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WESTERN NETBALL TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR LOIS MUIR CHALLENGE |
Eleven players have been selected to represent
Western in the 2012 Lois Muir Challenge competition.
The Lois Muir Challenge features seven of the top regional teams in the country
and is played over three weekends.
Western’s competition will start in Dunedin on March 25th. A finals weekend will be held in Porirua on
30th March-1st April.
The Lois Muir Challenge, like the ANZ Championships, started in 2008 as a tier
below the professional competition and is a critical pathway for New Zealand
players to have the opportunity to move up to the next level. This is the fourth
year that Western has competed in this competition and the squad hopes to
improve on last year’s status as runners-up by regaining the winning title
Western earned in 2010.
Squad members have been working hard training over the summer and Head Coach Yvette
McCausland-Durie is excited about their prospects. The squad is a mix of youth
and experience, with four players returning from 2011.
Miriama Selby-Rickit and Renee Matoe will be
able to slot into either the shooting circle or the mid-court with both having
a wealth of experience in the GA
and WA positions. Both were part of Western’s Lois Muir campaign in 2011 along
with Western seniors Sam Burkhart and Whitney Cassidy.
Western NZ Talent Development squad members Jamie Manual, Renee Te Riini,
Nikita Roberts and Kayla Williams will be stepping up for this new challenge.
Te Riini will also be trialing for the NZ Secondary Schools Team later this
year.
Wanganui player Hollei Gabrielsen will be a new force in the mid-court, and
Western Under 21 player Jenna O-Sullivan makes her Lois Muir debut.
Alanah Cassidy will re-join her Pulse franchise coach Yvette McCausland-Durie
to strengthen the shooting end of the court.
The Western team head to Dunedin for their first round of competition from on
March 25th. This will be followed by Finals Weekend will in Porirua on 3oth
March-1st April.
The full Western Lois Muir Challenge team is:
Sam Burkhart (Taranaki)
Alanah Cassidy (Taranaki)
Whitney Cassidy (Manawatu)
Hollei Gabrielsen (Wanganui)
Jamie Manuel (Manawatu)
Renee Matoe (Manawatu)
Jenna O’Sullivan (Taranaki)
Nikita Roberts (Taranaki)
Miriama Selby-Rickit (Manawatu)
Renee Te Riini (Manawatu)
Kayla Williams (Manawatu)
Yvette McCausland-Durie (Head Coach)
Colleen Trembath(Assistant Coach)
Juanita Brausch (Manager)
Lydia Radich and Nadine Moore (Physiotherapists)
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