THE University of Bolton is teaming up basketball team Manchester Giants for a second season.

As the Giants’ main sponsor, the university features on the team kit as well as fostering the partnership between its courses, students and the club.

The university offers a number of sports science courses, including Sport Development and Coaching studied by Manchester Giants’ swingman, Anastasios Traianos. Sports science at Bolton was voted top in the North West for teaching quality in the Guardian League Table and 13th nationally, as well as eighth in the UK in the Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017.

Anna Fitzpatrick, Head of Sport and Biomedical Sciences said: "The university is proud to be continuing its association with Manchester Giants. The partnership with the team is far more than just branding on the shirts and we work hard with the club to ensure our students benefit from hands-on experience in supporting elite athletes as well as various volunteering opportunities. Manchester is one of the most enthusiastic UK cities for both amateur and professional basketball, and a perfect platform for a sports partnership in the North West.2

Manchester Giants will continue to use the £31m Bolton One sports complex, located on the university campus for player rehabilitation and recovery.

John Dwan, CEO of Manchester Giants added: "We would like to thank the University of Bolton for their continued support. The opportunity for our athletes to use the state-of-the-art Bolton One facility is just one of the many advantages of our close working relationship and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the university throughout the upcoming season."

The university says such sponsorship activities are part of the University of Bolton’s commitment to being a Teaching Intensive, Research Informed (TIRI) institution, providing academic excellence alongside practical opportunities for students to gain real-world work experience.