University Mixed Indoor Regionals 2024: Scottish preview

By Kb Adkoli |

This weekend will see 15 teams across 8 Scottish universities battle it out for 2 spots at Div 1 indoor nationals and 3 spots at Div 2 . This is the first competitive tournament of the university indoor season and each of these teams will be looking to set the tone for the year. We spoke to captains from each team in a build up to the action in Dundee to see how they’re feeling ahead of the tournament, and made some of our own predictions too… [featured photo credit – Tristan Millington]

Edinburgh (Ariel Koh)

Edinburgh 1s: Seed 1
Edinburgh 2s: Seed 10
Edinburgh 3s: Seed 12
Edinburgh 4s: Seed 15

Ro Sham is the only club that’s managed to field more than 2 teams at UXIR with not 3, but 4 teams in the fray. What are your expectations for each of your teams? 

We are very excited to be able to send 4 teams again this year. Our goal for the weekend is for everyone to play their best and have an awesome time. Our third and fourth teams are looking to gain valuable indoor experience at a competitive level and hoping to cause some upsets against some bigger teams. We are confident in our picks for our first 2 teams – they are looking to secure bids to nationals and some shiny medals as well!

How has Ro Sham coped with losing players to graduation?

We have lost a few great players this year with graduations, and we miss them dearly. But, this is an excellent opportunity for the newer players we’ve gained to step up. We are confident in their abilities and are very excited to see what they can do!

Any rogue predictions?

That we don’t lose any of our kit bag discs. 

The most important question: Where do you plan to stop for food on the way home?

Potterow after day 2 to celebrate our awesome performances!

Glasgow (Gavin Angus and Charlotte McFadzean)

Glasgow 1s: Seed 2
Glasgow 2s: Seed 6

What are the goals for Flung 1s and 2s at UXIR? 

The first team are going into the tournament to put out our best performance. We don’t have any final position in mind, we just really want to show what we can do! For the second team, this is going to be a chance to showcase themselves and play their hardest, again just putting on the best performance against their opponents. 

How has Flung coped with graduations this year?

On the open side of things, we’ve lost a few key players. Luckily, there was a strong group left who had a successful tournament at G1D. There are also quite a few promising freshers coming through who we expect to be a big part of the team in the future! 

For the women, we were struck hard by graduation last year. We lost the whole of the indoor Div 1 Nats squad, apart from 1 player. As a committee, we’ve put a lot of work into recruitment and have managed to build the club back up; there are many freshers involved in the competitive squads now so we can’t wait see what they can do at UXIR. 

Any rogue predictions for the tournament?

That Strathclyde have a (singular) female sub.

Plans for food afterwards?

It has got to be the McDonald’s at Broxden in Perth, classic Flung! (Might even venture to Toby Carvery on the Saturday night…)

St Andrews (Daniel Lindsay)

St Andrews 1s: Seed 3
St Andrews 2s: Seed 5 

What are the goals for Saints 1s and 2s at UXIR?

After winning UXIR in 2023, Saints 1 will be looking to retain their title and get hold of the gold medal again. We’re very excited for some of the close matchups with other 1st teams around Scotland and are hoping to send two teams to nationals this year. Saints 2 were agonisingly close to clinching a Div 2 spot last year after losing both the 3v4 and 4v5 by one point, so they’ll be looking to one-up that performance by earning themselves a spot at nationals, hopefully defeating some first teams on the way.

How have Saints coped with the loss of graduating players?

Saints have sadly said goodbye to quite a few big names, especially male-matching players, and so we will need to adapt with performing at a high-level without those players. We have fortunately had a successful recruitment campaign with numerous young players with years of experience joining us, which should be crucial for our development and success at UXIR. As usual, we will hope to use our very talented female-matching players to help bring us victory in the mixed division, with the support of our experienced and exciting new open players.

Any rogue predictions for the tournament?

I think with a lot of big names recently graduating from Scottish university ultimate, the door is very open for big upsets to take place, especially involving non-first teams. There should be tight competition at the very top for the medals, but also for those valuable div 2 Nats spots. You heard it here first: Saints 2s to be a surprise package and qualify for nationals above some of the favourites for these spots.

Where do you plan to stop for food on the way home?

It’s got to be Maccies, we’ve got to make use of it whilst we’re in Dundee as there’s no McDonald’s in St Andrews!

Heriot-Watt (Yau)

Heriot-Watt: Seed 4

What are the goals for Heriot-Watt 1s for UXIR?

For UXIR, our main goals this season are to develop our indoor strategies, solidify team chemistry, and help new recruits adapt to the fast-paced nature of indoor play. We’re focusing on quick movement and tight defensive switches to handle the space constraints. Personally, I’d also like to see our team get comfortable with taking more calculated risks on offense and building strong handler and cutter connections.

How have Heriot-Watt coped with graduations/new recruits?

Losing some of our core players to graduation was a big shift, but it’s opened opportunities for our new players to step up and take on key roles. We’ve had intensive training sessions that have really helped integrate everyone and allow new recruits to showcase their skills. Their energy has been refreshing, and they’ve adapted well to the game tempo we’re aiming for this season.

Any rogue predictions for the tournament?

I predict at least one nail-biting, buzzer-beater point to close out a game! Plus, I’m expecting one of our new players to make an unexpected big play, possibly even a layout D. I think we’ll surprise ourselves and our opponents with how quickly we adapt and keep our energy high throughout.

Where do you plan to stop for food on the way home?

Maccies! It’s our tradition after tournaments. It’s where we celebrate our wins, learn from our losses, and just enjoy being together as a team.

Strathclyde (Martyna Bakon)

Strathclyde 1: Seed 7 

What is the goal for Strath at UXIR?

Our goal for our 1st UXIR team is to have fun, but most importantly, to get a gold medal and dethrone Saints. And this year, this is very achievable as we have some really good players joining us who have a few years of experience in their pocket.

Has Strath managed to retain lots of players this year?

Our club hasn’t been hit as hard as other uni’s when it comes to graduates. We really focused on recruitment this year, which has paid off as people are keen to join communities with friendly people.

Any rogue predictions for the tournament?

Dark Horses to finish top 3!

Where do you plan to stop for food on the way home?

We haven’t planned that far ahead but our club’s favourite is Tim Hortons.

Stirling (William Harrison)

Stirling 1: Seed 8
Stirling 2s: Seed 11

What are the goals for Stirling 1s and 2s at UXIR?

Stirling 1 will be looking to qualify for nationals while the 2s will be looking to break their seed and play some good frisbee.

How has Stirling coped with graduations/new recruits?

We have lost some key players, however, what we lack in experience we make up for in enthusiasm and athleticism.

Any rogue predictions?

Freddy (former Stirling player now at Glasgow) is going to get skied.

Where do you plan to stop for food on the way home?

Spoons and then Fubar, obviously.
 

Aberdeen (Hazel Faunce-Smith)

Aberdeen 1: Seed 9

What are the goals for Aberdeen at UXIR?

Our goals this year are quite straightforward. We have a team made up of all pre-existing players (for first time in years!) and so we’re going to work as hard as we can to try and qualify for Nationals. Apart from that, we want it to be an enjoyable experience for everyone and to foster team spirit! Ultimately, if we come away feeling that we played our best and had a good time, our goals will have been achieved.

How has Aberdeen coped with players graduating?

When it comes to indoors, our team has had a bit of a rough start this term. We only started our indoor trainings about 3 weeks ago and have gone from two hours a week to just one. However, we have had a really encouraging influx of new students who are working super hard and doing great things for our team spirit and fun trainings! We miss our recently graduated players a lot though and will play in their honour this weekend!

Any rogue predictions for the tournament?

I think Aberdeen qualifying for Nationals might be a bit rogue, so I’ll say that and hope it comes true..? (I HAVE FAITH!)

Where do you plan to stop for food on the way home?

Good question. Historically, we have always stopped at the Forfar McDonalds for food on the way home. In more recent times, we’ve become big fans of just boosting it the whole way home and then reuniting at someone’s house for a variety of takeaways. The fun now lies in the fact that we never know what we’ll end up eating after a tournament.

Dundee (Amy Crawford)

Dundee 1: Seed 13
Dundee 2: Seed 14

What are Dundee’s goals for UXIR?

Both our first team and second team will be focused on development this year at UXIR. In terms of this weekend, the plan is to go out there, have loads of fun and do our best. 

How has your team coped with graduations/new recruits?

Many of our experienced players graduated in the summer and have moved on to bigger and better things. We managed to have great recruitment this year, so our focus is on instilling the fundamentals to all our players.

Where do you plan to stop for food on the way home?

The perks of a home tournament mean an early night in our own beds, however it also means it’ll be whatever leftovers that can be found in the fridge for tea.

***

The near-unanimous favourite this coming weekend seems to be McDonald’s! On the pitch however, things stay wide open. Will St Andrews hold their crown despite strong opposition from traditional powerhouses such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde or will there be an upset with one of the other teams punching above their weight? Stay tuned for updates on Scotland’s first competitive university tournament of the season!

Predictions:

1st (Div 1) – Edinburgh 1
2nd (Div 1) – Strathclyde 1
3rd (Div 2) – St Andrews 1
4th (Div 2) – Glasgow 1
5th (Div 2) – Stirling 1/Edinburgh 2

As much as my loyalties lie with Glasgow, I would have to say Edinburgh 1s are the team to beat. They seem to have unmatched depth of quality across their male and female matching players. Strathclyde will cause an upset and pip St Andrews and Glasgow to the second Div 1 spot, thanks to elite pickups Becca Hardman-Carter and Angus Bain. The final spot at Div 2 Nats is up for grabs and will go to either Stirling 1s or Edi 2s, being a second team nobody should be underestimating. Heriot will fall from their impressive fourth place finish last year as they rebuild their club following the departure of star players.

I would tout Aberdeen as the wildcards of this tournament; they have a full squad of returning players and haven’t had their tactics revealed as they skipped Glasgow One Day. Home-team Dundee, who usually aren’t much of a threat, could look to improve this season. It’s likely though they will fall to some second teams again, but hopefully they can break seed. Also, watch out for the second teams of St Andrews and Glasgow, as they possess the quality to punish any teams that sleep on them.