What a week of sport! Our athletes have been out and about across the country proudly representing Waikato Dio 💙❤️

From fierce competition to incredible teamwork, it’s been a week full of determination, grit, and standout performances. We couldn’t be prouder of the way our girls have shown up — on and off the field.

Read below to catch all the highlights and celebrate the action! 🏆

Athletics

At the WBOP Regional championships in Tauranga last week we had a number of podium placings.

• Pippa Swney placed 1st in 80m Hurdles Junior Girls, 1st in 200m Hurdles Junior Girls, and 3rd in 800m Junior Girls.

• Charlotte Hoy placed 1st in the 3000m Junior Girls, and 2nd in 1500m Junior Girls.

• Bella McLauchlan-Hillary placed 3rd in the 3000m Senior Girls.

• Brooke Devaney placed 3rd in the 2000m Steeplechase Senior Girls.

Pippa, Charlotte, and Bella then went on to represent Waikato Dio at the NISS Track and Field championships in Papakura on 28-29 March, once again coming away with outstanding results.

• Pippa Swney placed 5th in the final of the 80m Hurdles Junior Girls with a PB of 13.08s, 6th in the 200m Hurdles Junior Girls, and 10th in the 800m Junior Girls.

• Bella McLauchlan-Hillary placed 14th in the 3000m Senior Girls.

• Charlotte Hoy placed 1st in the 3000m Junior Girls with a PB of 10:24.31, she also placed 7th in 1500m Junior Girls.

Cricket

After a strong season in the Hamilton Secondary School Competition, Waikato Dio’s 1st XI team qualified to compete at the Northern Districts Regional Qualifiers’ tournament, held in Hamilton on 23-26 March. As the tournament progressed, the team faced some tough competition and hard-fought losses against seasoned sides. These matches provided invaluable learning opportunities for our developing squad, who remained “undaunted” in their efforts. With finals day unfortunately leaving rain with the final say, the team came away from the tournament 7th overall, and with a positive experience showing grit, determination and supportive teamwork.

Equestrian

At the start of the week, Ahreen De Vries, Ave Duthie, Caitlin O’Neil, Elizabeth Pickford and Isla Rawson, travelled to St Peter’s Cambridge, to compete at the NISS Dressage Championships. The students performed with poise and precision, and rode some tidy tests while supporting one another. The standard of competition was incredibly high, with some classes featuring over 30 riders from across the North Island. Our team showed great consistency across the board. Special mention goes to Isla Rawson who was the top performer for Dio, securing two impressive 11th place finishes in the Year 9–13 Introductory classes. Congratulations to all five riders for their dedication and for representing Waikato Dio so well on the regional stage!

Futsal

After a successful Waikato Secondary Schools’ season, our Senior A Futsal team travelled to Wellington to defend their title at the NZSS Senior Girls’ Futsal Championships. The team once again fought hard landing themselves in the final against Queen Margaret College. It came down to a nail biting finish, with extra time but sadly ending in a penalty shoot out. However, the team came away with a silver finish making them 2nd overall in New Zealand. What an awesome achievement!

Rowing

Waikato Diocesan School for Girls concluded the 2026 Maadi Cup regatta with an extraordinary set of results, cementing its position as the premier rowing school in New Zealand. Waikato Dio was crowned the Overall Champion Secondary School, securing the Star Trophy for the first time since 2011.

• Overall Champions (Star Trophy): Waikato Dio finished at the top of the national points table with 43 points, ahead of King’s College (32) and Rangi Ruru (31).

• Levin Jubilee Cup (Girls U18 Coxed Eight): The U18 coxed eight won the most prestigious event for schoolgirls, securing the Levin Jubilee Cup for the first time since 2014. They won with a powerful performance (6:53.13), leading from start to finish.

• Waikato Dio also sucessfully won this race back in 2011, and in 2002 (when it used to be for girls’ under-19 or under-18 eights) It was the school’s first major success in that event, coached by Bruce Holden. The win was notable as the title had not left the South Island for 12 years prior to that victory.

• Executive Trophy: Awarded to the school as the Champion Sweep Oar School, highlighting the depth and technical excellence across the entire sweep programme.

The school’s success was widespread across various age groups and boat classes:

The 2026 season represents a “pinnacle year” for Waikato Dio rowing. Winning the Star Trophy and the Levin Jubilee Cup in the same year is a historic “double” that reflects the dedication of the student-athletes, the excellence of the coaching staff, and the robust support of the school community and parents. The programme is currently the benchmark for secondary school rowing in New Zealand. We can’t wait to see what the 2027 season brings.

In addition to this incredible achievement, a big congratulations to the following athletes who have received an invitation to attend the 2026 U18 North Island trials or 2026 New Zealand U19 trials.

North vs South

• Lucy Turnbull

• Amy Bryant

• Ryan Woods

• Keava Burrough

• Jessica Hawkes

• Amelia Settle – Coxswain trial

New Zealand U19

• Kate Slyfield

Triathlon

Our athletes showed true grit and adaptability at the Bay Radiology Tri New Zealand Schools Championships in Mount Maunganui on Thursday 26 March.

While the students prepared for a full triathlon, mother nature had other ideas. Due to unsafe weather conditions, the cycling leg was cancelled, and the event was transformed into a high-stakes Aquathon (Swim and Run).

Representing the school in the U19 category were Gabby Schuitemaker, Isabelle Blackmore, and Brooke Devaney. While the change in format altered the original team plan, the girls didn’t let the rain dampen their spirits.

With Gabby stepping into a vital role as the team’s lead strategist and “Head Cheerleader,” Izzy Blackmore and Brooke Devaney took to the course with incredible focus. Their performance was nothing short of elite resulting in:

• 1st Place: U19 Female Team

• 3rd Place: Overall U19 Teams (combined male/female/mixed)

Volleyball

Our Senior A Volleyball team hit the courts at the VBOP Senior Invitational Tournament in Tauranga from 24-25 March and brought the intensity from start to finish.

Day one saw the team take on three tough matchups. Dio came out strong with a confident 2–0 win over Otumoetai College D. They then faced a powerful ACG side, going down 2–0 despite a determined effort. The final match of the day against Trident B was a nail-biter, with two incredibly close sets (26–28, 23–25), just slipping away 2–0.

Day two brought fresh challenges — and plenty of grit. In a marathon match against Tarawera High School. The team dug deep to secure a thrilling 3–2 win after nearly two hours on court.

The final game against Papamoa College was just as intense. After dropping the first two sets in heartbreaking deuces (24–26, 24–26), Dio showed true resilience — storming back to win the next three sets and secure 5th place overall.

An incredible effort and the perfect way to wrap up the season. We are so proud of this team!

Water Polo

Our Senior A Water Polo team had an action-packed trip to Auckland, where they competed in the North Island Secondary Schools Division 2 Cup. It was a week of high-intensity competition and impressive teamwork.

The team faced a challenging schedule, playing a total of seven games. Through grit and determination, they secured four fantastic wins and played through three incredibly close losses, ultimately earning them a well-deserved 6th place overall. A special congratulations goes to Peyton Cruickshank, who was recognised by tournament officials for her exceptional skill and talent, being named as one of the Top Five Most Voted players of the tournament. Well done to the entire team for representing our school with such pride and sportsmanship!

A massive congratulations to all our Waikato Diocesan athletes, your success comes down to your true determination and grit, on and off the sports field. ❤️💙