Netball Victoria and the Melbourne Vixens are pleased to announce Kate Upton as assistant coach of the Melbourne Vixens, joining newly appointed head coach Di Honey ahead of the 2026 Suncorp Super Netball season.
Upton, a highly respected coach within the Victorian and national pathways, is currently head coach of Netball Victoria’s Elevate program for the Victorian 17/U and 19/U state squads, head coach of North East Blaze in the Victorian Netball League and assistant coach of the 21/U Australian team competing in this month’s World Youth Cup in Gibraltar.
Her coaching career spans more than a decade across Suncorp Super Netball, the Australian Netball League, the Victorian Netball League and national underage programs. She has contributed to athlete and coach development through various Netball Victoria programs.
Netball Victoria General Manager, High Performance and Pathways, Sharelle McMahon said:
“At Netball Victoria we believe in the strength of our Victorian pathway, which Kate has been an integral part of at different levels and touch points, and we’re thrilled to have that alignment with this appointment.
“We look forward to Kate imparting her knowledge of the game and the Victorian brand of netball into this role, and we’re really pleased to have someone so invested in athlete development continuing her coaching journey with the Vixens.”
Di Honey, who steps into the Vixens’ head coach role after more than a decade as assistant coach herself said:
“Kate and I share a passion for developing talent, which I’ve admired through her work in Netball Victoria’s pathway programs across the years. I’m looking forward to leading the Vixens into our next phase with her support and expertise.”
Kate Upton said:
“I’m looking forward to this next step in my coaching journey, and in particular, working alongside Di to help lead the Vixens into a new era.
“The Vixens are a proud club with a great history of success, and I’m excited by the opportunity to be part of building on that culture of excellence into the future.
“My coaching philosophy has always aligned with Netball Victoria’s values and standards, so taking up this role, especially with the strong connection between the Vixens and the Victorian pathway, feels like the perfect fit.
“The chance to work with such talented athletes – the reigning Super Netball champions – and learn from someone like Di, in a high performance program as successful as this one, is a real privilege and I can’t wait to get started.”
Upton will fulfil her role as assistant coach of the Australian 21/U team at the World Youth Cup later this month before beginning pre-season duties with the Melbourne Vixens in November.
