After nearly 5 years at the helm, Mark Lloyd is to step down from his position as Head Coach at the University of Essex basketball programme – including the WBBL Rebels.

Lloyd joined the University’s performance basketball programme shortly after it was formed, and has been instrumental in its rapid progression in size and quality.

Under Lloyd’s leadership, both the Men’s and Women’s BUCS teams have progressed to the Premier Division, with the women’s team winning the Premier South at the first attempt in 2017-18. Men’s and Women’s ‘Essex Blades’ teams were formed and entered in to the Basketball England NBL, with particular success for the women who were winners of the National Cup in 2016, and winners of NBL Division 1 in 2017-18.

Most recently, the women’s team has entered the WBBL professional league, as the ‘Essex Rebels’, becoming the first women’s professional sports team in Essex.

“Mark has had a lifelong passion and commitment to basketball, and has brought that to the University of Essex over the past 5 years,” stated University of Essex Director of Sport, Dave Parry.

“He has led the development of something very special at Essex, and has had a tremendous impact upon the wider development of the game. We thank him for everything that he has done, and wish him well for the future” .

Tom Sadler and Ross Norfolk will be taking over Lloyd’s duties in a caretaker capacity for the remainder of the 2018-19 season.