New Zealand under-21 defender Storm Purvis completes the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel's roster for 2012.

While securing a contract with the Steel to compete in the ANZ Championship was a firm goal for the 18-year-old Otago University student, Purvis admits her promotion to the elite ranks came as a surprise.

"It was definitely something I was aiming for but in the next couple of years," she said.

"I'm so excited just to have the chance to learn from some really talented players and get that next level of experience."

Working with Steel's coaching duo of Janine Southby and Natalie Avellino was also a drawcard for the 1.86m defender, who originally hailed from Auckland and was a training partner for the LG Mystics in 2009.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Janine and Nat - I've heard really great things about them as a coaching duo."

Southby, who has coached Purvis previously in national age group squads, said she had witnessed a lot of growth in her abilities over the past two years.

"She's responding really well to working in the high performance model with the conditioning and training she's been exposed to," she said.

"She's has the ability to play both goal keep and goal defence, she reads the game very well and shows some real promise."

The Steel line-up will feature several familiar faces for Purvis with fellow Otago players Jodi Brown, Te Paea Selby-Rickit, Shannon Francois and Louise Thayer in the ranks. Also confirmed for 2012 are Wendy Frew, Donna Wilkins, Sheryl Scanlan, Demelza McCloud, Courtney Tairi, Hayley Saunders and Ashleigh Smith.

"I've grown up watching players like Sheryl and Demelza and admiring their skills so the chance to play alongside them will be fantastic," she said.

Purvis will continue her PE studies next season while also juggling the demands of competing against some of the world's best netballers - a challenge she prepared for after being mentored by former Silver Ferns captain Belinda Colling.

"It will be difficult balancing everything with uni and playing for the Steel, but Belinda has been really great and given me so many tools and planners which have been helpful," she said.

Steel chief executive Julie Paterson said the franchise had achieved its goal of establishing a team featuring a strong mix of youth and experience.

"The 2012 season is an extremely important one for the Steel as we continue to develop as a franchise," she said.

"But there is also a bigger picture to consider and our longer term goals require a multi-season approach and a team featuring some exceptionally talented young players to develop in the Steel environment," she said.

Steel memberships are now on sale for the 2012 season and available from Stadium Southland in Invercargill and the Edgar Centre in Dunedin.