46
UON Sports Sports UON Clubs’ Season Season Clubs’ Roundups Roundups The 21/22 season has been yet another impressive year for Notts sport. The University once more hosted BUCS Big Wednesday, where we topped the standings after picking up 14 fantastic well-earned titles and a 10-7 Varsity victory over the old enemy, Trent. Overall, the University saw some massive successes and history made. Impact asked some of the biggest Notts sports clubs for a round up of their season.
IMPACT Men’s Hockey 1s A BUCS Silver and the England Hockey National League Division One North title marked one of the club’s best seasons. Promotion into the Premier Division will see Notts become the first university with two Premier Division teams thanks to the immense success of the men and women’s 1s. Having not made a BUCS final since 2015, freshly appointed Head Coach, James Bateman, and new Video Analyst, Matt Stoner, helped the Green and Gold concede the least goals in BUCS Premier League (6) on the way to winning 25 out of 28 matches this season in all competitions. They capped off a memorable season with a stunning 4-1 Varsity win. Some special mentions from the team to Jon (S&C), Rory (lead physio), Roisin (Psychologist), Dan (CDO), Jodie (Nutritionist), Tris and ‘the Lydia’s’. They say goodbye to a chunk of the squad but especially missed will be Imre Gerrits. After five years and countless man of the match votes, UONHC finally bids farewell to the GOAT. Honours – National League Division One North, promotion to Premier Division, BUCS Silver, Varsity. League W-D-L – 6-0-2
Men’s Football 1s.
Women's Hockey 1s
The University of Nottingham Men’s Football Club have enjoyed an immense season, both on and off the pitch. The 1st XI had a fantastic league season, becoming champions of Midlands 1A for the first time in years, averaging over four goals a game.
The 1st XI had a season of dreams, beginning with a 3rd-place BUCS Premier League finish, scoring a league high of 40 goals. The team then went a step beyond in the National Championship, securing BUCS Gold in an intense 1-0 win versus league-winners Birmingham in the BUCS Big Wednesday final.
Despite a spirited Varsity loss to a very strong Trent side, further successes were encountered across the club. The 2nd XI claimed third spot in the same Midlands 1A league. UONFC’s most improved team this year was the 5th XI who dominated the season with a 100% record.
Success continued in the weekend league, with the team winning BUCS Gold and the Division One North league within the space of four days. An unbeaten season secured promotion into the highest league - the Women’s Premier Division - with 86 goals scored.
The first team finished the season magnificently as a Toby Gould hat-trick fired them to a play-off final win over Leeds Beckett to send Notts to the Premier Division North. Off the pitch, club members volunteered their time: giving food to the homeless, providing hundreds of school meals to those most vulnerable during half term and raising a significant amount of money during ‘Movember’.
Contributing to the team’s success are four 2021/22 bronze medal-winning/ 2022 Junior World Cup England squad members, alongside German Olympic Captain Nike Lorenz. Honours – BUCS Championship Gold, BUCS Weekend League Gold, Division One North, promotion to Premier Division. League W-D-L – 6-0-2
Honours – Midlands 1A, promotion to BUCS Premier North. League W-D-L – 8-1-1
American Football Women’s Football 1s This year, the women’s first team enjoyed a tremendous season, taking eight victories in the Midlands 1A league to claim the title ahead of Birmingham and bitter rivals Trent. Notts continued their fine form in the National Trophy, dispatching Birmingham, Essex and Cardiff enroute to an allNottingham final against Trent. Unfortunately, NTU ran out winners, but UoN were not to be dispirited. Their league success rewarded them with a play-off place for promotion to the BUCS Premier North. A titanic clash saw Edinburgh take Notts to penalties, where the Green and Gold prevailed to wrap up an admirable season. Honours – Midlands 1A, Women’s National Trophy runnersup, promotion to BUCS Premier North. League W-D-L – 8-0-2
The American Football community at the University had a tough start to the season with the tragic passing of coach and club friend Stephen Brittle, known as Coach Beef. Despite the impact this had on the squad, the team achieved their most successful season ever in his memory. They took seven wins from eight on the way to league victory. In the club’s first ever National Championship final, they were beaten agonisingly in the last minute of a game. It has been touted by many as the best British American Football game ever: a title the team are immensely proud to have contributed to through some amazing plays. Fortunes fell in Notts’ favour when they kicked off Varsity 2022, triumphing 24-21 over Trent. A fitting end to a fine season where they scored 438 points and conceded just 123. Honours – Varsity, BUCS Championship runners-up, Premier Division North. League W-D-L – 7-0-1
