2025 Inductee

On leaving Kilbreda in 1974, Noeleen completed a Diploma of Primary Education and held a teaching position for five years. In the following years she pursued her interest in netball, excelling both on and off the court. She represented Victoria at the National Netball Championships in 1981 and also made her debut for Australia playing in the Netball Tri-Series against England and New Zealand.

From 1995 to 2006, Noeleen held numerous senior management and executive roles at both state and national levels.

In 2006, she was appointed as President of Netball Australia, a role she held for ten years. She was instrumental in establishing the ANZ Championship and was part of the bid team that secured the 2015 Netball World Cup in Sydney. Noeleen was also Australia’s International Delegate to the International Netball Federation Board at three International Congress Meetings and Honorary Secretary of the Asian Netball Region. She was a member of hugely successful netball teams, achieving the position of number one in the world, winning three Netball World Cups and two Commonwealth Games gold medals. Her time involved with netball spanned a period of 50 years.

Noeleen has been recognised for her incredible career in netball as a player, coach and administrator and has received a number of awards including: The Confederation of Australian Sport Sport Administrator of the Year award, the Australian Institute of Sport Sport Performance – Service to Sport award, Netball Victoria’s Hall of Fame award, Netball Australia’s Service award and in 2016, Noeleen was inducted into the Victorian Honour Role of Women. Her service to sport was recognised in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours List when she was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia.

From 2015 until 2023 Noeleen chaired the Board of Netball Australia’s Confident Girls Foundation, which supports disadvantaged women and girls to achieve their full potential. The Foundation reaches out to indigenous, vulnerable, marginalised, disabled, culturally and linguistically diverse communities. They use netball programs, clubs and associations to strengthen communities and empower girls. She actively supports working towards inclusion in sport making access to sport possible for all.

Noeleen remains a keen supporter of Netball Australia lending her voice to community involvement such as the Aussie Diamonds and Super Netball.

Noeleen also held the position of General Manager of Masters Swimming Australia, an organisation for adult swimming clubs around Australia whose members swim regularly to keep fit and have fun.