UCLU Men’s Hockey favourites to win first ever London Hockey Varsity

UCLU’s Men’s Hockey Varsity squad is currently top in BUCS South Eastern 1A with 7 wins and only 2 losses. They are in contention for promotion into BUCS South Prem, the highest level of hockey in south Britain.

Strand Poly are currently second in BUCS South Eastern 2A, a whole league away from our UC men. However, a pre-season friendly between the two sides ended with a 1-1 result.

Still, UCLU Men’s Hockey 1st Team have been playing in a better league and winning against tougher competition for the entire season. With these statistics, UCLU are favourites to win.

The Men’s Hockey Varsity next Friday promises to be an intense showdown. Get to know your UC men before the big day and prepare for a UC domination.

Chris Baker (President), 3rd Year Ancient World

Position: Goalkeeper

Previous School: Somewhere in the ‘mid-posh’ range

What are your pet hates? Baggy clothing

What is your favourite possession? My Big Red Ski Jacket

Ciaran Kelly (Captain), 3rd Year Economics

Position: Midfield

Previous school: Banbridge Academy

What is your best pick up line? “I’m Irish”

What is your favourite quote? “Winning isn’t everything but wanting to win is” – Lombardi

David Vidler (Vice-Captain), 3rd Year Archaeology

Position: Centre Back

Previous School: Bay House School, Portsmouth

Most likely to be found in… a significantly under-bubbled bath.

Do you have any hidden talents? Turns out I’m quite a decent poet.

Chris Bentley, 4th Year MSci Natural Sciences

Position: Centre Back, sometimes Right Back

Previous School: K.E.S.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

Ten years down the line I will undoubtedly still be at the UC. I have already done 4 years, so might as well do another 10. Why wouldn’t you, it would be foolish not to tbh. #Yolo.

I plan to do another 6 year medical degree followed by a 4 year PhD. I think I’ll end up being club president a few more times at least.

Ultimately I will end up a bigger name than ‘Brucie’ on campus, with a lifelong club contribution award and living in a flat above the Loop. That is the dream at least…

Most likely to be found in…

As a bit of a big name in the club I also have a big appetite (probably not as big as one other though). Therefore I am most likely to be found in E.Mono. This has to be the most deluxe ‘bab shop in the land.

It won’t come as a surprise that I am out smashing the Loop every Wednesday and sometimes at the weekends, just because I can’t wait till Sportsnite. E.mono is the best pre/post Sportsnite feed.

It probably also won’t surprise you that I am a bit of a Lothario, it can’t be helped. I manage to line up a lot of dates so I often take members of the UCLUWHC here before committing to a real first date. Not a lot make it through this preliminary screening round tbh.

Matt Wilde, 2nd Year Nat Sci

Position: Right Back

Previous School: Northampton School for Boys

Do you have any hidden talents? Finding supernovae

What is your favourite moment as part of UCLUMHC? Smashing Strand Poly in the 2014 Varsity

Fahim Khan, 1st Year Biomed

Position: Left Half

Previous School: Renaissance College Hong Kong

Most likely to be found in… Phineas or Loop (like a true UC sportsman)

What is your favourite moment as part of UCLUMHC?

Can’t exactly name one moment but the long, social train journeys back from hockey with the lads and the match item of the day is ideal.

Daniel Wheller, 1st Year Engineering with Business Finance

Position: Half back

Previous School: Calday Grange Gammar

What is your best pick up line? “Hi, I play Hockey for UCL 1^st XI” … works a charm.

What celebrity do you get mistaken for? JT

Jonathan Baker, 2nd Year Biochem

Position: Left back

Previous School: Rainham Mark Grammar School

Who would you want to play you in a film about you?

Martin Freeman, I think he would really understand what it would feel like being called Bilbo constantly.

What is your favourite moment as part of UCLUMHC?

My favourite moment would have to be when I was doing a fitness session on a beach in Malta wearing a velour tiger print mankini. It just made me feel like an integral member of one of the biggest sports clubs in UCL.

Will Nunn, 1st Year Nat Sci

Position: Centre Mid

Previous School: County Upper

What is your guilty pleasure? Dancing to Wham’s “Wake Me Up, Before You Go Go.” George Michael is a hero.

What celebrity do you get mistaken for? Mowgli

Alastair Grant, 1st Year Economics

Position: Inside-Forward

Previous School: Merchant Taylors’ School

What are your pet hates? Cats, obviously.

Do you have any hidden talents? I hope so.

Giulio Ferrini, 4th Year Engineering

Position: Midfield

Previous School: Home schooled

What is your guilty pleasure? Going menterz on a Wednesday at Roxy without UCLUMHC.

What is your hidden talent? I am actually very good at hockey. Ok so maybe that’s not a secret. But I am very good at hockey.

Alex Popplewell, 3rd Year Economics

Position: Inside Forward

Previous School: Bablake School, Coventry

What is your guilty pleasure? Smashing out James Blunt’s Back to Bedlam album on Thursday mornings. Everybody’s doin’ it.

What is your favourite quote? “Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet” – Mr Jeremy Bentham

Danny Bond, 3rd Year Economics

Position: Forward

Previous School: Portsmouth Grammar School

Most likely to be found in… Sophie Gordon’s wardrobe

What is your favourite quote? “Everybody dies but not everybody lives” – Drake

Steven Lowe, 2nd Year Arts & Sciences

Position: Forward

Previous School: Queen Elizabeth II High School

What is your guilty pleasure? One Direction. What a band!

What are your pet hates? Losing, people who eat loudly, and ugly babies.

Jack Curran, 2nd Year Economics

Position: Forward

Previous School: Elizabeth College

What is your best pick up line? “Can I borrow your number, I seem to have lost mine.”

Who is you favourite hockey player? Ashley Jackson

Barny Chapman, 3rd Year MSci Chemistry

Position: Forward

Previous School: Marlborough College

Most likely to be found in… The Cottage, Putney with my slippers on completing the days crossword whilst smoking my pipe

What celebrity do you get mistaken for? Gavin Henson

George Adams, 1st Year Spanish and Latin American Studies

Position: Forward

Previous School: King Edward’s School, Birmingham

Do you have any hidden talents? Funded my gap year gambling

What is your favourite quote? “They misunderestimated me.” – George W Bush

Want to get to know them more (personally)? An after party is currently in the works, which promises to be a looptastic night.

Find out more about the event and buy your tickets here before it’s too late!

Stay tuned to the Tab for a preview of the UCLU Women’s Hockey Varsity squad.