New Zealand women's national field hockey team

New Zealand
Nickname(s)Vantage Black Sticks
AssociationNew Zealand Hockey Federation
ConfederationOHF (Oceania)
Head CoachPhil Burrows
Assistant coach(es)Aaron Ford
Shea McAleese
Rocio Gonzalez Canda
ManagerDenise Leggat
CaptainFrances Davies
Olivia Shannon
Home
Away
FIH ranking
Current 10 1 (10 March 2026)[1]
Olympic Games
Appearances8 (first in 1984)
Best result4th (2012, 2016)
World Cup
Appearances9 (first in 1983)
Best result4th (1986)
Oceania Cup
Appearances11 (first in 1999)
Best result 1st (2007, 2009, 2011, 2019)

The New Zealand women's national field hockey team is also known as the Black Sticks Women. The team's best performances include a gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a third placing at the 2011 Champions Trophy, and fourth placings at the 1986 World Cup, 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics. As of Jun 2024, the team ranks 11th on the International Hockey Federation (FIH) world rankings.

Tournament records

World Cup[2]
Year Host city Position
1983 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 7th
1986 Amsterdam, Netherlands 4th
1990 Sydney, Australia 7th
1998 Utrecht, Netherlands 6th
2002 Perth, Australia 11th
2010 Rosario, Argentina 7th
2014 The Hague, Netherlands 5th
2018 London, England 11th
2022 Terrassa, Spain
Amstelveen, Netherlands
5th
2026 Wavre, Spain
Amstelveen, Netherlands
Qualified
Champions Trophy[3]
Year Host city Position
1987 Amstelveen, Netherlands 6th
1999 Brisbane, Australia 5th
2000 Amstelveen, Netherlands 6th
2001 Amstelveen, Netherlands 5th
2002 Macau, China 5th
2004 Rosario, Argentina 6th
2006 Amstelveen, Netherlands 6th
2010 Nottingham, England 5th
2011 Amstelveen, Netherlands 3rd
2012 Rosario, Argentina 6th
2014 Mendoza, Argentina 4th
2016 London, United Kingdom 6th
World League[4]
Year Round Host city Position
2012–13 Semi-final Rotterdam, Netherlands 4th
Final San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina 5th
2014–15 Semi-final Antwerp, Belgium 4th
Final Rosario, Argentina 2nd
2016–17 Semi-final Brussels, Belgium 3rd
Final Auckland, New Zealand 2nd
FIH Pro League[5]
Year Season Position
2019 Season One 6th
2020–21 Season Two 6th
2021–22 Season Three Withdrew
2022–23 Season Four 8th
2023–24 Season Five Withdrew
2024–25 Season Six DNQ
2025–26 Season Seven Q
FIH Nations Cup
Year Host city Position
2023–24 Terrassa, Spain 4th
2024–25 Santiago, Chile 1st
Olympic Games[6]
Year Host city Position
1980 Moscow, Soviet Union N/A
1984 Los Angeles, United States 6th
1992 Barcelona, Spain 8th
2000 Sydney, Australia 6th
2004 Athens, Greece 6th
2008 Beijing, China 12th
2012 London, United Kingdom 4th
2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 4th
2020 Tokyo, Japan 8th
2024 Paris, France DNQ
Commonwealth Games[7]
Year Host city Position
1998 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3rd
2002 Manchester, England 4th
2006 Melbourne, Australia 3rd
2010 New Delhi, India 2nd
2014 Glasgow, Scotland 3rd
2018 Gold Coast, Australia 1st
2022 Birmingham, England 4th
Oceania Cup[8]
Year Host city Position
1999 Sydney, Australia 2nd
2001 Auckland, New Zealand 2nd
2003 Melbourne, Australia
Auckland, New Zealand
2nd
2005 Sydney, Australia
Auckland, New Zealand
2nd
2007 Buderim, Australia 1st
2009 Invercargill, New Zealand 1st
2011 Hobart, Australia 1st
2013 Stratford, New Zealand 2nd
2015 Stratford, New Zealand 2nd
2017 Sydney, Australia 2nd
2019 Rockhampton, Australia 1st
2023 Whangārei, New Zealand 2nd
2025 Darwin, Australia 1st
Champions Challenge I[9]
Year Host city Position
2003 Catania, Italy 4th
2005 Virginia Beach, United States 1st
2007 Baku, Azerbaijan 5th
2009 Cape Town, South Africa 1st

Team

Current squad

The following players were named in the Black Sticks squad for the 2025 Oceania Cup in Darwin.[10]

All caps and goals current as of 7 September 2025, after the match against Australia.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
15 GK Grace O'Hanlon (1992-09-10) 10 September 1992 116 0 Rarh Bengal Tigers
34 GK Julia Gluyas (1999-01-08) 8 January 1999 4 0 Central Falcons

3 DF Ella Hyatt Brown (1997-11-04) 4 November 1997 8 0 Northern Tridents
11 DF Casey Crowley (1998-01-21) 21 January 1998 44 0 Adelaide Fire
18 DF Anna Crowley (2000-02-08) 8 February 2000 29 0 Central Falcons
26 DF Kaitlin Cotter (2001-11-14) 14 November 2001 49 5 Central Falcons
31 DF Riana Pho (2005-05-05) 5 May 2005 23 1 Central Falcons

13 MF Josephine Murray (2000-05-20) 20 May 2000 3 0 Pinoké
19 MF Tessa Jopp (1995-06-18) 18 June 1995 53 0 Southern Alpiners
28 MF Hannah Gravenall (1988-11-15) 15 November 1988 26 2 HC Melbourne
37 MF Emma Findlay (2004-04-22) 22 April 2004 26 1 Central Falcons
43 MF Emma Rainey (1999-10-01) 1 October 1999 19 1 Central Falcons

2 FW Olivia Shannon (captain) (2001-05-23) 23 May 2001 93 17 Soorma Hockey Club
6 FW Hope Ralph (2000-04-14) 14 April 2000 55 8 Central Falcons
8 FW Hannah Cotter (2003-07-15) 15 July 2003 39 7 Rarh Bengal Tigers
23 FW Jessica Anderson (1998-09-29) 29 September 1998 14 2 Southern Alpiners
27 FW Holly Pearson (1998-09-07) 7 September 1998 44 4 Northern Tridents
38 FW Brittany Wang (2001-08-20) 20 August 2001 12 0 Southern Alpiners

Recent call-ups

The following players make up the remainder of the national squad, or have represented the national team in the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Kirsten Nation (1995-12-23) 23 December 1995 8 0 Southern Alpiners v.  United States; 5 July 2025
GK Brooke Roberts (1995-02-16) 16 February 1995 48 0 Northern Tridents v.  Ireland; 2 March 2025

DF Stephanie Dickins (1995-01-09) 9 January 1995 85 8 Northern Tridents v.  Ireland; 2 March 2025
DF Tessa Reid (2003-08-25) 25 August 2003 5 0 Southern Alpiners v.  United States; 20 January 2025

MF Rebecca Baker (2002-03-08) 8 March 2002 9 0 Central Falcons v.  United States; 6 July 2025
MF Paige Blake (2003-07-17) 17 July 2003 7 2 Northern Tridents v.  Ireland; 25 February 2025
MF Amelia Calder (1999-03-31) 31 March 1999 2 0 Southern Alpiners v.  United States; 20 January 2025
MF Jaimee Eades (2003-06-15) 15 June 2003 1 0 Southern Alpiners v.  United States; 20 January 2025

FW Breana Catley (2001-07-26) 26 July 2001 3 0 Northern Tridents v.  United States; 20 January 2025
FW Emelia Surridge (2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 6 1 Southern Alpiners v.  Ireland; 2 March 2025
FW Rose Tynan (1997-03-20) 20 March 1997 41 8 Northern Tridents v.  United States; 20 January 2025
FW Anna Willocks (1996-12-29) 29 December 1996 21 3 Central Falcons v.  United States; 6 July 2025

Records

Highest Capped Players[11]
Rank Player Games
1 Stacey Michelsen 296
2 Olivia Merry 284
3 Samantha Child 277
4 Emily Gaddum 274
5 Anita McLaren 271
6 Kayla Whitelock 256
7 Gemma McCaw 250
8 Suzie Muirhead 238
9 Elizabeth Thompson 225
10 Charlotte Harrison 222
Highest Goal Scorers[12]
Rank Player Goals
1 Olivia Merry 128
2 Anita McLaren 105
3 Krystal Forgesson 77
Katie Glynn
5 Gemma McCaw 72
6 Charlotte Harrison 65
7 Kayla Whitelock 63
8 Niniwa Roberts 47
9 Samantha Harrison 42
10 Suzie Muirhead 41

Notable players

Results

Past results

Fixtures and Results

FIH Nations Cup

23 February 2025 Pool B New Zealand  5–4  South Korea Santiago, Chile
15:00 Willocks  9'
Rainey  28'
Pearson  42'58'
Pho  55'
Report Park  6'
Jeong  17'29'
Cheon  40'
Stadium: Claudia Schüler National Training Centre
25 February 2025 Pool B Ireland  1–0  New Zealand Santiago, Chile
17:00 Carroll  30' Report Stadium: Claudia Schüler National Training Centre
27 February 2025 Pool B New Zealand  3–1  Scotland Santiago, Chile
15:00 K. Cotter  25'
Shannon  54'
Findlay  59'
Report Watson  2' Stadium: Claudia Schüler National Training Centre
1 March 2025 Semi-final Chile  1–1
(1–3 p)
 New Zealand Santiago, Chile
18:30 Villagrán  9' Report Willocks  8' Stadium: Claudia Schüler National Training Centre
Penalties
Tala
Ananías
Gutiérrez
Irazoqui
Willocks
Shannon
Pearson
Dickins
2 March 2025 Final New Zealand  1–1
(4–2 p)
 Ireland Santiago, Chile
18:30 Surridge  6' Report Mullan  57' Stadium: Claudia Schüler National Training Centre
Penalties
Willocks
Shannon
Pearson
Dickins
H. Cotter
N. Carey
Power
Hawkshaw
M. Carey

Oceania Cup

4 September 2025 Match 1 Australia  0–1  New Zealand Darwin, Australia
TBD Stadium: Marrara Hockey Centre
6 September 2025 Match 2 Australia  1–0  New Zealand Darwin, Australia
TBD Stadium: Marrara Hockey Centre
7 September 2025 Match 3 Australia  1–1
(3–5 p)
 New Zealand Darwin, Australia
TBD Stadium: Marrara Hockey Centre

Summer of Hockey Series

21 January 2026 Match 1 New Zealand  1–2  United States Dunedin, New Zealand
18:30 H. Cotter  23' Report Ramsey  37'
Tamer  57'
Stadium: Alexander McMillan Hockey Centre
22 January 2026 Match 2 New Zealand  4–1  New Zealand A Dunedin, New Zealand
18:30 H. Cotter  33'
Shannon  42'
Surridge  52'
Pho  58'
Report Willocks  6' Stadium: Alexander McMillan Hockey Centre
24 January 2026 Match 3 New Zealand  1–0  Japan Dunedin, New Zealand
16:00 Gravenall  53' Report Stadium: Alexander McMillan Hockey Centre
25 January 2026 Final United States  2–1  New Zealand Dunedin, New Zealand
16:00 Tamer  29'
Gladieux  43'
Report H. Cotter  32' Stadium: Alexander McMillan Hockey Centre

2026 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup

16 August 2026 Pool B Belgium  v  New Zealand Wavre, Belgium
17:30 Stadium: Belfius Hockey Arena
18 August 2026 Pool B New Zealand  v  Ireland Wavre, Belgium
11:00 Stadium: Belfius Hockey Arena
20 August 2026 Pool B New Zealand  v  Spain Wavre, Belgium
14:00 Stadium: Belfius Hockey Arena

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIH Outdoor World Hockey Rankings". FIH. 10 March 2026. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  2. ^ "Home – FIH".
  3. ^ "Home – FIH".
  4. ^ "Home – FIH".
  5. ^ "FIH confirms Spain men and Belgium women join Hockey Pro League". FIH. 28 July 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Home – FIH".
  7. ^ "Home – FIH".
  8. ^ "Oceania Cup". Hockey Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Home – FIH".
  10. ^ "VANTAGE BLACK STICKS WOMEN 2025 OCEANIA CUP SQUAD NAMED". blacksticksnz.co.nz. New Zealand Hockey Federation. 1 September 2025. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  11. ^ "New Zealand Hockey Representatives – Women" (PDF). New Zealand Hockey Federation.
  12. ^ "New Zealand Goal Scorers – Women" (PDF). New Zealand Hockey Federation.