athletes gather round to lift a trophy

Hockey Women’s 2’s are crowned champions. Image provided by Pete Simmons (5or6 Creative).

Loughborough University delivers unforgettable BUCS Big Wednesday

Loughborough University played host to an unforgettable British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) ‘Big Wednesday’, showcasing the very best of elite student sport across its renowned campus.

athletes with a cup behind a champions stand

Hockey Men’s 2’s with their trophy. Image provided by Pete Simmons (5or6 Creative).

Taking place on the evening of Tuesday March 18 and throughout Wednesday March 19, the prestigious event welcomed over 2,000 student-athletes, coaches, and support staff as they competed in 57 Championship, Trophy and Vase finals across 16 different sports.

Around 2,500 spectators roared on their respective university teams across Loughborough’s enviable sporting facilities.

Hosting the event for the second successive year, over 100 student volunteers from Loughborough’s Coach and Volunteer Academy (CVA) also played a crucial role in delivering a first-class competition.

On a perfect spring day in the East Midlands, Loughborough athletes produced some thrilling moments, securing 14 pieces of silverware out of a possible 20:

National Championship titles – 5

National Trophy titles – 7

National Vase titles – 2

football players celebrate with the crowd

Football Men's 1's celebrate with the crowd. Image provided by Pete Simmons (5or6 Creative).

Highlights included a dramatic 73-72 victory for Women’s 2’s basketball over Northumbria University at a sold-out Sir David Wallace Arena. In hockey, the Men’s 3’s were crowned National Trophy champions after defeating the University of Nottingham, 3-2.

Basketball Men’s 1’s are now also 3 x National Championship title holders after dispatching Nottingham Trent University in the final.

Netball Women’s 1’s also secured a third consecutive title after beating Bath, 65-43.

There was further success for the hosts in Tennis (Women’s 1s), Water Polo (Men’s 1’s), Volleyball (Men’s 1’s), Football (Women’s 2’s, Men’s 1’s), Rugby Union (Men’s 2’s), Badminton (Men’s 1’s, Men’s 2’s, Women’s 2’s), Basketball (Men’s 1’s), Hockey (Women's 2's) and more.

Liv Murphy, Acting Director of Sport at Loughborough University, reflected on an incredible day:

“Big Wednesday is a huge date on the student sport calendar, and we’re thrilled to have partnered with BUCS to deliver such an incredible showcase of university sport.

“Across all matches, we witnessed some incredible moments that will undoubtedly live long in the memory of those involved. The day’s success is testament to the dedication of all the athletes, coaches, staff, officials, and volunteers. We’re already looking forward to hosting again next year.”

For more information on sport at Loughborough, visit: www.lboro.ac.uk/sport.

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 25/42

About Loughborough University

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines. 

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme and named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2025 QS World University Rankings – the ninth year running. 

Loughborough is ranked 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2025, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2025 and 10th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.  

Loughborough was also named University of the Year for Sport in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025 - the fourth time it has been awarded the prestigious title.  

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’, and in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 over 90% of its research was rated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally-excellent’. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes. 

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

Categories