A recall to the Australian netball squad was the last thing on Renae Ingles' mind when she took a phone call from national coach Lisa Alexander last week.
So when Alexander broke the news that she was back in the Diamonds squad for the first time since 2015, Ingles was overcome with emotion.
"I actually started crying straight away," said Ingles after only being picked up mid-season by Super Netball's Melbourne Vixens.
"Nine weeks ago, I was sitting on a couch in Salt Lake City, retired from netball."
Ingles returned to Australia following time in the US with her husband, NBA star Joe Ingles, and their young family.
She joins five of her Vixens teammates in the 17-woman squad that will form the teams for the 2018 Quad Series also involving England, New Zealand and South Africa, and the Constellation Cup series against New Zealand in September and October.
"I thought my days of playing for Australia or being in the Australian squad were long gone so this is a really lovely surprise and certainly something that I'm really proud of," the 67-capped international said.
Vixens teammate Jo Weston was over the moon when she heard Ingles would be joining her in the national squad.
"I'm very excited for the other girls, of course, but especially her," Weston said of Ingles.
"Just stepping away from the sport, motherhood, being over in the States and being able to come back and show that she is still the incredible player she was and why she was really one of the wing defences to be reckoned with."
Weston sees the upcoming international season as a great opportunity for the squad to bounce back after the bitter experience of being pipped by England for the Commonwealth Games gold medal on home soil.
"The Quad Series will hold a lot of emphasis for us because we will get another go against the English Roses so that will be really exciting," she said.
NSW Swifts defender Sarah Klau joins mid-courters Jamie-Lee Price (Giants) and Jessica Anstiss (Fever) as potential debutantes in the squad, led by captain Caitlin Bassett and vice-captain Gabi Simpson.
Much of the 12-player squad from the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games silver medal return - Laura Geitz, Madi Robinson and Susan Pettit missing through retirement.
Diamonds squad: Jessica Anstiss, Caitlin Bassett, April Brandley, Courtney Bruce, Renae Ingles, Sarah Klau, Emily Mannix, Kate Moloney, Tegan Philip, Jamie-Lee Price, Kim Ravaillion, Gabi Simpson, Caitlin Thwaites, Gretel Tippett, Liz Watson, Jo Weston, Stephanie Wood.
