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Sport: American Football
About the Team:
The Loughborough Aces are a member of the British Universities American Football League (BUAFL)'s Conference 2 South Division. Since their astounding 8-0 opening BCAFL season in 1988-9, the Aces have been one of the premiere teams in the BCAFL/BUAFL. Some of Loughborough's many impressive accomplishments include: the best opening season in BCAFL history, the first team to win 100 regular season games, the best regular season winning percentage in BCAFL history, the most playoff victories in BCAFL history, a 44-4 record over six seasons from 1993-1999, finishing with a winning record in nineteen of their twenty-one seasons, eleven straight playoff appearances from 1992-2002, seven straight division championships from 1996-2002, and three College Bowl victories.
The Aces were formed in 1987, and joined BCAFL for the start of the 1988-1989 season, where they went 8-0 before losing 21-7 in the playoffs to Hull. Loughborough went 6-2 in both 91-92 and 92-93 failing to beat Southampton in the playoffs both years.
In1992-1993, a 7-1 record and an appearance in the conference final led to Andy Sweeney being named National Coach of the Year. The following season Loughborough went 7-1 again, Paul Sherratt was named league MVP, and the Aces won a College Bowl IX thriller 23-20 against Cambridge. In 1995-1996 the Aces finished with the only perfect record in the country but fell 14-7 to Leeds in the conference title game.
In the 1996-97 season they had their best year so far, achieving a perfect 11-0 record, capped by a 28-19 victory against Aberystwyth in College Bowl XI.
In 97-98 the Aces went 7-1 before losing 48-43 to Glasgow in the first round of the playoffs. The following season the Aces again went 7-1, they went on to beat both Lancaster and Leeds in the playoffs before losing 7-3 to Herts in College Bowl XIII. Aces MLB Paul Sherratt was named College Bowl MVP in what turned out to be a defensive battle.
2000-01 saw a much better squad size for the Aces who, led by QB Paul Sherratt, won their division 6-2. beat Staffordshire and Teeside on the way on College Bowl XV. In a breathtaking game the Aces lost 26-23 to the Oxford Cavaliers, with TDs being scored by Jim Murphy, Leon Cordingley and Paul Sherratt with Andrew Studer adding 2 PATs and a Field Goal.
In 2001-02 the Aces, led by QB Ollie Jay, went through the regular season 7-1 losing only to Oxford again but things would change. They stormed through the playoffs with good wins over the Glasgow Tigers and UCH Sharks before meeting Oxford for the second year in a row in the Bowl game. Strong running by both Leon Cordingley and Patrick Schweyen complimented by a stout Aces defence helped the Aces to a 39-22 win for the Aces. Cordingley was awarded College Bowl MVP (thanks to his 4 TD performance) to go with BCAFL League Offensive MVP. Coach Andy Sweeney was also awarded BCAFL Coach of the Year.