Following the National Netball Championships, Netball Australia has named the 64 athletes selected in the 2023-24 17/U and 19/U Australian squads, with ten Victorians among those named.
Tully Bethune, Harriet Gall, Charli Hoey, Mia Lavis and Eliza Molino will form part of the 17/U squad, while Lily Graham, Charli Nicol, Charlotte Sexton, Tara Watson and Olivia Wilkinson will join the 19/U squad.
All athletes represented Victoria at the National Netball Championships in Darwin last week, with Molino and Nicol captaining their respective sides. Eight of the ten players also compete in the Victorian Netball League.
2023 marks the second year in the 17/U national squad for Molino and in the 19/U squad for Nicol and Wilkinson, while Graham and Watson step up from 17/U to the 19/U division.
Graham, Molino, Nicol and Watson are no strangers to a high performance environment, having also been selected as members of the 2023 Vixens Academy. Wilkinson has also been exposed to the elite level as a training partner with the Collingwood Magpies.
The newly named squads will take part in training camps delivered by Netball Australia later this year.
“To have so many Victorian athletes selected in national squads is a reflection of the strength of our pathway,” said Netball Victoria General Manager – Vixens, Performance & Pathways Megan Simpson.
“We’re proud to see our athletes rewarded for their dedication and hard work, and we’ll continue to evaluate our programs to ensure we’re providing the best possible opportunities for Victorian netballers to develop and thrive.”
“Every year our pathway events and Australian squad selections show the importance of netball’s pathway opportunities,” said Netball Australia Executive General Manager – Performance Stacey West.
“So many of our past and current Origin Australian Diamond athletes have competed in the National Netball Championships, and subsequently been selected in 17/U and 19/U Australian squads.”
Victorian athletes selected in 2023-24 Australian squads:
17/U
Tully Bethune (Geelong Cougars)
Harriet Gall (Goulburn Valley Football Netball League)
Charli Hoey (Geelong Cougars)
Mia Lavis (Albury Netball Association)
Eliza Molino (Hawks Netball)
19/U
Lily Graham (Wilson Storage Southern Saints)
Charli Nicol (City West Falcons)
Charlotte Sexton (City West Falcons)
Tara Watson (North East Blaze)
Olivia Wilkinson (Peninsula Waves)
