Northern Ireland Volleyball has confirmed the U18 Boys’ and U18 Girls’ squads for CEV SCA Qualifier Round 1, taking place from Sunday 11th January to Wednesday 14th January at the National Indoor Centre, Dublin.
The week marks a significant step forward for the NI pathway. For the U18 Boys, it’s a landmark milestone – every athlete selected is set to earn their first international cap. For the U18 Girls, the tournament is an opportunity to build on the legacy, cohesion, and team identity developed last season in Malta, carrying that continuity into a new qualification challenge.
Across both programmes, the message is simple: WE ARE NI VOLLEYBALL – and under the #WePlayAsOne ethos, the squads head to Dublin ready to compete with pride, learn fast, and represent Northern Ireland on a European stage.
A first-cap moment for the boys as Healy leads the programme
The U18 Boys programme will be led by Siobhán Healy, assisted by Chris Hamilton and Ben White. Northern Ireland will face Iceland, Faroe Islands, Ireland, and Scotland, with the opening fixture set for Monday at 5:00pm vs Ireland.
Siobhán Healy (Head Coach) said:
“Our NI U18 boys team is very excited for the opportunity to compete against all of the talented opponents at this SCA. The boys have an outstanding amount of potential and have demonstrated their enthusiasm for volleyball throughout the season.
They are approaching this tournament focused on playing as a team and working hard to achieve the goals they have set for themselves.”
Girls look to build on Malta momentum as Gale outlines #WePlayAsOne focus
The U18 Girls programme will be led by Karl Gale, assisted by Rebecca Connor. The girls will compete against Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, and Liechtenstein, opening their tournament on Monday at 1:30pm vs Scotland.
Karl Gale (Head Coach) said:
“The NI U18 girls squad head into the 2026 SCA full of optimism and expectation. This year’s squad brings a blend of emerging talent, athleticism and collective team spirit.
United under the #WePlayAsOne ethos, the girls enter the tournament determined, focused and ready to compete against the strongest opposition from the region. They aim to do their country proud and would welcome as much support as possible.”
Thoughts from NI Volleyball
NI Volleyball Indoor Performance Manager, Callum Grieve, says having both squads on court in Dublin reflects the growing strength of the pathway – and highlights the opportunity for players to gain valuable international experience.
Callum Grieve (Indoor Performance Manager) said:
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our programme – having both our U18 boys and U18 girls representing Northern Ireland simultaneously at an official CEV event is a major step forward for the pathway.
For the boys, it’s a particularly special moment because every athlete will earn their first international cap. It’s an exciting opportunity for them to experience what international volleyball demands and to take pride in wearing the Northern Ireland shirt for the first time.
For the girls, there’s a real sense of momentum and continuity. They’re able to build on the legacy and teamwork they established last year in Malta, and now bring that identity and togetherness into a higher-level qualification environment. We’re proud of both groups, and we’d love to see as much support as possible for them in Dublin.”
Tournament information
The tournament runs from Sunday 11th January through to Wednesday 14 January at the National Indoor Centre, Dublin, bringing together some of the strongest emerging talent across the region in a high-tempo international schedule. A link to tickets can be found here: https://embed.futureticketing.ie/c/volleyball-ireland/
For Northern Ireland, the focus is on earning caps, gaining experience, and accelerating development in a real international environment – while representing the country with pride and unity.
Matchday One (Monday)
- U18 Girls: 1:30pm vs Scotland
- U18 Boys: 5:00pm vs Ireland
Come and support NI Volleyball
If you’re in Dublin, all support would be hugely appreciated as our U18 squads represent Northern Ireland in official CEV competition. Whether you’re in the stands or following online, the backing makes a difference.
Thank you for watching and supporting NI Volleyball.
#WePlayAsOne
U18 Boys Squad (Northern Ireland)
- Jake Brown
- Joe Dunlop
- Oscar McIlveen
- Finn Paul
- Charlie Poole
- Peter Young
- Sam Hoey
- Matthew Wilson
- Jamal Toriola
- William Priest
- Ben Taylor
- Patrick Stecyk
- Aarush Kulshrestha
- Michael Maguire
U18 Girls Squad (Northern Ireland)
- Katie McCaw
- Sofie White
- Sara Thiphavong
- Kyleen Kelly
- Amira Rapi
- Beth Evans
- Sophia Armstrong
- Heidi Alderdice
- Abigail Emerson
- Hannah Thompson
- Katie Boyd
- Miya Jane McCalmont
- Lily Templeton
- Ava Stove