UL Eagles

UL Eagles
League Premier League
History Burger King Limerick
1997–2004
Limerick Lions
2004–2009
UL Eagles
2009–present
Arena UL Arena
Location Limerick
Team colors Blue, Yellow
Championships 2 (2012, 2013)

The UL Eagles are an Irish basketball club that compete in the Premier League. Based in Limerick, Ireland at the University of Limerick, the club have collected four pieces of silverware: two National Cup titles (2002 and 2012), and two League titles (2012 and 2013).[1]

History

The club was previously known as Burger King Limerick before taking on the name of Limerick Lions prior to the 2004–05 season.[2] In 2001, the club finished as National Cup runners-up. They went one step further in 2002 and defeated Belfast Star 89–83 in the Cup Final.[1] That year, American import Cleotis Brown earned Basketball Ireland Foreign Player of the Year honors.[3] The club's best finish in the National League as the Lions came in 2005–06 when they finished runners-up after losing to the DCU Saints in the championship game.[4]

In 2009, the Lions were rebranded as the UL Eagles.[5] In February 2015, long-time servant of the club, Welshman Matt Hall, announced his retirement after 15 years of playing in Limerick.[6]

Home arena

The club's home venue is the University of Limerick's Indoor Arena. The arena can hold a capacity of almost 2,500 fans and was the host to the League Finals Weekend in 2007 and 2008. The arena was also host to the opening match of the inaugural Basketball Ireland Emerald Hoops series which saw Notre Dame University (USA) take on the men's senior team in front of a crowd of over 1,000 spectators.

References

External links

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