University of Nottingham sent their supporters into raptures as their men’s and women’s hockey teams won a BUCS Big Wednesday double.
With both sides facing hosts Loughborough University, UoN women lifted their fourth successive women’s title before their men’s counterparts came from 2-0 down to win on a shoot-out.
Hosts Loughborough were perhaps favourites heading into the final of the two women’s Premier Division sides after topping the regular season table with one defeat.
UoN took the lead when Maddie Axford reversed into the D and pushed home by Tilly O’Dea late in the third quarter. Sienna Dunn slotted a penalty corner to go 2-0 up.
Loughborough pulled one back with five minutes left after England U21’s Jess Dyson struck home but UoN held on.
Axford said: “It feels incredible to have won the four peat. Experience has been critical, but it’s also about the ethos of the programme. Every year new players come in and every year they step up to the challenge.
“They come to the University of Nottingham for a reason – to play at the very highest level and to give 110% effort out there on the pitch.”
UoN men then produced the most thrilling comeback of the day to make it a dream season for the university’s hockey programme.
After going two behind, they had to wait until the final quarter for a goal from Zak Buck and then with four minutes to go, Max Anderson fired a top of the D second to send the game to the 23m line.
Goalkeeper David Wood kept his side in the title hunt, setting up captain George Baugniet to calmly score the deciding effort and spark wild scenes.
The two results combined to make a record 11 Championship wins across all sports.
