Folland Shines at BUCS: Cardiff Met First Year Makes History With Singles and Doubles Crowns

Cardiff Met’s emerging wheelchair tennis star Lilly Folland delivered a historic and unforgettable debut at the 2026 BUCS National Championships, becoming the first Cardiff Met student ever to win a national BUCS wheelchair tennis title. In her first year at the university and first appearance at the event, Folland dominated both the singles and doubles competitions, firmly establishing herself as one of the standout young athletes in British university wheelchair tennis.

Her singles campaign on Saturday was simply flawless. She opened with a decisive 4–0, 4–0 victory over Jamie Greenwood, repeated the result against Lily Bignell, and completed a perfect run with another 4–0, 4–0 win over Abigail Marshall. Not conceding a single game across the entire singles event is an exceptional achievement at national level, let alone for a debutant.

On Sunday, Folland partnered with Welsh player Evan Hansen, who trains alongside her in South Wales when they are not at university. The pair showed superb chemistry, powering to consecutive 4–0, 4–0 wins in the opening rounds before securing the doubles title with a composed 4–1, 4–2 victory over Joe Court and Lily Bignell.

Reflecting on the weekend, Folland said: “It was an enjoyable weekend away with the coaching staff and team and I’m looking forward to defending my title next year.”

A special mention also goes to Harri Lloyd-Evans, who became the first Cardiff Met male player since 2023 to qualify for the BUCS Men’s Individual Championships. His achievement in progressing through the qualifying rounds deserves significant recognition in itself, as it secured his place among the top 32 university players in the UK. 

Still recovering from an illness in the lead up to the event, Harri was unfortunately not able to compete at full physical strength. Despite this setback, he fought valiantly in his opening round match, eventually losing 6–3, 6–3. What makes his season more impressive is that he entered the tournament undefeated in singles all season and played a crucial role in guiding his team to an unbeaten league campaign. His resilience, determination, and competitive spirit remain unquestionable, and he continues to represent Cardiff Met with distinction.

It was, in every sense, a landmark weekend for Cardiff Met tennis.