Loughborough Lightning (netball)

Last updated

Loughborough Lightning
Nickname(s)Lightning
Founded2005
Based in Loughborough University
Regions East Midlands
Home venues Motorpoint Arena
Sir David Wallace Sports Centre, Loughborough University
Head coachVic Burgess
Premierships2021, 2023, 2024
League Netball Superleague
Website www.lboro.ac.uk
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Loughborough Lightning is an English netball team based at Loughborough University. Their senior team plays in the Netball Super League where they have made seven grand finals, winning three in 2021, 2023 and 2024.

Contents

History

In 2005 Loughborough Lightning were named as the East Midlands franchise in the new Netball Super League. Together with Brunel Hurricanes, Celtic Dragons, Leeds Carnegie, Galleria Mavericks, Northern Thunder, Team Bath and Team Northumbria, Lightning were founder members of the league. [1] [2] Together with the women's cricket team, the women's rugby union team, the women's cycling team, the women's football team and the women's wheelchair basketball team, the netball team is one of five women's sports teams based at Loughborough University that use the Loughborough Lightning name. [3]

Lightning made their first Super League grand final in 2007–08 where the lost to Galleria Mavericks. [4] [5]

They made further grand finals 2017 and 2018 but lost to Wasps Netball both times 55-11. [6] [7] [8] [9]

Lightning coached by Sara Francis-Bayman and captained by Natalie Panagarry won their first Super League title in 2021, defeating Team Bath. [10] They would go on to make four consecutive grand finals, winning back to back titles in 2023 and 2024.

Senior finals

Netball Super League Grand Finals

Loughborough Lightning made their Netball Super Leagueeague Grand Final debut in 2007–08. [4] [5]

SeasonWinnersScoreRunners upVenue
2007–08 [4] [5] Galleria Mavericks 43–39Loughborough Lightning K2 Leisure Centre
2017 [6] [7] Wasps Netball 55–51Loughborough Lightning Barclaycard Arena
2018 [8] [9] Wasps Netball 55–51Loughborough Lightning Copper Box Arena
2021 [10] Loughborough Lightning49–32 Team Bath Copper Box Arena
2022 Manchester Thunder 60–53Loughborough Lightning Copper Box Arena
2023 Loughborough Lightning57–48 London Pulse Copper Box Arena
2024 Loughborough Lightning70-54 Manchester Thunder Resorts World Arena
2025 London Pulse 53-45Loughborough Lightning The O2 Arena

Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship

In 2017 Loughborough Lightning won the inaugural British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship. [11]

SeasonWinnersScoreRunners upVenue
2017 [11] Loughborough Lightning35–33 Team Bath The O2 Arena
2019 [12] [13] Loughborough Lightning61–35 Wasps Netball Copper Box Arena

Home venue

Loughborough Lightning play their home games at the Sir David Wallace Sports Centre at Loughborough University and Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham. [14] [15] [16]

Notable players

2025 squad

2025 Loughborough Lightning roster
PlayersCoaching staff
Nat.NamePosition(s)DoBHeight
Flag of England.svg Beth Cobden WD, C, GD3 February 19931.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Flag of England.svg Alice HarveyGK, GD3 April 20011.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Flag of England.svg Hannah Joseph WA, C8 February 19941.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Flag of England.svg Natalie Panagarry (c)C, WD27 December 19901.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Flag of England.svg Ella Clark GA, GS8 February 19921.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Flag of England.svg Jodie Gibson GD, GK30 October 19921.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Flag of England.svg Bella BaylisC, WA5 November 20031.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Flag of South Africa.svg Shadine van der Merwe GD, WD, GK25 November 19921.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Flag of England.svg Berri Neil GA, GS12 February 20031.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Samantha Wallace GS16 January 19941.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Head coach
  • Vic Burgess


Notes
  • (c)– Captain
  • (cc)– Co-captain
  • (vc)– Vice-captain
  • Star of life gold.svg – Injury / maternity leave
  • (TRP)– Temporary Replacement Player
Player profiles: Team website Last updated: 26 October 2024

Internationals

Flag of England.svg  England
Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica
Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg  Zimbabwe

Source: [17] [18] [19]

Head coaches

CoachYears
Flag of New Zealand.svg Margaret Foster [20] [21] 2013–2014
Flag of England.svg Karen Atkinson [21] [22] [23] [24] 2014–2017
Flag of England.svg Anna Carter [25] 2017–2018
Flag of England.svg Sara Bayman [26] [27] 2018–2021
Flag of England.svg Victoria Burgess [28] 2021-

Honours

Sponsorship

In February 2023, clothing retailer Long Tall Sally were confirmed as the team's headline sponsor for the 2023 Netball Super League season. [29]

References

  1. ↑ "About Us". www.lboro.ac.uk. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  2. ↑ Dr. Louise Mansfield & Dr. Lara Killick (1 January 2012). "The UK Netball Superleague: A Case Study of Franchising in Elite Women's Sport" (PDF). Brunel University, School of Sport and Education, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK; and University of the Pacific, Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Science, Stockton, CA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Loughborough Lightning". www.lboro.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 "Third time lucky for magnificent Mavericks". www.whtimes.co.uk. 6 April 2008. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "Mavericks win Netball Superleague final". www.sportsister.com. 8 April 2008. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Netball Superleague: Wasps beat Loughborough Lightning in Grand Final". www.bbc.co.uk. 11 June 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Wasps Netball beat Loughborough Lightning in Netball Superleague Grand Final". www.skysports.com. 15 June 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Wasps beat Loughborough Lightning to claim back-to-back Netball Superleague titles". www.skysports.com. 7 July 2018. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Superleague Grand Final: Wasps 55-51 Loughborough". www.bbc.co.uk. 8 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Netball Superleague 2021: Loughborough Lightning beat Team Bath in final". www.bbc.co.uk. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Lightning crowned British Fast5 All-Stars Champions". www.englandnetball.co.uk. 26 September 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Loughborough Lightning Netball are crowned 2019 Fast 5 All-Star Champions". www.lboro.ac.uk. 12 October 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  13. ↑ "Jo Harten shoots Loughborough Lightning to British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship title". www.bbc.co.uk. 12 October 2019. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  14. ↑ "Loughborough Lightning". www.netballsl.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  15. ↑ "Sports Halls". www.lboro.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  16. ↑ "Loughborough Lightning". Netball Super League. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  17. ↑ "Performance netball". www.lboro.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  18. ↑ "Loughborough Netballers get set to compete on World Stage". www.lboro.ac.uk. 11 July 2019. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  19. ↑ "Nine Loughborough netballers selected for Commonwealth Games". www.lboro.ac.uk. 2 March 2018. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  20. ↑ "New Zealand coach appointed to begin new era for Loughborough Lightning". www.lboro.ac.uk. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  21. 1 2 "Karen Atkinson named Loughborough Lightning coach". www.bbc.co.uk. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  22. ↑ "A Lightning return for new head coach Karen Atkinson". www.lboro.ac.uk. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  23. ↑ "Karen Atkinson: Loughborough Lightning head coach to step down". www.bbc.co.uk. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  24. ↑ "Atkinson to step down as Loughborough Lightning Netball Head Coach". www.lboro.ac.uk. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 2 November 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  25. ↑ "Carter to step down from Director of Netball position at the end of the season". www.lboro.ac.uk. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  26. ↑ "Loughborough Lightning appoint Bayman as new Director of Netball". www.lboro.ac.uk. 12 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  27. ↑ "Lightning Netball confirm coaching line-up for 2019". www.lboro.ac.uk. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  28. ↑ "Loughborough Lightning: Sara Francis-Bayman takes 18-month leave of absence". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  29. ↑ "Peterborough fashion retailer Long Tall Sally gives its support to leading netball team". peterboroughtoday.co.uk. 14 February 2023.
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