Tactix Reappoint Defender to Captaincy Role

Defender Jess Maclennan has been reappointed as Captain for the Silvermoon Tactix for the 2018 ANZ Premiership.

Maclennan (nee Moulds) will lead a squad which features Silver Ferns Temalisi Fakahokotau and Jane Watson, and former Australian Diamond Kate Beveridge. Nelson-born defender Zoe Walker has been named as Vice-Captain.

Both Maclennan and Walker have been with the Tactix family for a number of years with the latter joining the franchise in 2013 and Maclennan a year later.

Maclennan took over the captaincy last season but played a limited on-court role as she worked her way back from a knee injury suffered while captaining the New Zealand A team against England in 2016.

She said she was excited about the coming season with last year’s core returning and a number of exciting faces joining the squad.

“It’s such an honour to have been appointed Captain of what I believe is a really exciting group of athletes,” she said. “We’ve got some great players who have joined the Tactix family as well as a new coaching team, so we’re looking forward to the start of the season and getting on court.”

Coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek, who has a new Assistant Coach in former Silver Fern Julie Seymour, said Maclennan was a natural choice to Captain the Silvermoon Tactix.

“Jess has the respect of the players and leads by example,” she said. “Her experience, commitment, belief and ability to lead from the front meant we had no hesitation in reappointing her to the Captaincy role this season.”

Delaney-Hoshek said the squad had been together since January and was looking forward to competing at the ANZ Premiership pre-season tournament in Otaki this weekend.

“We’ve been doing the hard yards for a number of months and have seen fitness and strength gains across the team,” she said. “Now we’re just excited to put all of that into practice.”

The 2018 ANZ Premiership starts with a blockbuster Sunday on May 6 in Palmerston North where all six teams will be in action with the Silvermoon Tactix opening their campaign against the Northern Stars. The first home game of the season will be on Wednesday 23rd May at Horncastle Arena, also against the Northern Stars. Tickets for all home matches are available now from Ticketek.

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