The University of Westminster’s Men’s Basketball team, the Westminster Dragons, have beaten Bournemouth University to secure a British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) promotion, marking a significant milestone for the Westminster Dragons community.
The final playoff game against Bournemouth University took place on 2 April, with Westminster Dragons winning by five points. The game was attended by Westminster’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Bonfield and Bournemouth’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Alison Honour.
After winning the game, the team secured a promotion into the BUCS Premier League, making the Men's Basketball team the first-ever Premier League team at the University of Westminster.
BUCS is a sports governing body for higher education sport in the UK and is responsible for organising 54 inter-university sports across the country, as well as representative teams for the International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Championships and the FISU World University Games.
About this achievement Clive Castillo, Head Basketball Coach and Sports Management BA Honours Lecturer at Westminster Business School, said: “I am incredibly proud of the team for successfully balancing their responsibilities as student-athletes. The players wake up at five or six in the morning to practice at The Den on Harrow Campus and then head straight to their lectures. Their tremendous sacrifice, work ethic, discipline and teamwork were evident during our final playoff game against Bournemouth. Our Strength and Conditioning Coach Tiago, along with our assistant coaches and colleagues, have shown unwavering dedication to helping our team thrive and perform.
“This success would not have been possible without Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Bonfield, who attended the playoff game in Bournemouth. Since his arrival at the University, he has transformed the culture and direction of sports, fostered growth and created opportunities for our students. Additionally, the University of Westminster’s Students' Union has played a crucial role in supporting our vision for the basketball programme, which has been essential to our success.”
This promotion directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Dragons Active, the University of Westminster Students’ Union’s programme of social sport, physical activities and fitness classes.
Learn more about the sport and leisure facilities available to Westminster students and colleagues free of charge.
Related articles
