# Loughborough Lightning (netball)

Loughborough Lightning is an English netball team based at Loughborough University. Their senior team plays in the Netball Superleague. In 2005–06 they were founder members of the league. They also enter under-19 and under-21 teams in the National Performance League. Using the name Loughborough Students, Loughborough University also enter teams in intervarsity leagues organised by British Universities and Colleges Sport. 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.

## History

In 2005 Loughborough Lightning were named as the East Midlands franchise in the new Netball Superleague. Together with Brunel Hurricanes, Celtic Dragons, Leeds Carnegie, Galleria Mavericks, Northern Thunder, Team Bath and Team Northumbria, Lightning were founder members of the league.

## Senior finals
### Netball Superleague Grand Finals

Loughborough Lightning made their Netball Superleague Grand Final debut in 2007–08.
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners up | Venue |
| 2007–08 | Galleria Mavericks | 43–39 | Loughborough Lightning | K2 Leisure Centre |
| 2017 | Wasps Netball | 55–51 | Loughborough Lightning | Barclaycard Arena |
| 2018 | Wasps Netball | 55–51 | Loughborough Lightning | Copper Box Arena |
| 2021 | Loughborough Lightning | 49–32 | Team Bath | Copper Box Arena |
| 2022 | Manchester Thunder | 60–53 | Loughborough Lightning | Copper Box Arena |
| 2023 | Loughborough Lightning | 57–48 | London Pulse | Copper Box Arena |

### Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship

In 2017 Loughborough Lightning won the inaugural British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship.
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners up | Venue |
| 2017 | Loughborough Lightning | 35–33 | Team Bath | The O2 Arena |
| 2019 | Loughborough Lightning | 61–35 | Wasps Netball | Copper Box Arena |

## Home venue

Loughborough Lightning play their home games at the Sir David Wallace Sports Centre at Loughborough University.

## Notable players
### Internationals
#### England

| Ama Agbeze Karen Atkinson Sophia Candappa Ella Clark Jade Clarke Beth Cobden | Sasha Corbin Chloe Essam Jodie Gibson Layla Guscoth Joanne Harten | Hannah Joseph Olivia Murphy Natalie Panagarry Emma Thacker Fran Williams |

#### Northern Ireland

* Niamh Cooper
* Michelle Drayne
* Michelle Magee
* Oonagh McCulloch

#### Jamaica

* Shamera Sterling
* Vanessa Walker

#### Scotland

* Ella Gibbons

#### South Africa

* Maryka Holtzhausen
* Phumza Maweni
* Renske Stoltz
* Shadine van der Merwe

#### Uganda

* Mary Cholhok Nuba
* Peace Proscovia

#### Wales

* Rebecca James

#### Zimbabwe

* Adelaide Muskwe
Source:

## Head coaches

| Coach | Years |
| Margaret Foster | 2013–2014 |
| Karen Atkinson | 2014–2017 |
| Anna Carter | 2017–2018 |
| Sara Bayman | 2018– |

## Honours

* Netball Superleague
** Runners up: 2007–08, 2017, 2018, 2022: 4
** Winners: 2021, 2023: 2
* British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship
** Winners: 2017, 2019: 2

## Sponsorship

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