St Margaret’s College boasted a record year for sports in 2022.
Our hockey and netball teams booked their places in the New Zealand national finals, having already won the Canterbury titles. SMC’s rowers won outstanding results on the water this season. For the seventh year in a row, SMC tennis was South Island champions and at the inaugural SISS Equestrian event, our riders celebrated impressive results. And to top it all off, a total of eleven girls donned the silver fern to represent New Zealand in their chosen sports.
Hockey
The SMC 1st XI hockey team reached the Federation Cup final as its 2nd XI triumphed as national title holders in the Chris Arthur Cup.
SMC’s full hockey squad comprises Annie Airey, Jessie Anderson, Ally Booth, Zara Gamble, Paris Hague, Niamh Mckenzie, Poppy McNeill, Chloe McNeill, Maddy McNeill, Anneliese Millard, Tilly O’Donnell, Sorell Shand, Phoebe Spear, Bella Spear, Mezzy Surridge, Molly Williams, and Lily Young.
Netball
On the netball court, SMC’s Senior A team were finalists in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball tournament, having also won this year’s South Island Secondary Schools title.
The SMC netball squad is Ivy Brown, Te Ata Hassan, Bridie James, Ashlyn Koce, Cara Mustchin, Josie Seymour, Millie Farrell, Charlotte Coughlan, Ellese Haigh, Evie Leeson and Fabriana McQuarrie as well as Belize McQuarrie and Annie Francis who attended NZSS.
Rowing
In rowing Grace Farrell and Jemma Burrowes were selected for the New Zealand U19 Women’s Eight competing at the 2022 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in Varese, Italy.
Olivia Studholme, Hannah Wylie and Ashlee Tacon were members of the South Island U18 team that beat their North Island U18 counterparts to win the regatta on points, 75 – 65.
Olivia and Hannah were included in the teams that won the U18 Eight and U18 Four, and Ashlee coxed the girls’ quad that came second in two races.
Our crews competing at the Maadi Cup not only achieved amazing results but continued to grow as rowers and sportswomen.
Here’s a recap of their results:
- U18 coxless pair – Jemma Burrowes and Grace Farrell (Gold)
- U18 coxed four – Jemma Burrowes, Olivia Studholme, Hannah Wylie, Grace Farrell and Ashlee Tacon (Silver)
- U17 coxed eight – Felicity Pye, Olivia Studholme, Charlotte Coughlan, Evie Leeson, India Broomhall, Samantha Lascelles, Hannah Wylie, Phoebe Wilson and Ashlee Tacon (Silver)
- U18 coxed eight – Jemma Burrowes, India Broomhall, Hannah Wylie, Grace Farrell, Charlotte Coughlan, Evie Leeson, Felicity Pye, Olivia Studholme and Ashlee Tacon (Silver)
- U18 novice coxed four – Kara Gooding, Samantha Lascelles, Amelia Timiani-Dean, Ava Readman + Li-Na Chapman (Bronze)
New Zealand Reps
| SPORT | NAME | TEAM |
| Basketball | Ivy Brown
|
New Zealand U17 Basketball team, competed in Asia and Hungary at U17 World Cup |
| Fencing
|
Mika Neill | New Zealand team and competed at the Commonwealth fencing Championships in London |
| Kayaking
|
Brieanna Cox | New Zealand U18 sprint kayaking team and competed in the Asia Pacific Cup in Japan |
| Orienteering
|
Anna Babington | New Zealand Schools team and competed in the Australian Schools Champs |
| Orienteering
|
Katherine Babington | New Zealand Schools team and competed in the Australian Schools Champs
NZ Junior World Championship team and competed in Portugal |
| Rowing
|
Jemma Burrowes | New Zealand U19 Women’s Eight and competed at the World Rowing U19 championships in Italy |
| Rowing
|
Grace Farrell | New Zealand U19 Women’s Eight and competed at the World Rowing U19 championships in Italy |
| Softball | Trinity Mackley-Flutey
|
New Zealand Junior White Sox squad and played in Australia |
| Tennis
|
Lucia Gale | New Zealand U15 team that competed in Queensland at the Australian Teams event |
| Tennis
|
Ruby Young | New Zealand Junior team and competed at the B2 Oceania Junior Championships in Sydney |
| Volleyball | Emily O’Connor
|
New Zealand U19 Junior Women’s Development team and competed at the Australian State Volleyball championships |
Helen Belcher, Director of Sport, says:
‘We are really proud of our girls and their performances over this season. The depth and breadth of our sports programme at SMC is key to supporting our students on their sporting journey. Our senior girls are incredible role models for our younger girls, enabling them to visualise the level to which they choose to aspire, whatever their chosen sport.”
Diana Patchett, Executive Principal says that SMC’s success is testament to the strength of its coaching programme and the culture of encouragement that pervades the school.
“Development programmes led by experienced and visionary coaches begin in our Middle School, and build on our Junior School sports. These programmes play a fundamental role in guiding our girls to be the best they can be, some to an elite level, by building skills, perseverance and resilience. But it is the support for one another, the sportsmanship and the genuine love of playing sport with their friends that I am most proud of. Congratulations to all our students and staff on these stunning results.”
