The 2026 Summer sports season has already started strongly in both Volleyball and Water Polo, with three teams travelling to Australia as part of their pre-season campaign throughout December and January.

Volleyball

In early December 2025, a Y10 and Y11 Carmel Volleyball team travelled to the sunny and hot Gold Coast to compete in the Australian Schools Cup. They joined a massive field of 529 teams from 160 schools across Australia and New Zealand. The overarching goal of the trip was clear: to continue the development of Carmel Volleyball.

• The Y11 Team: Competing in the Y10 Honours division, the girls set a promising tone for the year by placing 4th in their division.
• The Y10 Team: Competing in the Y9 Honours grade, these players had an experiential focus, gaining valuable court time and exposure to high-level international competition.

Waterpolo

The momentum continued into January 2026 as our Water Polo team competed in the Queensland State Water Polo Championships. Playing in the U18 White division, our school team—ranging in age from 13 to 17 years—faced tough competition from both club and school teams across Queensland.

After a nail-biting final, the team secured the Bronze medal with a thrilling 12-11 victory. Individual excellence was also highlighted during the tournament:

• Bridget Mihaljevich: Top goal scorer of the division.
• Isobel Houliston: Second highest goal scorer of the division.

Limited downtime across the days away was maximised with a day at Movie World, outlet shopping excursions, and relaxing by the pool at the team accommodations.

A big thank you goes to the coaches and managers who travelled away with these three teams, as well as the incredible family support crews who cheered the girls on every step of the way. We look forward to seeing this momentum carry through the rest of the 2026 season!