National senior netballer Samantha Wallace has re-signed with New South Wales (NSW) Swifts for a fifth season in the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League.
It was announced on the league's website on Tuesday and the T&T international and NSW Swifts premiership-winning shooter is excited to continue her fruitful partnership with the 2019 Premiership champion for the 2021 season.
The two-time club MVP and 2019 Grand Final best-on-court recipient will continue her potent attacking partnership with English Commonwealth Games champion Helen Housby, who enters the final season of her current three-year deal in 2021.
Wallace joined the Swifts in 2017 after making her elite netball debut in the English Super League and has become a fan favourite as well as one of the most proficient goal shooters in the world game.
In this year's competition which ended recently, Wallace and the Swifts reached the SSN League minor semifinal before losing to West Coast Fever 62-67 to relinquish their crown, despite the Toco-born athlete's 44 goals from 46 attempts, inclusive of six of nine Super Shots.
Overall for this season, the 26-year-old ended the regular season with 522 goals, inclusive of 46 “Super Shots” from 591 attempts for third spot behind Fowler (965 goals from 1,023 attempts) and Queensland Firebirds’ Romelda Aiken, also of Jamaica who tallied 583 from 686 attempts.
Wallace, who became only the third player in the league to surpass the 2,000 goals milestone after Bassett and Fowler, enters the new season with a four-year tally 2,108 goals from 2,322 attempts.
According to the release, Wallace will be operating alongside her good friend Housby. They became a Swifts Premiership champion in 2019 and both players brought up their 50th games for the club during this year's Super Netball hub in Queensland.
Head coach Briony Akle said having the key partnership of Wallace and Housby locked in for next season was vital for the club’s continued success.“Since both players joined the Swifts in 2017 they have formed a formidable partnership in the attack end,” she said.
“Sam has been a rock for us in attack and she really showed what she can do in all areas of the attacking circle with her long-range shooting this year.
“Her partnership with Helen is one of the best to watch in the game. While we didn’t get the finish to 2020 we were looking for, the connections we’ve formed over the past three seasons will only continue to strengthen.
“With six key partnerships in all parts of the court announced for 2021, we are in a good position and looking forward to unveiling more of our roster in the very near future.”
The Swifts have also announced the signatures of defensive duo Sarah Klau and Maddy Turner and the midcourt pairing of Maddy Proud and Paige Hadley.