The University of Stirling has been announced as Team Scotland’s Official University Partner for the Commonwealth Games 2026. 

The exclusive partnership deepens the close working relationship between the two organisations and further underlines Stirling’s impactful role as Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence.  

The announcement comes just 35 days before the Games get under way in Glasgow, where at least 20 University of Stirling athletes will represent their countries. Of those, 16 athletes will compete for Team Scotland across swimming, artistic gymnastics and 3×3 wheelchair basketball. 

Cathy Gallagher, Executive Director of Sport at the University, and Jon Doig OBE, Chief Executive Officer for Team Scotland, celebrated the announcement on campus alongside Stirling-based swimmers Sam Downie and George Smith.  

Cathy Gallagher, Executive Director of Sport at the University of Stirling, said: “We are proud to be Team Scotland’s Official University Partner for Glasgow 2026. Here at Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, we believe extraordinary performances are built through collaboration. This new strategic partnership further strengthens our shared ambition to develop exceptional athletes, inspire future generations and reinforce Scotland’s reputation as a nation that succeeds at the very highest level of sport.” 

Team Scotland has long been based on the University of Stirling campus, and the new partnership builds on the strong foundations that already exist between the two. It will also support continued collaboration with the Commonwealth Games Scotland Archive – held by the University – and enhanced opportunities in volunteering and student placements.  

Jon Doig OBE, Chief Executive Officer for Team Scotland said: “University of Stirling is the home base of Team Scotland, and we are delighted to mark our years of working together with this official partnership ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.  
 
“It is fantastic to see that, once again, a large number of University of Stirling students will be representing Team Scotland this summer and it shows the calibre of athlete that the sports programmes and world-class facilities continue to attract.” 

University representation at Glasgow 2026 

Twelve swimmers from the high-performance swim programme will compete for Team Scotland at the Games: Ollie Carter, Evie Davis, Sam Downie, Angharad Evans, Dean Fearn, Lucy Grieve, Lucy Hope, Keanna MacInnes, Holly McGill, Duncan Scott OBE, Katie Shanahan and George Smith. Stirling student Evan Jones, who trains at Manchester Performance Centre, has also been selected.  

Also representing Team Scotland, Stirling athletes Crystelle Lake and Cameron Lynn will be part of the artistic gymnastics team and Shayne Humphries will compete in 3×3 wheelchair basketball.  

Stirling-based Olympic champions Tom Dean, Freya Anderson (both England) and Jack McMillan (Northern Ireland) have also been selected to swim for their respective countries, as has Peter Allen (Isle of Man). And with selections ongoing, more athletes from the University could be added in the coming weeks – with the potential to surpass the record 20 sportsmen and women who competed at Birmingham 2022. 

Ben Higson, Head Performance Swim Coach at the University, and fellow Stirling coach Bradley Hay will lead the Team Scotland swim team in Glasgow.  

Excellence 

The University of Stirling is Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence. Through the powerful and inspirational combination of performance sport, recreational sport, research and education, we are delivering medals on the world stage, improving the health and wellbeing of the nation, and producing the next generation of leaders within sport. 

At Stirling, athletes have access to world-class facilities, including a 50-metre pool, a state-of-the-art indoor golf studio, unrivalled outdoor space, and state-of-the-art strength and conditioning suites. In addition to its coaching and facilities, Stirling’s International Sports Scholarship Programme – one of the largest high-performance programmes in the UK – offers athletes funding support, academic flexibility, equipment and kit. It has supported hundreds of athletes since its inception in 1981 – with many competing on the world stage, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Core sports include swimming, tennis, golf, triathlon, football, rugby and curling, while individual scholarships cover all Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games sports. 

Read more about sports scholarships at the University of Stirling.