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.
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.
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.
| Andri Demiri |
Bournemouth |
| Josiah Barker |
Chichester |
| Jack Camarda |
Durham |
| Luke Steer |
Exeter |
| Max Culverwell |
Leeds |
| Lewis Hey |
Leeds Beckett |
| George Ward |
Loughborough |
| Luke Merrill |
Manchester |
| Cameron Gascoigne |
Northumbria |
| Ben Milburn |
Northumbria |
| Dan Myers |
Northumbria |
| Eddie Thomas |
Northumbria |
| Luke Cox |
Nottingham Trent |
| Tom Jones |
Nottingham Trent |
| Tom Cursons |
Nottingham Trent |
| Trevor Caborn |
Surrey |
| Olly Redhead |
Cardiff |
| Jack Veale |
Cardiff Met |
| Gruff Morgan |
Cardiff Met |
| CJ Craven |
Cardiff Met |
| Dixon Kabongo |
Cardiff Met |
| Charlie Bullock |
Cardiff Met |
| Gabe Kirkough |
Cardiff Met |
|
Fin Skiverton
|
Cardiff Met |
|
Jake Morris
|
Cardiff Met |
|
Tom Vincent
|
Cardiff Met |
|
Callum Jenkins
|
Cardiff Met |
|
Barney Soady
|
Cardiff Met |
|
Brandon Roberts
|
Cardiff Met |
|
Evan Cadwallader
|
Cardiff Met
|
| Harry Irving |
Cardiff Met |
| Ethan Vaughan |
South Wales |
| Daisy Wickett |
Birmingham |
| Hannah Snape |
Birmingham |
| Tiana Russel Cartwright |
Birmingham |
| Anna Draper |
Coventry |
| Emily Brett |
Derby |
| Carys Lowry |
Hartpury |
| Tyana Chambers |
Herttfordshire |
| Bobbi Lumbert |
Liverpool John Moores |
| Ebonie Knox |
Northumbria |
| Grace Boyes |
Northumbria |
| Alicia Grimmond |
Nottingham Trent |
| Eloise Hemborough |
Nottingham Trent |
| Molly Sunderland |
Nottingham Trent |
| Sarah Newton |
Nottingham Trent |
| Senna Garcia |
Nottingham Trent |
| Jess Mett |
Teesside |
| Sophie Steele |
Aberystwyth
|
| Carys Gittins |
Cardiff Met |
| Sophie Davidson |
Cardiff Met |
| Tiggeraa Webb |
Cardiff Met |
| Chelsea Cochrane |
Cardiff Met |
| Emily Richards |
Cardiff Met |
| Amelia Dale |
Cardiff |
| Gwen Alaw Roberts |
Cardiff |
| Hannah Perkins |
Swansea |
| Jessica Goucher |
Swansea |
| Ffion Simmonds |
South Wales |
| Taite Trivett |
South Wales |
| Jessie Taylor |
South Wales |
| Chloe Chivers |
South Wales |
| Molly Jones |
South Wales |
| Meg Saunders |
South Wales |
| Josh Steel |
Chichester |
| Elliot Scott |
Chichester |
| Oscar Pace |
Chichester |
| Robert Goldthorp |
Newcastle |
| Luis Cuttle |
Nottingham |
| Ben Shardlow (C) |
Nottingham |
| Zak Buck |
Nottingham |
| Harry McGugan |
Nottingham Trent |
| William Wright |
Royal Vet. College |
| Alexander Molyneux |
Sheffield Hallam |
| Thomas Nash |
Sheffield Hallam |
| Sam Nash |
Winchester |
| Daniel Richards |
Worcester |
| David Aspray |
Cardiff Met |
| David Robinson |
Cardiff Met |
| Hari Bhogal |
Cardiff Met |
| James Pettitt |
Cardiff Met |
| Joshua Mill |
Cardiff Met |
| Matty George |
Cardiff Met |
| Xavier Stott |
Cardiff Met |
| Jack Ellison |
Cardiff Met |
| Euan Jones |
Cardiff |
| Henry Cook |
Cardiff |
| Liam Barker |
Cardiff |
| Callum Chapman |
Solent |
| Ben Cooper |
Swansea |
| Ewan Turner |
Swansea |
| Nathan Dean |
Swansea |
| Bethan Collier |
Bath Spa |
| Ellie Scott (C) |
Bedfordshire |
| Rosie Martineau |
Bournemouth |
| Harriet Shenton |
Bournemouth |
| Lana Jones-Wallis |
Bournemouth |
| Lauren Jones |
Bournemouth |
| Kristin Wilkinson |
Liverpool |
| Jess Madden-Waite |
Loughborough |
| Kathryn Boyd |
Loughborough |
| Gemma Croker |
Loughborough |
| Elloise Jorritsma |
Loughborough |
| Kate Burgin |
Sheffield Hallam |
| Molly Pates |
Solent |
| Maisie Davidson |
St. Mary’s |
| Cassidy Jorritsma |
Worcester |
| Lily Knott |
Cardiff Met |
| Maddie Larkin |
Cardiff Met |
| Ella Bradley |
Cardiff Met |
| Jamie Bulbring |
Cardiff Met |
| Lucy Crompton |
Cardiff Met |
| Lottie Atkinson |
Cardiff Met |
| Caitlin Waller |
Cardiff Met |
| Jemima Robinson |
Cardiff Met |
| Megan Watts |
Cardiff Met |
| Freya Leighton-Jones |
Cardiff |
| Esther Smellie |
Cardiff |
| Jessica Waddington |
Swansea |
| Harriet Barker |
Swansea |
| Connie Potts |
Swansea |
| Fleur Gallagher |
Swansea |
| Esta Greenhaigh |
Swansea |
| Phoebe Wickham |
Birmingham |
| Hannah Diamond |
Birmingham |
| Sophie Shipway (VC) |
Birmingham |
| Ellie Harding |
Birmingham |
| Layla Brough |
Hartpury |
| Melissa Robinson (C) |
Hertfordshire |
| Antonia Mitchell |
Loughborough |
| Niamh Kilgallen |
Loughborough |
| Celena Appleby-Prince |
Loughborough |
| Megan Allen (VC) |
Loughborough |
| Cerys Davies |
Bangor |
| Ellice Gallagher |
Bangor |
| Jemma Milburn (TR) |
Bangor |
| Isabelle Claxton |
Cardiff Met |
| Georgia Hellerman |
Cardiff Met |
| Lowri Stephens |
Cardiff Met |
| Gwenan Williams |
Cardiff Met |
| Josie Williams |
Cardiff Met |
| Abi Campbell |
Cardiff |
| Sarah Cole |
Swansea |
| Caitlin Gillings |
Swansea |
| Lauren McRobbie |
Swansea |
| Tigerlily Romaine |
Swansea |
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.
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