Former Life Studio and now Manly-Warringah ace Annie Miller has retained her place in NSW's under-19 team for next year's National Netball Championships at Hobart, and will look to guide her sky blues past the hurdle they stumbled on in 2019.
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After a bumper campaign Miller's side was eventually beaten in the gold medal game of this year's championship at Brisbane's Queensland State Netball Centre, narrowly losing out 35-30 as South Australia went on to claim a fourth consecutive crown.
Following that, her Sapphires' Netball NSW Premier League Under-23 silver medal and another gruelling selection process that finished with last month's final preliminary camp, Miller was named in a gangbusters squad capable of taking that final step.
The NSW under-17 side, which was also announced this week, will be looking to do the same after also being beaten by South Australia in the 2019 gold medal match-up, that silver medal-winning side included Life Studio's Alex Emerson.
"Last year NSW was very competitive in reaching both the [under-19] and [under-17] grand finals and in 2020 we'll be hoping to take the next step and bring silverware back to the state," Netball NSW head of netball Nikki Horton said.
"Nationals are one of the big benchmarks on along the Netball NSW pathway and to be selected for a state team is a huge achievement.
"I would like to commend every athlete who took part in what was a very long, and rigorous selection process, especially the athletes who have made it to the end.
"We now look forward to working with them and the coaching team as we get ready for Tasmania."
Miller's selection comes after she was awarded the Marj Groves AM Scholarship for 2019 at Netball NSW's State Dinner, it was established in 2007 and is presented to an outstanding athlete within the NSW Institute of Sport program.
She's joined in the squad by Manly-Warringah teammates Chelsea Mann and Jemma Donoghue, while Blacktown City also have three representatives in Courtney Castle, Eliza Perkins and Lauren Woods.
Next year's National Netball Championships will be held at the Hobart Netball and Sports Centre from April 18 to 23, with gold medal matches to be played on the final day.
NSW's sides are expected to turn out at Orange's HeartKids Cup as part of their preparation, as they usually do, early in the new year.
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