Wimbledon Hockey Club Welcomes Our Newest Signings!

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Jess Buchanan
We are thrilled to welcome Jess Buchanan from ISCA Hockey Club! Jess has enjoyed tremendous success with her team and is currently Scotland's #1 goalkeeper. With a total of 20 international caps to her name, Jess recently spent part of her summer representing Team GB at the Olympic Games in Paris! We’re incredibly excited to have her join Wimbledon HC and look forward to an amazing season with her between the posts.

 

Maddie Peel
Maddie arrives from City Highlander Hockey Club after spending three years in Dunedin, New Zealand, where she captained the Otago women’s team. Maddie made a huge impact, leading Otago in the 2023 Ford National Hockey Championship. Her leadership and experience are invaluable, and we are excited to see her bring that same energy to Wimbledon.

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Katie Birch
Katie Birch joins us from Durham HC for the 2024/25 season! Previously, Katie made waves at the University of Iowa, where she shone from her freshman year, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Known for her deadly accuracy on penalty corners and her goal-scoring prowess, she became a key player for Iowa, eventually captaining the team. Katie made her debut for Scotland in the 2023 and has been ever present since. Katie’s skills in both attack and defense will be a huge asset to Wimbledon this season, and we’re lucky to have her!

 

Kitty Baccanello
Joining us from the Cal Golden Bears, Kitty Baccanello is a fantastic addition to our squad. Kitty was instrumental in her team’s success, scoring key goals in competitive matches. Before that, she helped Exeter University win the national Division 1 title and secure promotion. With 15 international caps at U16 and U18 levels for England, we know Kitty will bring a wealth of talent and drive to Wimbledon HC.

 

Bronwyn Shields
A warm welcome to Bronwyn Shields, who joins us from Clydesdale Western Hockey Club. Bronwyn is an exciting and experienced player with a strong national and international background. She won gold at the EuroHockey U18 Championship II in 2018 and later represented Scotland in the EuroHockey Junior Championship II in 2019. Bronwyn made her senior national team debut in 2021, and we can’t wait to see her in action for Wimbledon.

 

Tula Knowles, Petra Barr & Phoebe Barnett

We are delighted to welcome Wimbledon juniors Tula, Petra and Phoebe into the 1st XI squad. All three were consistent members of our second XI with Tula making her debut for the 1st XI last season. All three are England junior internationals and exciting prospects for the future. 

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Liam Ansell
On the Mens side, we are delighted to welcome back Liam Ansell after a season away in Amsterdam. Liam boasts an impressive 70 combined caps for England and Great Britain. He debuted for England in 2017 and quickly rose to prominence, contributing to England’s bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and delivering standout performances at the 2018 World Cup and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We’re thrilled to have Liam back in the Wimbledon ranks this season!

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Fred Newbold
Fred Newbold joins us with an impressive record, having represented both Great Britain at junior level and now Wales, collecting 28 international caps. As a former captain of the Great Britain U21 team, Fred led his squad to victory in the Sultan of Johor Cup, and he recently represented Wales in the 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup. Alongside his hockey career, Fred is also pursuing an integrated Master’s in Biological Sciences at Oxford, and we’re excited to see him excel both on and off the pitch at Wimbledon.

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Joe McConnell
Scottish international Joe McConnell joins us from Teddington. At 27, Joe has earned 26 senior caps for Scotland, including appearances in the EuroHockey Championship II and other international tournaments. He’s already made a mark in Scotland’s national team, and we’re eager to see him bring his experience and talent to Wimbledon.

 

Sam McCulloch

We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of Sam McCulloch from Hale Hockey Club in Western Australia, where he helped his team win the Premier League last season. Sam has represented Australia at the U21 level, including at the 2019 8 Nations Invitational and the Sultan of Johor Cup. We can’t wait to see Sam don the mighty maroon kit and make an impact this season!

 

James Vallely

We are excited to announce the addition of James Vallelly to Wimbledon HC! James joins us from Durham University where he just graduated. While at Durham, he was a key player in the Premier Division of the National League, competing against some of the best sides in the country. Vallelly has also represented the Great Britain EDP in international competitions, including the Sultan of Johor Cup, where he showcased his versatility and determination. A young and exciting player that we are delighted to welcome to Wimbledon this year.

 

Lewis ‘Nemo’ Wilcher

‘Nemo’ joins us from the University of Exeter where he recently won BUCS gold. His creativity and ability on the ball is likely to bamboozle defenders. Nemo has been ever present in the England junior sides and has recently competed for England U21 and the Great Britain Elite Development Program. Nemo joins up with former school coach Karl Stagno as a Whitgift Alum. 

 

Jake Phillips 

Jake returns to Wimbledon having also finished at Exeter University. Jake played in the 2nd XI before leaving for Exeter where he had success winning BUCS last season. We are delighted to welcome former Wombles back to the group and excited to see him in the squad this season. 

 

Kaden Dreysey

Kaden joined Wimbledon HC at the beginning of the 2022/23 season. He started Womble life in the 2nd XI, making both his national league at 16 and his premier league debut at 17 last season. Kaden was part of the England U18 team that played in the 8 Nations last summer. 

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Thanks and good luck to those opening new chapters..

As well as welcoming our new signings, we must also recognise some of our Wombles who are moving onto new adventures for the 2024/25 season.

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Ian Sloan has been a stalwart of the Men’s program for the last 10 years, signing in 2014. Ian was involved in both the club’s Premier League victories in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Ian was also the 1st XI assistant coach and we wish him all the best as he embarks on his coaching journey. We would like to thank Ian for everything he has done for the club over the last decade. 

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Jack Waller has signed for Dutch Hoofdklasse side Pinoke. A young Jack Waller was also part of the first championship win in 2014-15 before leaving before leaving for University. After University, Jack returned to Wimbledon via an adventure in the Belgian A division. He now has the opportunity that he could not turn down in Holland. All the best for your next adventure Jack!

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David Condon joined Wimbledon from East Grinstead in 2020. GB international ‘Trigger’ represented the club at the 2022 EHL in Hamburg. David joins Old Georgians and we would also like to thank David for all of his contributions to the club. 

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Jen Eadie joined the club in 2022 having joined the Great Britain program. Jen leaves to return to her old club, Clydesdale Western and we wish her the very best for her return to her roots!

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Amelie Rees leaves us to join the University of Virginia Cavaliers. Amelie joined the club as an U8 and played all the way through to the 1st XI, making her debut in the 2022/23 season. Amelie is a genuine success story for the club and we were delighted that she had the opportunity to present that journey to our current juniors at our end of season awards. We wish her well on her American adventure!