Cardiff Met leads the way in women’s sport

Cardiff Met’s influence on Welsh sport extends across the board, with its women’s teams, students and alumni competing at the highest level. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The University has become synonymous with excellence in women’s sport – former Cardiff Met student Non Evans has competed internationally in four different sports; representing Wales 87 times in rugby and scoring 64 international tries – a record in both men and women’s rugby. Non also competed for Wales in judo, winning a silver medal at the 1992 and 1996 Commonwealth Judo Championships and competing for Wales in judo at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. At the same competition, Non also represented Wales in weightlifting and more recently became the first woman to compete in three sports at the 2010 Commonwealth Games when she was selected as part of the Welsh women’s wrestling team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caroline Spanton, also a former Cardiff Met student, is WRU’s National Women’s Rugby Manager and spearheads the development within all levels of the girls’ and women’s game, including the national team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The current Wales women’s national squad sees two current Cardiff Met students and players, Carys Philips and Nia Davies, representing Wales in the Six Nations tournament. The Cardiff Met University women’s rugby side is also one of the most dominant teams in women’s university rugby history. The recently announced inaugural WRU Youth Board also includes Cardiff Met students Kay Davies and Bronwen Prosser, who will help the WRU to engage with future players, referees, volunteers and supporters. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Outside of rugby, Cardiff Met continues to produce and support top level female footballers, with Cardiff Met graduate Sophie Ingle captaining the Wales women’s national team, and recently signing for Liverpool FC. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Netball is another long-standing area of excellence for Cardiff Met with one of the most advanced sports performance programmes in the UK. The 2015 netball World Cup Welsh squad included a total of ten past and present Cardiff Met students with lecturer Suzy Drane captaining the team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Within Basketball, GB International Stef Collins is player-coach of the Cardiff Met Archers who run18 teams ranging from Under 8’s through to Seniors. The Archers compete in WBBL, NBL, BUCS, SWBA & SWRL leagues. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In gymnastics, Cardiff Met student and rhythmic gymnast Frankie Jones won one gold and five silvers to become the most successful individual Welsh athlete at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. ​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​