Loughborough Lightning (netball)

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. 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.

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

They made further grand finals 2017 and 2018 but lost to Wasps Netball both times 55-11.

Lightning coached by Sara Francis-Bayman and captained by Natalie Panagarry won their first Super League title in 2021, defeating Team Bath. 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.

Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship

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

Home venue

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

Notable players

2026 squad

Internationals

;

;

• Niamh Cooper
• Michelle Drayne
• Michelle Magee
• Oonagh McCulloch ;
• Shamera Sterling
• Vanessa Walker ;
• Ella Gibbons ;
• Maryka Holtzhausen
• Phumza Maweni
• Renske Stoltz
• Shadine van der Merwe ;
• Mary Cholhok Nuba
• Peace Proscovia ;
• Rebecca James ;
• Adelaide Muskwe

Source:

Head coaches

Honours

• Netball Super League: 2021, 2023, 2024 Runners up: 2007–08, 2017, 2018, 2022
• British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship: 2017, 2019

Sponsorship

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

References

References

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