As one of the newest BUCS-recognised sports, baseball and softball have been growing for the past 13 years. Since starting with just five teams in 2009, BSUK, with the help of a number of vital partners and dedicated students, have grown organised baseball across higher education, culminating with entry into BUCS for the 2021-22 season.
The baseball competition is played across 5 regional groups – each team playing the other on a home and away basis. The best placed 12 teams will qualify for the Championship Finals, to be played at Farnham Park Baseball & Softball Complex in March 2022. The softball competition is split over 4 regional divisions, with four central venue events (2 indoor and 2 outdoor) seeing the best placed 12 teams qualify for the Championship Finals, again played over two days at Farnham Park in March 2022.
e.g., Universities and the higher education system have been a high priority for BaseballSoftballUK. In 2009 there were only 5 known university teams and now there are over 35 running baseball and softball teams throughout the UK with 75 teams currently playing….
Find a club
University clubs are listed on BaseballSoftballUK's Team Finder, which can be found here.
Interested in forming a university programme or club?
BSUK would like to continue supporting growth in the number of university teams so if any university student or staff member is interested in introducing one or both of the sports at their institution then get in touch, we'd love to hear from you! Please email universities@bsuk.com.
Development Charter
All university baseball and softball societies are eligible to register for the BaseballSoftballUK Development Charter. The charter has some great resources to help support the club as well as meaning that all activities are safeguarding compliant. For further details please visit:
To date the following university clubs have chartered:
BUCS
Following nearly a decade of hard work and persistence, baseball and softball were finally added to the BUCS Sports Competition in Autumn 2021. With 25 baseball teams and 17 softball teams entered it finally meant that our sports were able to take their place alongside well-established sports such as Rugby Union, football, hockey and netball. The baseball competition is played across 5 regional groups – each team playing the other on a home and away basis. The best-placed 12 teams will qualify for the Championship Finals, to be played at the National Baseball & Softball Complex at Farnham Park. The softball competition is split over 4 regional divisions, with four central venue events (2 indoor and 2 outdoor) seeing the best-placed 12 teams qualify for the Championship Finals, again played over two days at Farnham Park.
National University Championships
Prior to entry to the BUCS Sports Competitions, BaseballSoftballUK staged bi-annual competitions at Farnham Park for university teams to enter. The offer of competition, and the experience of playing at Farnham Park were crucial factors in growing and sustaining university teams. Safe to say the standard of competition has grown significantly since the inaugural event in 2013. Here is the list of winners for both baseball and softball.
Baseball
| Month/Year | Winner |
| March 2014 |
University of East Anglia |
| October 2014 |
University of East Anglia |
| March 2015 |
Loughborough University |
| October 2015 |
Loughborough University |
| March 2016 |
Loughborough University |
| October 2016 |
Durham University |
| March 2017 |
University College London |
| October 2017 | Loughborough University |
| March 2018 |
Postponed |
| June 2018 |
Durham University |
| October 2018 |
Loughborough University* |
| March 2019 |
Loughborough University |
Softball
| Month/Year | Winner |
| October 2017 |
University of Nottingham Arrows |
| March 2018 |
University of Nottingham Arrows |
| October 2018 | University of York* |
| March 2019 |
Loughborough University Thunder |
*Autumn Open University Challenge
As part of the legacy plans from MLB London Series, MLB have been engaging universities to run their MLB60 programme. To date, 16 universities have engaged, receiving support and resources to help grow the footprint and awareness of baseball and softball on campuses across the country.
The universities who have been involved in the programme :
University of Kent
University of Southampton
University of Reading
University of Portsmouth
Loughborough University
University of Nottingham
University of East London
Leeds Beckett University
Durham University
Warwick University
Bournemouth University
Brighton University
Lancaster University
University of the West of England
Northumbria University
Oxford Brookes University
For more information on the MLB60 programme click below
