Welsh Feather #75, Maria Penikett (née Nielsen), earned an impressive 58 caps during her time with the Welsh Feathers. Maria’s international journey began with her participation in the 3rd Netball World Cup in Jamaica in 1971, where she competed against teams such as Trinidad, the Bahamas, New Zealand, and Australia, as well as the Home Nations—England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
She continued her career by representing Wales in an international match against the Republic of Ireland on 6 March 1977 and was part of the squad for the 5th Netball World Cup in Trinidad & Tobago in 1979. This tournament allowed her to play against teams like Jamaica, St. Vincent, Trinidad, Barbados, and New Zealand.
Maria’s exceptional career extended to the 7th Netball World Cup, hosted by Scotland in 1987. During this competition, she faced opponents including Malaysia, Barbados, the Republic of Ireland, the Cook Islands, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Maria played across multiple positions, including Goal Defence, Wing Defence, Wing Attack, and Centre, demonstrating remarkable versatility on the court. She hailed from South Glamorgan. Out of her 58 matches, Maria achieved 24 wins, 4 draws, and 30 losses, resulting in a win rate of 41.38%.
| Countries Played Against | No. Times Played |
| England | 16 |
| Northern Ireland | 11 |
| Scotland | 8 |
| Trinidad | 2 |
| Bahamas | 1 |
| New Zealand | 4 |
| Australia | 3 |
| Republic of Ireland | 5 |
| Jamaica | 2 |
| St Vincent | 1 |
| Barbados | 2 |
| Malaysia | 1 |
| Cook Islands | 1 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 |
