Queens’ College Basketball Club

Never Say Die

Fellow Patron

Dr Tyler Denmead (2007), td287@cam.ac.uk

The club is supported by The Basketball Fund, established through the generosity of principal donors Jan Metzger (1995), Pat Madden (1984), and Mark Wheeler (1987).

Captains 2025-26: Bee Ayazbayev (2023) & James Goh (2021)

Former International players: Adam Preston (1992, England U23)

Former University Captains: David Last (1963), Todd Ulmer (1984)

Current Blues: Elizabeth Neri (2020, Women’s Blue)

Former Blues/Half Blues: David Last (1963, Half), Frank Buck (1962, Half), Joe Hertzberg (1964, Half), Tony Bond (1967, Half), Eric Nye (1979, Half), Don Shanks (1979, Half), Todd Ulmer (1984, Half), Patrick Madden (1984, Half), Richard Kortum (1984, Half), Michel Lefebvre (1985, Half), Mark Wheeler (1987, Half), Pete Cope (1989), Toby Bush (1989), Adam Preston (1992), Klint Alexander (1993), Bob Daugherty (1993), Eric Francia (1994), Brian Lehman (1995), Ofer Eldar (1998), Tom Lyons (1999), Milos Komarcevic (2000), Alexander Dudek (2001), Jack Hodd (2001), Ashley Armstrong (2013, Women’s Blue), June Song (2017, Women’s Blue), Dimitris Panayiotou (2017, Half), Ashley Priddey (2017)

Men’s Cuppers Champions: 1985, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2005

In 1985, when Queens’ won Cuppers Basketball, the team had no trophy to display in a celebratory photograph—a reflection perhaps of how low-profile the sport was in Cambridge at the time. Instead, Pat Madden (1984), an American postgraduate at Queens’ and member of the winning team, placed a simple teacup and saucer in front of his teammates as a wry substitute for an official cup.

Over three decades later, in 2018, Pat sought to right that wrong by gifting a superb, hand-made, silver-plated sporting trophy to the Cambridge University Cuppers Championship. From that point on, Cuppers winners would finally have a trophy worthy of their achievement, known as The Madden Cup.

Pictured on the right, the cup features a finely sculpted racehorse and jockey atop the fixed lid, paying tribute to Madden’s association with horse breeding. The club motto, Never Say Die, references the racehorse of the same name, born on the Madden family farm and winner of the Epsom Derby in 1954.