Netball Super League | Katy Hughes commits to Surrey Storm for 2020 season

Katy Hughes during the Vitality Netball Superleague Super 10 at Arena Birmingham on January 5, 2019 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images for England Netball)

Captain Katy Hughes (née Holland) has signed a new contract with Surrey Storm for the 2020 Vitality Netball Superleague season.

Storm’s all-time leading appearance maker will extend her stay at Surrey Sports Park into a tenth year.

The defender became an ever-present in the squad at the start of the 2011/12 season and was influential in the franchise’s back-to-back Vitality Netball Superleague titles in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

The Storm NPL graduate helped her side qualify for the Fast5 Championship last season and the 28-year-old will return as captain for the upcoming campaign.

Speaking about her decision, Hughes said: “It was an easy decision to return and it’s an honour to be asked to captain Storm – it’s a club that means a lot to me. I hope I can use some of my experience to enthuse, inspire and guide both on and off the court.

“There were a lot of positives to be taken from last season, and Mikki [Austin] is just getting started. We have plenty to be excited about as our team becomes a force to be reckoned with.”

Surrey Storm’s Director of Netball Mikki Austin said: “Katy was one of the first players – if not the first – to try to get back, and luckily it wasn’t that much of a hardship.

“Last year was a massive year for Katy. She impressed with her leadership on court and in terms of her playing ability it was one of her best years.”

Hughes is the second player in this transfer window to have confirmed their place back at Storm after vice-captain Yasmin Parsons also committed to the franchise.

The South East outfit get their season underway against Celtic Dragons at the 2020 Season Opener.

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