK university level via the link below.
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