Concluding an excellent year of sport, Loughborough University is set to host BUCS Big Wednesday in pursuit of a 45th consecutive BUCS title.
On the 24th and 25th of March, the highlight of the student sporting calendar will take place as the University is prepared to welcome over 2000 student athletes and 2500 spectators. American Football will kick off the action on Tuesday, followed by the remaining fixtures on Wednesday. Across the two days, 120 teams will be participating in 60 finals across 16 sports, showcasing Championship, Trophy and Vase finals.
Last year, an impressive 20 Loughborough teams competed across 10 sports, securing our 44th consecutive BUCS title. Although we have 16 teams competing across 7 sports this year, Loughborough leads the table in BUCS points with an outstanding 7328 points, holding a significant lead over rivals Nottingham, who sit in second with 6601 points.
The gap is even more notable compared to last year, when a mere 200 points separated Loughborough and Nottingham. Despite Nottingham bringing a record-breaking 31 teams, they were unable to prevent Loughborough from retaining the title. This year, the margin has widened to 700 points.
New for 2026, the Tennis Vase finals will feature Loughborough’s men’s and women’s teams. Meanwhile, the women’s hockey Championship final will see a rematch against Nottingham, following last year’s narrow defeat. Loughborough will also be looking to reclaim titles in badminton, women’s football and netball.
BUCS have announced Subway and Milk Every Moment as supporting partners of the event. There will be a fan zone, fun activations, games, and opportunities to win exclusive giveaways across campus. Canterbury will also be on campus, offering teams and supporters the chance to get their hands on exclusive personalised BUCS Big Wednesday merchandise.
The majority of sports will be streamed live on the BUCS YouTube channel with the full schedule available alongside ticket information.
Loughborough’s schedule: Wednesday 25 March
Badminton | Netball & Badminton Centre
Open Trophy & Female Championship Finals 9:30am
- Men’s Trophy: Loughborough 2 v Nottingham 2
- Women’s Championship: Loughborough 1 v Strathclyde 1
Open Championship & Female Trophy Finals 3pm
- Women’s Trophy: Loughborough 2 v Edinburgh 1
- Men’s Championship: Loughborough 1 v Nottingham 1
Basketball & Wheelchair Basketball | Netball & Badminton Centre
- Women’s Basketball Championship 5pm: Loughborough 2 v Essex
- Men’s Basketball Championship 7:30pm: Loughborough 1 v Newcastle 1
- Mixed Wheelchair Basketball Championship 2:30pm: Loughborough v Nottingham
Football | Loughborough University Football Pitch 4
- Women’s Trophy 1:30pm: Loughborough 2 v Liverpool 1
Hockey (Championship) | Water-based Hockey Pitch
- Women’s Championship 2:30pm: Loughborough 1 v Nottingham 1
- Men’s Championship 5:30pm: Exeter 1 v Loughborough 1
Hockey (Trophy) | EHB Pitch
- Women’s Trophy 10:30am: Loughborough 3 v Exeter 4
Netball | Sir David Wallace Building
- Women’s Championship 4:30pm: Loughborough 1 v Hertfordshire 1
Tennis | Dan Maskell Tennis Centre
- Men’s Vase 2:30pm: Stirling 2 v Loughborough 2
- Women’s Champ 1:30pm: Loughborough 1 v Stirling 1
- Women’s Vase 3:30pm: Loughborough 2 v Essex 1
Volleyball | Sir David Wallace Building
- Women’s Trophy 12:00pm Loughborough v Bristol
