Cardiff Met basketball community set for Commonwealth Games 3x3 qualifiers

Cardiff Met will be strongly represented in the Wales men’s and women’s 3x3 basketball programmes as attention turns to this weekend’s Commonwealth Games qualification tournament in Manchester.

The qualifiers, taking place on 22 and 23 May 2026 at the National Basketball Performance Centre, will see Wales compete for places at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in both the men’s and women’s 3x3 competitions.

A number of players and staff with close Cardiff Met connections are involved across the two Welsh programmes, highlighting the University’s growing influence within the national basketball pathway.

In the women’s programme, Cardiff Met alumni Issy Bunyan and Carys Roy have been selected. Both having been a part of the Cardiff Met junior and Super League Basketball set-up before continuing their development in the United States, where they are now competing at NCAA Division I level. The women’s team is led by Laura Shanahan, our SLB captain and Welsh international.

On the men’s side, Jake Kinder, a Cardiff Met student alumnus, and Alex Koukouravas, a junior programme alumnus, are among those involved. The team is headed up by James Dawe, Cardiff Met’s Men’s Head Coach, who has been leading the Welsh men’s 3x3 preparations ahead of the qualification event.

Cardiff Met links are also prominent within the wider programme leadership. Stefan Rosier, an alumnus and current coach within the Cardiff Met men’s programme, is serving as programme lead, while Beth Jones is Team Manager for the Welsh Commonwealth Games campaign. Basketball Wales previously confirmed Rosier and Jones among the senior staff guiding preparations for the qualifiers.

The level of Cardiff Met representation across both squads and coaching teams reflects the strength of the basketball pathway developed through the University, from junior and student programmes through to national and international opportunities. It also aligns with Cardiff Met Sport’s wider ambition to drive sustained success on the national and international stage through its performance programmes.

Wales will face strong competition in Manchester, with England, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man also involved in the Home Nations qualification tournament. The prize is significant, with a route to Glasgow 2026 on the line.

For Cardiff Met, the qualifiers represent another proud moment for a basketball community that continues to make its mark at the highest levels of the Welsh game.