Road to Glasgow: Cardiff Met’s Stembridge to lead England Netball at Commonwealth Games

Cardiff Metropolitan University will have one of its own at the heart of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with Dr Anna Stembridge set to lead England Netball this summer.

A Senior Lecturer in the Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences, Dr Stembridge will take charge of the Vitality Roses at one of the biggest events in the international netball calendar.

Her appointment gives Cardiff Met a direct presence on the Commonwealth stage and underlines the University’s influence across elite sport. Stembridge brings significant experience to the role having previously led England between 2011 and 2015, guiding the Roses to gold at the 2011 World Netball Series in Liverpool, the first major tournament title in the programme’s history.

Alongside her work in international netball, Dr Stembridge has made a major contribution at Cardiff Met through her teaching in sports coaching and performance netball, while also supporting athletes, coaches and governing bodies through her wider work in high-performance sport.

A former Wales international and Commonwealth Games athlete herself, she now returns to the Games in a leading role, adding another strong Cardiff Met link to Glasgow 2026.

As the countdown continues, Dr Stembridge’s involvement is a clear example of Cardiff Met’s impact at the highest level of sport, both on and off the international stage.