Loughborough's american football team celebrate Bucs success.

Loughborough University awarded as host of BUCS Big Wednesday

  • One of the biggest days in the university sport calendar, BUCS Big Wednesday powered by New Balance returns to Loughborough University from 2024-2026.

Following an extensive bidding process, it has been confirmed that Loughborough University will host BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) Big Wednesday for the first time since 2015.

BUCS Big Wednesday powered by New Balance is the team finals event and is often referred to as the pinnacle of the student sport calendar. Over one and half days, it showcases 57 Championship, Trophy and Vase finals, culminating in the end of the league and knockout programme across 16 sports. 

Loughborough University was selected due to its extensive range of world-class on-campus sporting facilities, providing the very best across its four dedicated BUCS Big Wednesday hubs. Alongside this, the institution has previously hosted the School Games, making Loughborough the home of National Finals from school age right the way through to higher education.

Richard Wheater, Performance and Development Director at Loughborough University said: “BUCS Big Wednesday is a momentous day in university sport, and we’re thrilled to host such a significant event here on campus. The day brings together the best student-athletes, coaches, performance support staff, and volunteers from across the higher education sector and it’s a privilege that Loughborough will be at the heart of what is sure to be another day of sporting drama.

“To be awarded as host is testament to our outstanding staff, incredible partners, and world-leading facilities, and we’re looking forward to working closely with BUCS to deliver a great experience for everyone who joins us here at Loughborough.”

Away from the on-pitch activity, the University will support BUCS to provide volunteering and leadership opportunities to over 100 students on BUCS Big Wednesday through its Coach and Volunteer Academy (CVA).

Alice Robinson, BUCS Head of Events, commented: “After a very competitive bidding process, we are excited at the prospect of hosting BUCS Big Wednesday at Loughborough University for the next three years. As one of the most renowned sporting universities in the country, the campus facilities will provide the opportunity for an extremely high-performance environment for the 114 expected teams, as well as being easily accessible for spectators to watch. We are looking forward to working with the staff at Loughborough to showcase the very best of student sport.”

 

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 23/74

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, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2023 QS World University Rankings – the seventh year running – and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

Loughborough is ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2023, 10th in the Guardian University League Table 2023 and 11th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.

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.

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