Archie and Megan lead student sports support programme

Winning Students 100, Scotland’s national sport scholarship programme, has announced its 2025-26 cohort, marking a record-breaking year for applications and reaffirming its status as a world-leading dual-career programme.

This year’s intake will support 106 student athletes as they pursue excellence in both sport and academia. Spanning 31 sports and 18 further and higher education institutions, this year’s in-take of athletes represent the brightest of young sporting talent based in Scotland.

This year sees some sports supported for the first time, including boxing, cricket and lacrosse, while Dumfries and Galloway College and Scotland’s Rural College join the programme as new partner institutions.

Several of this year’s athletes have represented Team Scotland and Team GB at the highest level, with many setting their sights on the world stage, with aspirations to compete at the Winter Paralympic and Olympic Games and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Among them are athletics star Megan Keith, who has been named as part of Team Scotland for Glasgow 2026, artistic gymnastics talent Cameron Lynn, Edinburgh-based swimmer Archie Goodburn, ice hockey player Ruby Newlands and Dumfries and Galloway College curler Logan Carson and Paralympic swimmer Toni Shaw.

Since its launch in 2008, Winning Students 100 – formerly Winning Students – has become a vital support system and talent pipeline within Scottish sport, supporting over 1,700 student athletes to help them reach the pinnacle of their respective disciplines while gaining an academic qualification and forging the start of a successful career path.

Designed to empower Scotland’s most promising sporting talent to excel both academicallyand athletically, the prestigious Winning Students 100 programme provides athletes  with grants of up to £3,000.

The programme works with colleges and universities to offer additional support such as academic flexibility, ensuring student athletes can balance the demands of high performance training, international competition and rigorous academic schedules.

Winning Students 100 also has a dedicated hardship fund, which provides additional support to student athletes from areas of higher deprivation, making athletic opportunities more accessible to more people.

The scholarship is funded by sportscotland, the Scottish Funding Council and Scotland’s higher education and further education sector and managed by Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, the University of Stirling.

Cathy Gallagher, Chair, Winning Students 100 Advisory Board said: “Winning Students 100 is a bold and forward-thinking investment in the future of Scottish sport and education. The programme positions Scotland as a true pioneer, delivering a comprehensive support system that empowers athletes to achieve their full potential. “The programme is about cultivating well-rounded leaders who are prepared for success in all aspects of their life. This year’s record-breaking applications highlight the programme’s reputation as a world leader in dual-career support, and we are proud to champion these exceptional individuals.”

Full list of 2025-26 supported athletes attached to universities in the capital:

Athletics – Megan Keith, Alyson Bell (both University of Edinburgh), Andrew Thomson (Heriot-Watt University);

Curling – Cara Davidson, Rory Macnair (both Napier University);  

Snowsports – Alistair Hall (University of Edinburgh);

Diving – Noah Penman, Libby Duke (University of Edinburgh); Fencing –
Callum Penman, David Kelly, Cador Beautyman (all Heriot’s Watt University),  Zoe Wagstaff (University of Edinburgh);

Hockey – Zara Kennedy (University of Edinburgh), Ruth Blaikie (Napier University), Keir Robb (University of Edinburgh), Jamie Green (Heriot-Watt University);

Judo – Eden Hefferman (University of Edinburgh), Sophie Wood (Napier University)
Sunny Doig (Heriot-Watt University);

Lacrosse – Katie Binsted (University of Edinburgh);

Rowing – Joshua Matthews, Izzy Clements, Katie Robertson, Penny Irvine, Isabel Soyinka, Grace Dawson, Freddy Foxwell (all University of Edinburgh);

Shooting – Hamish McDonald (Heriot-Watt University);

Speed Climbing – Ava Hamilton (University of Edinburgh), Andrew Goodall (Heriot-Watt University);

Squash – Robyn McAlpine (Heriot-Watt University);

Swimming – Faye Rogers, Archie Goodburn, Ciara Schlosshan, Thomas Carswell  Brodie Gordon-Gibson (all University of Edinburgh), Anna Morgan (Edinburgh Napier University), Stefan Krawiec (Napier University);

Taekwondo – Lauren Dunsmore (City of Glasgow College);

Water Polo – Murray Dickson (University of Edinburgh).