Sport
25 September, 2026
Gilgandra and Baradine students help PLC Armidale secure undefeated IGSA championship
Poppy-Grace Newton and Evie Matthews help secure IGSA Championship for Armidale PLC
Contributed
Gilgandra’s Poppy-Grace Newton and Baradine’s Evie Matthews have celebrated an outstanding sporting achievement, helping PLC Armidale’s Senior Representative Hockey team complete an undefeated season and claim the 2026 Independent Girls’ Schools Association (IGSA) championship in Sydney.
Poppy-Grace, who is in year 10, and Evie were part of the senior team that secured a thrilling 1–0 grand final victory over Kincoppal–Rose Bay on Saturday, September 19.
With the match locked at 0–0 until its final moments, PLC Armidale’s Tabitha Havas found the back of the net on full-time to secure the championship and complete an unbeaten season for the senior girls.
The dramatic victory followed the team’s hard-fought 3–2 semi-final win over Abbotsleigh on Friday evening.
Poppy-Grace and Evie also shared in a historic weekend for PLC Armidale, with both its senior and junior representative Hockey teams crowned IGSA champions.
The Junior team successfully defended its Division One title, defeating Ascham 2–0 in Saturday morning’s grand final after overcoming NEGS 3–1 in its semi-final.
Head of sport, Mrs Lucy Donaldson, said Poppy-Grace and Evie had made valuable contributions to the senior team’s undefeated championship campaign.
“To complete an entire season undefeated and be crowned IGSA champions is an extraordinary achievement,” Mrs Donaldson said.
“Poppy-Grace and Evie worked hard throughout the season, embraced every challenge and played their part in an exceptional team campaign.
“We are incredibly proud of them and the way they have represented their families, their communities and PLC Armidale.”
Mrs Donaldson said winning both hockey divisions was an outstanding result for one of the smallest schools in the competition.
“Our girls compete against schools many times our size, but they continually demonstrate that success is not determined by enrolment numbers,” she said.
“It comes from preparation, courage, teamwork and a willingness to compete for one another.”
PLC Armidale’s Senior Netball team also qualified for the IGSA finals series, reaching the semi-final before going down to Pymble Ladies’ College.
IGSA Sport’s graded fixtures involve between 5000 and 6300 students from 32 member schools each term, 28 of which are located in Sydney. The hockey competition alone attracts more than 110 teams and approximately 1500 players.
Despite its comparatively small senior school cohort and the considerable travel required to compete, PLC Armidale has established an impressive record in the competition.
The junior hockey team also claimed IGSA championships in 2023 and 2025, while the college’s junior and senior netball teams both secured championship flags in 2024.
The historic hockey double reflects PLC Armidale’s proud sporting tradition and its focus on preparing girls to lead lives of significance by providing every student with opportunities to participate, lead and compete at the highest level.
