NEWS ARCHIVE

VMU – European Universities 3×3 Basketball Champions

From August 1–5, in the city of Salerno (Italy), the EUSA European Universities 3×3 Basketball Championship took place, where Vytautas Magnus University was represented by three teams – two men’s and one women’s. The tournament ended with the highest possible achievement for the VMU delegation – the men’s first team won gold medals and, for the fifth time in the university’s history, became European champions in this discipline. The victorious run of the VMU-1 men’s team The team of Titas Januševičius, Augustinas Mikštas, Gabrielius Čelka, and Rokas Jocys went undefeated throughout the tournament. They began their C group campaign with convincing wins over the University of Ferrara (Italy) 21:11, University of Zagreb (Croatia) 15:14, University of Debrecen (Hungary) 22:12, and University of Valencia (Spain) 22:15. In their final group game, they defeated the University of Pardubice (Czech Republic) 21:9, securing first place in the group and a favorable position for the knockout stage. In the Round of 16, VMU-1 beat the Athens University of Technology (Greece) 21:13, in the quarterfinals they secured a solid 21:17 win over the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, and in the semifinals overcame the University of Nantes (France) 21:14. In the final, the VMU men

Highest recognition for VMU sports infrastructure: Lithuanian men’s basketball team trained at the VMU Sports Centre

At the end of July, special guests visited Vytautas Magnus University’s President Valdas Adamkus Sports Centre – the Lithuanian men’s national basketball team held a training session here as part of their preparation for the upcoming European Championship. Head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis and the players praised the facilities after practice, highlighting VMU’s contribution to the future of Lithuanian sports. According to them, the centre is not only a modern training space but also a vital support hub for growing generations – both students and professionals. Rimas Kurtinaitis: “We have no requests – everything fits perfectly” National team head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis stated after practice that the conditions at VMU Sports Centre are flawless. In his view, this is one of the rare places where athletes lack nothing. “The gym is big, spacious, brand new, and we also have the stadium. We have no issues, no requests – everything is suitable for us. It works for the national team. And not only for us – as far as I know, youth teams are also preparing here,” said Kurtinaitis, stressing that VMU is becoming an important sports hub not only for students. Rokas Jokubaitis: “The conditions for students to improve are excellent”

VMU Students Lead Lithuania to 3×3 Basketball Gold at the Universiade

The Lithuanian Student 3×3 Basketball Team triumphed at the FISU World University Games (Universiade) held in Germany, claiming gold medals in the tournament’s historic debut. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that the entire championship-winning team consisted exclusively of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) students—marking another milestone in the university’s sporting legacy. The team prepared for the competition at the VMU President Valdas Adamkus Sports Centre, which continues to grow as a hub for sporting success both nationally and internationally. Final: A Victorious Finish Against the USA In the final, Lithuania defeated the tournament favorites—the USA student team—by a score of 21:16. The match was intense, but the Lithuanian side displayed excellent focus, tactical execution, and mental fortitude. The decisive moment came at the end of the game when Lithuania calmly sank three consecutive long-range shots, sealing the victory and breaking American resistance. Titas Januševičius, Rokas Jocys, and Augustinas Mikštas each scored 6 points, while Gabrielius Čelka added 3. The win reflected not only outstanding individual performances but also strategic preparation by coach Dainius Novickas The Road to the Title: Confidence and Composure Under Pressure From the first match, Lithuania’s performance was solid. In the group stage, they secured