Hartpury contingent handed franchise chances

THE Hartpury Netball Academy is celebrating after 16 of its current and former players were selected by Superleague franchises Team Bath and Severn Stars.

Lily Jones, Ellie Gabriel and Effie Robinson have been selected to play for Team Bath in the Under-19 National Performance League (NPL), while Ellen Morgan and former students Nia Evans and Amelia Baker have been picked to play for Team Bath in the Under-21 NPL.

Their selection highlights the continuing success of the partnership between Hartpury, a Team

Bath Netball Academy Development Centre, and the five-time Superleague champions.

Katie Pauling, Olivia Selby, Lucy Drury and Emily Brooks, meanwhile, have all been named in Severn Stars’ NPL Under-19 squad, with another Hartpury student Sydney Palmer in the training squad.

Emily Lacy, Thalia Letori and Sophie Margetts and former students Martha Scott and Darcie Dunn will play for Severn Stars in the Under-21 NPL under the guidance of head coach and former Hartpury College student Kellie

Hull.

The NPL, which is run by England Netball, is the country’s premier netball league at Under-17, 19 and 21 level.

Hartpury Netball Academy Manager Holly Duerden said: “We’re delighted that so many of our former and current students have been named in the squads.

“It’s a fantastic achievement and all the players should be incredibly proud of themselves. Their success will be great inspiration to other students.

“To the best of my knowledge, no other college in the UK has as many NPL players within its netball programme as Hartpury.”

In 2019-20, Hartpury were Gloucestershire Under-19 champions, South West Under-19 champions, and runners-up at the England Netball National Schools Under-19 Championships.

Recent individual honours for Hartpury included international selection for Ellen Morgan, who was named in the Wales senior squad, and Nia Evans, Sophie Margetts and Martha Scott, in the Wales Under-21 squad.