The Sir Christopher Ondaatje Devon Cricket Centre was opened in July 2009 by former England great Mike Gatting.  It boasts facilities including indoor nets, bowling machines, video analysis and an indoor game space.

High Performance Programme (HPP)

Since its inception in 2000, the University of Exeter’s High Performance Programme (HPP) has organised and managed specific Focus Sports in which Exeter has enjoyed the most success and where the infrastructure is in place to produce outstanding results in BUCS competitions. There are currently approximately 350 athletes across 10 different sports on the HPP. Sports scholarships are, in the main, awarded to athletes who participate in these High Performance Sports.

HPP target sports

  • Badminton (men & women)
  • Cricket (men & women)
  • Golf
  • Hockey (men & women)
  • Lacrosse
  • Netball
  • Rowing
  • Rugby Union (men & women) & Rugby League (men)
  • Sailing
  • Tennis (men & women)

All of the Focus Sports mentioned above have nationally recognised reputations for competition and excellence at Exeter, along with first class sports specific training facilities including:

  • £1.5million LTA accredited Exeter Indoor Tennis Centre
  • Olympic standard water based astro pitch
  • 3rd generation floodlit rubber crumb training facility
  • £2million indoor cricket centre
  • Exclusive Performance Training Facility for strength and conditioning training with performance athletes
  • Excellent links and exclusive student use at Dawlish Warren Golf Course
  • Sailing is based at the RYA Angling and Watersports Centre at Roadford Reservoir - with over 730 acres of water, Roadford is the largest inland body of water in the South West.

Golf

The University of Exeter is especially committed to working to develop talented young golfers. In 2005 this commitment was rewarded by the R&A granting the University a ‘Foundation Education Award’ of £20,000 per year to run its golf programme. Such support for university golf, and at Exeter in particular, has proved to be invaluable.  See the Golf pages for more detailed information.

I’ve been sailing since I was really young and I was first chosen to represent Great Britain in 2000 in the junior squad and went on to win the world championships in 2002.

Two years later I had a gold medal from the Youth European competition and a bronze medal from the Youth World competition to my name, securing my place in the Olympic development squad. In 2006 I became the British National Champion.

I studied Mechanical Engineering here at Exeter and it was hard when I had to train or compete during the week around important lectures, but the College was really understanding and if there was ever a problem there was always the High Performance Sports staff who could help me.

With my sports scholarship I was able to get all the support I needed, five minutes’ walk from where I lived! It included strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists and help with managing my programme and balancing my education and sailing. The financial support was also a huge help when I was struggling to be a student and compete all around the world at the same time.

Overall, Exeter’s sport programmes are second to none!

Harriette Trumble, 1st class degree BEng Mechanical Engineering, July 2009