DCU Win 2025 Sports College of the Year at Student Sport Ireland Awards
Dublin City University has been named the Student Sport Ireland (SSI) Sports College of the Year for 2024/25.
The award follows a very successful year for DCU Sport, with strong performances across a wide range of competitions, and reflects the University's ongoing commitment to excellent across both established and emerging sports.
Among the highlights were victories in both the Sigerson and O’Connor Cup and the Brendan Johnston Cup, the Women’s Tier 1 Cup, and the Men’s Tier 3 Cup, all won in a single day at the university's Morton Stadium in Santry.
DCU also saw triumph in motorsport, with the karting team winning the championship for the second year in a row, and student Shane Murphy earning the title of Individual Karting Champion.
Speaking about the award, Director of Sport in DCU, James Galvin said
"It is an honour to accept this award on behalf of our entire DCU community. This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and talent of our students, coaches, and staff. We are incredibly proud of the spirit and achievements of our sports programmes, and we're committed to fostering a vibrant and supportive environment for all students to thrive both on and off the field.
As we look forward, we're excited to build upon this success and continue to make a positive impact on the lives of our students through sports and the broader university experience at DCU.
The three individual nominations - coupled with DCU winning overall award - speak volumes about the calibre of athletes, teams, and leaders at here in DCU.
These achievements continue to raise the standard of university sport in Ireland and contribute to a legacy of excellence and pride within the DCU community."
Two individuals and one team from DCU were also shortlisted for honours at the Student Sport Ireland Awards.
Emma Duggan
Emma Duggan from DCU Ladies football, was shortlisted for the Sportsperson of the Year Award, a recognition of her contributions and consistent performances.
Sigerson Cup Team
The DCU Sigerson Cup Team was shortlisted for Team of the Year, reflecting their season that brought them championship success.
Barry Clavin
Also shortlisted was Barry Clavin for the Leadership Award, acknowledging his role within the DCU Athletics club, promoting and supporting student sport at DCU.
About the Student Sport Ireland and the National Student Awards
Student Sport Ireland is the representative body for higher education sport on the island of Ireland with 23 affiliated universities and colleges representing over 240,000 full time students and over 800 HEI sports clubs.
SSI is recognised by both Sport Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland and is affiliated to the Federation of Irish Sport, the European University Sports Association (EUSA), and the International University Sports Federation (FISU).
The Sports College of the Year award, established in 2019 by Student Sport Ireland, is given to the college that earns the most points from participation and success in SSI-organised and national governing body competitions. This system rewards both strong performance and broad involvement in student sport. This marks the fourth time DCU has won the award, acknowledging the university’s ongoing commitment to excellence and engagement across multiple sports.
