Melbourne Vixens Academy announces 2027 coaching team

Wendy Jacobsen will lead the Melbourne Vixens Academy for a second season, with Tegan Hopkins returning and experienced Victorian pathway coach Adrian “AJ” Ballantyne joining the coaching team for 2027.

Together, the trio brings extensive experience across the Victorian pathway, state programs and elite netball, with a shared focus on developing athletes both on and off the court.

Jacobsen, a former Melbourne Vixens and Melbourne Phoenix player, returns after leading the Academy in its second season in 2026.

The experienced coach has worked across some of Victoria’s leading programs, including the Collingwood Magpies in Suncorp Super Netball, the Victorian 19/U state team, Victorian Fury and Boroondara Express in the Victorian Netball League (VNL).

“I’m excited to have another opportunity to lead the Vixens Academy and to work with Tegan again as we continue supporting the next generation of Victorian talent,” Jacobsen said.

“We made some great inroads this season, and I’m looking forward to building on those foundations, continuing each athlete’s growth and development, and helping them take their next step.

“While AJ and I haven’t worked together directly, our paths have crossed many times through State Programs and VNL.

“I’m really looking forward to welcoming him to the team. He brings a wealth of experience.

“We each offer different skill sets, but we share a strong commitment to helping athletes grow as people and players and progress towards Super Netball.”

Hopkins enters her 13th season with Melbourne University Lightning in the VNL, where she serves as Championship assistant coach and coaching director. She was also an assistant coach with Victorian Fury in 2024.

Joining the Academy for the first time in 2027, Ballantyne brings 19 years of coaching experience, including 15 seasons in the VNL.

Ballantyne joins the Academy after leading the Victorian 19/U state team at the 2025 and 2026 National Netball Championships, adding significant experience in developing athletes through the Victorian pathway.

Known as AJ, the former elite men’s and mixed netball player has been a key figure at Hawks Netball since joining the club in 2017. He has coached its division 1 team to premierships in 2018 and 2022, before guiding its Championship team to victory in the 2026 VNL grand final.

His coaching experience also includes serving as assistant coach of Collingwood Netball’s victorious 2023 Australian Netball Championships team and leading Netball Victoria’s Central East Talent Academy from 2019 to 2023.

He also coaches in the Elevate program alongside Melbourne Vixens assistant coach Kate Upton.

For Ballantyne, joining the Vixens Academy provides another opportunity to work with athletes at an important stage of their development.

The 2027 season will be the Academy’s third in the SNR competition, providing a crucial bridge between Victoria’s pathway programs and the demands of Super Netball.

With Jacobsen’s continuity, Hopkins’ returning experience and Ballantyne’s extensive pathway background, the Vixens Academy will continue its focus on preparing the next group of athletes for the step up to the elite level.

Expressions of interest for the Vixens Academy are open until 30 September 2026. Eligible athletes can submit a nomination using the link below.

https://netballvictoria.formstack.com/forms/sn_reserves_2027_athlete_nomination