For students with a passion for sports, opportunities to represent their institutions on national and international stages are invaluable.
Earlier this week, over 140 students travelled to Loughborough University to compete in the inaugural Nations Cup, a brand new representative sporting event contested between athletes from English and Welsh Universities.
Organised by two key national student sport associations, English Universities Sport and Welsh Student Sport, students are selected by coaches and support staff at their respective associations based on their contributions throughout the regular season.
Ten teams of exceptional athletes from 40 universities across both nations competed in a thrilling five-game series in Football, Hockey, and Netball, celebrating the competitive spirit between England and Wales while showcasing the opportunities for high-performance athletes in higher education.
Discover everything you need to know about The Nations Cup below.
What is The Nations Cup?
The Nations Cup is a mutisport event, designed to showcase the immense talent within the UK’s higher education sector.
Delivered by two national student sport associations, English Universities Sport and Welsh Student Sport, the first ever Nations Cup will feature 10 teams across 3 different sports, Football, Hockey, and Netball.
Where did The Nations Cup 2024 take place?
The inaugural Nations Cup took place at Loughborough University, a globally renowned institution known for its exceptional athletes and world-class sporting facilities.
Recently named ‘Best Sporting University in the World’ for the eighth consecutive year [Global QS rankings], Loughborough is the premier hub for UK university sporting excellence.
After hosting thousands of students on campus earlier this year for the biggest student sporting event on the UK University sport calendar in BUCS Big Wednesday 2024, Loughborough provided the perfect backdrop for another 24 hours of exciting university sport.
Meet the teams of 2024
Dedicated coaches and support staff from both national student sport associations, EUS and WSS, each selected a pool of talented students who have impressed all season with their university sports teams.
England Crowned Inaugural Nations Cup Winners!
With victories in the men’s and women’s football, netball, and men’s hockey, it was English Universities Sport who come away with a 4-1 series win against a resilient Welsh contingent.
Team Captain, Mel Robinson, of the University of Hertfordshire Netball Team had the honour of proudly lifting the inaugural Nations Cup trophy after leading her EUS team to a thrilling victory in the final match, cementing their overall triumph and celebrating a remarkable day of competitive university sport.
Want to learn more about English Universities Sport?
English Universities Sport (EUS) provides a range of sporting opportunities for students at universities throughout England, offering representative teams in Basketball, Football, Rugby, Hockey, and Netball.
As well as providing student-athletes with the chance to compete at a high level, students can also benefit from professional coaching support, performance support nutrition, performance analysis, and match analysis.
Learn more about English Universities Sport via the link below.
Please follow our social media channels to keep up to date with all things sport related across the Higher Education sector!
