Canberra Capitals
Encyclopedia
The Canberra TransACT Capitals are an Australian Women's Basketball
League (WNBL) team based in Canberra
, Australia
. TransACT
Communications is the current naming rights sponsor for the Canberra Capitals. The Capitals are currently owned and managed by Basketball ACT.
and coach Carrie Graf. They have won the WNBL Grand Final
in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 and were runners up in 2001 and 2011.
After 13 seasons of struggle at the bottom end of the WNBL table, the Capitals qualified for the WNBL Grand Final for the first time in the 1999/00 season, defeating the Adelaide Lightning in South Australia. Since that time the Capitals have remained a perennial force in the WNBL despite the significant turnover in playing personnel over the past 10 seasons.
After some success in 1992, hopes were high in 1993 for the Capitals to become a premiership contender under new coach Tad Duffelmeir. These hopes increased with the recruitment of 196 cm Ukrainian centre Diana Sadovnikova in round 6 of the competition. Unfortunately the Capitals were unable to find stability with the rest of the team and were unable to replicate their form from the previous season. The Capitals finished 7th in the 10 team league with a 7-11 win/loss record.
The Capitals once again hired Jerry Lee as their head coach for the 1994 season, hoping to replicate their finals experience two years earlier. They signed another European import, Joulia Goureeva to bolster the club alongside Sandovnikova. Despite the return of Lee and the two European imports the team still struggled for consistency, again finishing with a 7-11 record leaving them in 7th spot in the 10 team league.
Canberra started the 1995 season with a new coach, Michelle Wall. Unfortunately they lost the services of their two European imports Diana Sadovnikova and Joulia Goureeva who both departed to play for the Dandenong Rangers. The Capitals recruited forward/centre Latonya McGhee from the University of Florida
, who finished went on to average 17.2 ppg (4th in the league) and 10.4 rpg (2nd in the league) and guard Cherie Hogg who returned to Australia after a two year stint playing for the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Despite the good form of the new recruits the team still finished 6th in the league with a 8-10 win/loss record.
1996 saw more turnover of player personnel. The Capitals lost Hogg, who departed for her hometown team Adelaide Lightning and also McGhee, who returned to the U.S. To add experience to a young team the Capitals signed Opals forward Fiona Robinson
from Perth. Robinson went on to average 17.8 ppg (equal 5th in the league) and 7.5 rpg (4th in the league) to be selected in the Opals squad and win a bronze medal for Australia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Joulia Goureeva also returned to the Capitals from Dandenong. The addition of Robinson and New Zealand guard Kim Wielens to play alongside Goureeva was not enough for the Capitals however as they finished 8th in the league with a 5-13 win/loss record.
The Capitals signed American import Tanya Haave for the 1997 season to take the scoring load off Fiona Robinson. The club also added small forward Eleanor Sharp and AIS graduate guard Kellie Abrams to the squad. However two losses to the AIS team saw them again miss out on a finals appearance. Haave proved to be a good recruit for the club and was named team MVP for the season scoring 20 ppg, but the team still finished equal 6th with Brisbane, just missing out on a top 5 finals spot with a 6-12 win/loss record (even though the 5th placed AIS team finished with a 5-11 record, having played 2 less games that season).
The Capitals lost their two leading scorers, Fiona Robinson and Tanya Haave for the 1998 season. Robinson quit the WNBL to represent Australia in European Handball prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, while Haave continued her career with Swedish team Sätila SK. As a result the team struggled to remain competitive, finishing second last in the competition with a 2-10 win/loss record, beating only the winless Brisbane. Thankfully the season was a shortened one, as the WNBL switched to a summer league later that year.
In 1998/99 the WNBL switched to a summer competition for the first time. The season signalled the beginning of a turnaround for the Capitals program. The club secured Opals shooting guard Shelley Sandie who returned to the WNBL after the collapse of the US ABL league. Sandie combined with new centre/forward Karen Smith to make the Capitals a competitive team, however the club still finished last with a 4-17 record. Sandie was honoured with a WNBL life membership and was also named in the WNBL All Star Five at the end of the season, alongside Kristi Harrower
(Melbourne Tigers), Rachel Sporn (Adelaide Lightning), Lauren Jackson
(AIS) and Gina Stevens (Perth Breakers).
The Capitals managed to live up to pre-season expectations, finishing as minor premiers with a 16-5 win/loss record. In the Major Semi Final the Capitals played the 2nd placed Adelaide Lightning at the AIS Arena, going down in a hard fought match 84-91. The loss meant they needed to back up in the Preliminary Final against the 3rd placed Bulleen Boomers. This proved to be a much easier matchup, with the Capitals winning 80-66. Having now lost home court advantage for the Grand Final, Canberra made the trip to Adelaide to avenge their Semi Final loss. The Capitals triumphed 67-50, raising the banner for the first time in the club's history. Jackson finished the season as WNBL top scorer with 23.4 ppg, while Kristen Veal topped the league in assists with 4.9 apg. Jackson was also named league MVP for the season, appearing in the WNBL All Star Five alongside Trisha Fallon
(Sydney Flames), Kristi Harrower
(Melbourne Tigers), Kristin Folkl
(Melbourne Tigers) and Jo Hill (Adelaide Lightning).
The change in personnel did not appear to effect the Capitals however, as the team managed to improve on their minor premier performance from the previous season, coming first with a 17-4 win/loss record. Lauren Jackson recorded the 2nd highest ppg for the league with 21.6 (behind league MVP Penny Taylor's 25.5 ppg), while Shelley Sandie provided the one-two punch from outside, recording the league's 4th highest scoring average with 17.3 ppg. Jackson also led the league in rebounds with 14.2 rpg and blocked shots with 4.3 bpg.
In the Major Semi Final at the AIS arena, Canberra thrashed the 2nd placed Sydney Panthers 73-56 winning the right to host the WNBL Grand Final for the first time. The week off did them no favours however, as Sydney overcame a half time deficit to win the Grand Final 69-65 despite Jackson recording figures of 22 points, 20 rebounds and 8 blocked shots for the game.
This time the result would be different. The Capitals avenged the previous seasons loss, beating Sydney in the 2001/02 decider 75-69 for their second WNBL crown and their first title won in front of the home fans. Jackson again dominated the game with 29 points and 21 rebounds. The Grand Final win allowed Shelley Sandie to retire from the WNBL on a winning note having played in 321 WNBL games throughout her career, ranking her 6th on the competition's all-time player list. The win also gave coach Carrie Graf a fitting farewell as she left the Capitals to concentrate on establishing a WNBA coaching career.
. Despite this loss of depth and experience the Capitals core group of Lauren Jackson, Kristen Veal, Lucille Hamilton, Eleanor Sharp and Kellie Abrams went one step better than the 2001/02 team, finishing the competition as minor premiers with a 16-5 win/loss record.
This time the team faced second placed Townsville in the Major Semi Final, overcoming them in a thrilling one point victory 68-67 thanks to Lauren Jackson's domination with 38 points, 21 rebounds and 9 blocks. The win gave them the right to host the Grand Final at the AIS Arena for the third year running. In the following weekends Preliminary Final the 3rd placed Sydney also beat Townsville 83-78, setting up the third Grand Final between the two rivals.
The Capitals completed their first back-to-back premiership, beating Sydney 69-67 in a tense decider with Jackson replicating her Semi Final dominance, with 30 points and 23 rebounds. Jackson was named the WNBL MVP for the third time, dominating the league with an average of 27.2 points per game (almost 10 ppg more than the league's second highest scorer, Perth's Carly Wilson) and 11.6 rebounds per game.
The Capitals, including new recruits Jo Hill, Zoe Carr and Kate Cohen, finished equal 2nd in Group B and 5th overall with a 3-2 record, beating Mambas 102-45, São Paulo 88-66 and Woori Bank Hansae 74-63, while losing to USVA Valenciennes 89-68 and Volgaburmash 72-56.
in the WNBA. In her place returned Tom Maher, confirming his commitment in May 2004 to coach the Capitals for the second time in 3 seasons. However, Maher's desire to coach Lauren Jackson a second time around took a turn for the worse as Jackson was ruled out of the entire WNBL season after undergoing ankle surgery at the end of the 2004 WNBA competition. The Capitals had another blow with point guard Kristen Veal deciding to quit the WNBL before the season started, citing a loss of passion for the game.
Thankfully the Capitals had already coaxed veteran centre Jenny Whittle out of retirement and had also picked up 18 year old New Zealand point guard Angela Marino from the local Adelaide competition. Whittle last played in the WNBL for Bulleen in 1999/00 and had just hung up her boots after plaing professionally in Spain and France. When Veal confirmed that she was no longer playing in the WNBL, the Capitals managed to snare point guard Tully Bevilaqua
from the Indiana Fever
in the WNBA. Veteran small forward Eleanor Sharp was named captain for the season, replacing Jackson in that role. Seven games into the season, the Capitals were struck another blow with defensive specialist Kellie Abrams announcing she was quitting the club in what appeared to be a personality clash with coach Maher. Replacing Abrams in the Capitals squad was New Zealand international forward Donna Loffhagen, signed by the club to bolster their rebounding presence in the absence of the injured Jackson.
Loffhagen finished the season with the highest average rebounding record in the WNBL with 10.0 rpg, while Marino ended up as the 5th highest scorer with 17.5 ppg. Bevilaqua finished with the highest 3pt percentage in the competition, hitting a remarkable 45% of her outside shots (36/80). Despite the good form of the new recruits, the Capitals finished 5th in the 8 team comp with a 9-12 win/loss record, missing the finals for the first time in 5 years.
In order of votes, the players named were:
for 8 games. Beard averaged 26.9 points and 3 steals a game, also setting the third highest individual scoring game ever for the Capitals, with 41 points on 11 November 2005. In the 8 games she played in the WNBL, Beard proved to be one of the best imports to have played in the league. The Capitals also welcomed back guard Kellie Abrams.
Although Beard departed after the return of Lauren Jackson, the rest of the WNBL teams could not contend with the triple towers of Beatty, Whittle and Jackson. The Capitals met the Adelaide Lightning in the Semi-Final, overcoming them in a thrilling 83-81 overtime victory. They went on to win the WNBL Grand Final, defeating the minor premiers Dandenong Rangers 68-55. Lauren Jackson was named the Grand Final MVP, scoring a game high 24 points. Coach Carrie Graf and centre Jenny Whittle were also honoured with a WNBL lifetime memberships.
On the back of an all-round team performance during the season the Capitals finished second on the WNBL ladder with a 15-6 win/loss record. Livewire guard Jess Bibby top scored for the Caps with 15.5 ppg, while centre Tracey Beatty filled the gap left by Jackson and Whittle finishing in the WNBL top 10 categories for Blocked Shots (2.8 bpg, first in the league), Total Rebounds (7.4 rpg) and Field Goal Percentage (49.7%). The Caps faced first placed Sydney in the major Semi-Final, losing 74-65 and setting up a repeat of the previous year's Preliminary Final against Adelaide. Once again the Capitals triumphed over the Lightning, winning their way through to another Grand Final, 82-74.
The Capitals won their 5th WNBL title, avenging their Semi-Final loss to the Sydney Uni Flames
with a 73-59 victory at the ACUVUE Sports Hall. Centre Tracey Beatty was named the Grand Final MVP courtesy of her 12 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocked shots.
The team was knocked out in the minor Semi-Final by Dandenong 60-54, ending their quest for a championship three-peat.
On the back of a WNBL All-Star 5 season from Abby Bishop, who topped the WNBL in rebounding with 10.7 rpg on top of 17.3 points per game the Capitals finished the regular season as minor premiers with a 19-3 record. The Capitals faced 2nd place Bulleen in the Major Semi Final at the AIS Arena, beating them 60-52 to win their way into their 7th Grand Final.
The Capitals won their 6th Grand Final in 10 years on 13 March 2009, defeating the Bulleen Boomers 61-58 at the AIS Arena. Point Guard Natalie Hurst was named Grand Final MVP after a 12 point, 6 rebound performance. She was assisted by Michelle Musselwhite who top scored for the Capitals with 13 points, forward Abby Bishop (six points, 14 rebounds) and centre Marianna Tolo who starred off the bench with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocked shots.
, signing a one year deal to play under Opals coach Carrie Graf in an attempt to improve her chances of representing Australia at the 2010 World Championships. Peta Sinclair retired from the WNBL to take up a scholarship coaching role with the AIS women's basketball team and guard Michaela Bennie left to focus on university studies. Replacing Sinclair and Bennie on the Capitals bench was 20 year old point guard Nicole Romeo, who signed with the Capitals after quitting the University of Washington Huskies after her freshman season, and 22 year old forward Katie Rose, who returned to the Capitals after last playing for them in the 2004-05 season.
On November 25 the Canberra Capitals made the international women's basketball signing coup of the year by enticing Lauren Jackson back to the WNBL with a $220,000 contract to play out the remainder of the season. Jackson received a clearance from her Russian club WBC Spartak Moscow
following the assassination of team owner Shabtai von Kalmanovich on November 2. Jackson was recovering from stress fractures in her back at the AIS when an approach was made to her with funding acquired from a consortium of the ACT government, Canberra businesses and local football clubs, the Canberra Raiders
and the ACT Brumbies. Jackson played her first game back in the WNBL on December 12 vs the Perth Lynx, scoring 18 points and taking 7 rebounds. The return of Bishop and Jackson to the Capitals lineup saw the release of Jess McCormack who struggled to make an impact in her time on court.
The Capitals finished the WNBL season 3rd on the table with a 16-6 win/loss record, behind the Bulleen Boomers and Sydney Uni Flames. The team faced the 4th placed Townsville Fire in the second semi-final at the AIS Arena, after the Fire beat Bendigo 84-73 only 4 days earlier in an elimination final. The Capitals dominated a fatigued Townsville, winning 70-39 and in so doing set a WNBL record in limiting Townsville to the lowest score in a finals matchup. The win meant Canberra faced their arch rival Sydney at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in the Preliminary Final. The Capitals triumphed 61-56 in a physical encounter, winning their way to an 8th Grand Final in a replay of last season's decider against minor premiers Bulleen.
On the 6th March 2010, Canberra raised their 8th WNBL banner with a hard fought 75-70 win over Bulleen at the sold-out State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne. After 23 lead changes during the game, the Capitals finished off the match with a 13-2 run in the last four and a half minutes to clinch the decider. Lauren Jackson was named the Grand Final MVP with 18 points and 13 rebounds but she was well supported by Natalie Hurst who top scored for the Caps with 21 and Marianna Tolo who pulled down 8 rebounds and made 6 blocks through the game. Bulleen swingman Jenna O'Hea top scored for the match with 26 points to go with her 7 rebounds.
The club was however able to soften the blow of losing Jackson, Beatty and Bishop from the front court by enticing Sydney Flames and Opals powerhouse centre Suzy Batkovic to Canberra on a one year deal. The club also secured Canberra born point guard Alison Lacey and Dandenong backup point guard Nicole Hunt on a one year deals to replace Hurst. Lacey returning home in the WNBA off-season after being recruited by the Seattle Storm as the 10th pick in the 2010 WNBA draft. Returning for the Capitals were centre Marianna Tolo and guard Carly Wilson who both signed on for one more season.
The Capitals opened the 2010/11 season with a grand final replay against the Bulleen Boomers at the Veneto Club in Bulleen, winning 79-71. Unfortunately Suzy Batkovic injured her knee in the victory, sitting her out for the following 4 weeks. To cover for the injured centre the Capitals were able to entice Tracey Beatty out of retirement on a short term contract, which eventuated in her remaining on board for the entire season. The Caps went on to finish second on the WNBL table with a 18-4 record, Bulleen finishing first with a 19-3 record. The scene was set for another grand final showdown between the two powerhouse clubs with Bulleen centre and league MVP Liz Cambage joining swingman Jenna O'Hea in the WNBL All Star 5 (for the second year running) up against Capitals All Star 5 forward Tolo and last year's All Star 5 centre Batkovic, alongside Opal swingman Wilson and the emerging point guard Hunt.
The Capitals lost their first round Semi Final against Bulleen 71-67, after leading 25-12 at quarter time. This result gave Bulleen their second consecutive home Grand Final. Captain Jess Bibby top scored for the Caps with 22 points, while bench forward Hannah Bowley grabbed the most boards with 8. Canberra then took care of Bendigo in the Preliminary Final, winning 83-78, with Wilson top scoring with 21 points and Tolo grabbing 9 boards to go with her 20 points. The win set up another Grand Final showdown with Bulleen, however this time the result was vastly different to 2009/10, with Bulleen coming off a week's break to beat the Capitals 103-78 in the decider, setting a new WNBL record for the highest Grand Final score recorded. Bulleen Point Guard Sharin Milner finished her WNBL career as Grand Final MVP by top scoring for the Boomers with 27 points at a remarkable 82% success rate. Canberra Centre Suzie Batkivic top scored for the game with 28 points with Michelle Cosier chipping in 19, however the Boomers were far too good on the day with five players scoring in double figures, securing the club's first WNBL grand final win in emphatic style.
and Lauren Angel from University of Portland
, guard Mikaela Dombkins who sat out the 2010/11 WNBL season due to injuries, as well as two Canberra locals, forward Alice Coddington returning from Utah State University
and swingman Abbie Davis. During the preseason the Capitals also lost their key starting off-guard Michelle Cosier for at least the first half of the season, to osteitis pubis.
The Capitals season began with a difficult road trip to play the defending champions Bulleen at the Veneto Club and Dandenong at the Dandenong Basketball stadium. The Capitals struggled for offensive cohesion in both games, losing the first 68-88 and the second 63-66. As a result the club enticed veteran post player Natalie Porter out of retirement to assist centre Marianna Tolo under the basket.
had signed a $1 million deal to re-join the team for 3 of the next 4 seasons starting in 2012/2013.
(Win/Loss statistics as at the end of the 2010/11 WNBL Season)
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
League (WNBL) team based in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. TransACT
TransACT
TransACT Capital Communications is an Australian telecommunications company based in Canberra which provides broadband internet access, fixed telephony, cable television services, and mobile phone services in Canberra and a subset of these services in Queanbeyan, throughout South-east New South...
Communications is the current naming rights sponsor for the Canberra Capitals. The Capitals are currently owned and managed by Basketball ACT.
History
Founded in 1984, the Capitals first competed in the WNBL in the 1986 season after winning the Australian Women’s Basketball Conference in 1985. After struggling to make an impact on the competition for more than a decade, the club has since become one of the dominant teams in the Australian WNBL competition, due in part to the ascension of one of the greatest female players in the world Lauren JacksonLauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
and coach Carrie Graf. They have won the WNBL Grand Final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 and were runners up in 2001 and 2011.
After 13 seasons of struggle at the bottom end of the WNBL table, the Capitals qualified for the WNBL Grand Final for the first time in the 1999/00 season, defeating the Adelaide Lightning in South Australia. Since that time the Capitals have remained a perennial force in the WNBL despite the significant turnover in playing personnel over the past 10 seasons.
Former Players of Note
| No. | Player | Position | Seasons Played | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jenny Cheeseman | Guard | 1986–1989, 1991 | Captained Australia at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games Olympic Games The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate... . Inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004. Named in the WNBL 25th Anniversary team in 2005. Number retired by the Capitals. |
|
| Sue Geh | Centre | 1986–1987 | Played for Australia at the 1984 Olympic Games. Has a street named after her in the Canberra suburb of Nicholls. | |
| 5 | Kristen Veal | Point Guard | 1999/00-2003/04 | Drafted by WNBA team Phoenix Mercury Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... in 2001/02 becoming the youngest player to play in the WNBA. |
| 10 | Jenny Whittle | Centre | 2004/05-2005/06 | Played for Australia at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. |
| 11 | Shelley Gorman (Sandie) | Guard | 1988/89-2001/02 | Played for Australia at the 1988, 1996 and 2000 Olympics. Named in the WNBL 25th Anniversary team in 2005. |
| 15 | Fiona Robinson Fiona Robinson Fiona Mary Robinson-Hannan is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Perth Breakers.... |
Forward | 1996–1997 | Represented Australia in Basketball at the 1996 Olympic Games and European Handball at the 2000 Olympic Games. |
| 15 | Lauren Jackson Lauren Jackson Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian... |
Forward/Centre | 1999/00-2003/04, 2005/06, 2009/10 | Represented Australia at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. WNBL MVP with the Capitals in 1999/00, 2002/03 and 2003/04. Multiple WNBA All Star appearances. Named in the WNBL 25th Anniversary team in 2005. |
| 35 | Alana Beard Alana Beard -External links:****... |
Guard | 2005/06 | WNBA All Star Guard from the Washington Mystics Washington Mystics The Washington Mystics is a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1998 season. The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , who also owns the Mystics'... . |
| 44 | Tully Bevilaqua Tully Bevilaqua Tully Louise Bevilaqua is an Australian professional women's basketball player. She currently plays for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the WNBA and the West Coast Waves in Australia's WNBL.... |
Point Guard | 2004/05-2007/08 | Represented Australia at the 2008 Olympics. Played in the WNBA with Cleveland, Portland, Seattle and Indiana. Had her number retired by the Canberra Capitals in 2008. |
WNBL Grand Final Appearances
The Capitals have competed in 9 Grand Finals, winning 7 (both WNBL records):| Season | Opponent | Result | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999/00 | Adelaide Lightning | Won | 67-50 | Clipsal Powerhouse, Adelaide |
| 2000/01 | Sydney Panthers | Lost | 65-69 | AIS Arena AIS Arena AIS Arena is a multi-purpose arena located in Canberra, Australia. The capacity is 5,200 and was built in 1980. The arena was opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser, on 26 January 1981 and was originally named the National Indoor Sports Centre and was the inaugural home of the... , Canberra |
| 2001/02 | Sydney Panthers | Won | 75-69 | AIS Arena, Canberra |
| 2002/03 | Sydney Flames | Won | 69-67 | AIS Arena, Canberra |
| 2005/06 | Dandenong Rangers Dandenong Rangers The Dandenong Jayco Rangers are an Australian Women's Basketball League team based in Melbourne, Australia. Historically, they have been one of the more successful franchises in league history, but over recent years have struggled to make the playoffs, generally finishing 5th or below... |
Won | 68-55 | Dandenong Basketball Stadium, Dandenong Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of... |
| 2006/07 | Sydney Uni Flames | Won | 73-59 | ACUVUE Sports Hall, Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... |
| 2008/09 | Bulleen Boomers Bulleen Boomers -History:The Bulleen Templestowe Basketball Club was established in 1969 and after missing out in 1983 was accepted into the Women's National Basketball League, WNBL, in 1984. Applications were prepared and presented by Jan Collinson, who remained the club’s delegate to the League for many years... |
Won | 61-58 | AIS Arena, Canberra |
| 2009/10 | Bulleen Boomers | Won | 75-70 | State Netball and Hockey Centre State Netball and Hockey Centre State Netball Hockey Centre is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home arena of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in the ANZ Championship, and the Melbourne Tigers National Basketball League team. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to... , Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
| 2010/11 | Bulleen Boomers | Lost | 78-103 | State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne |
1990 to 1998/99
In 1992 the Canberra City Group Capitals made the WNBL finals for the first time since their inception in 1984. The team finished 4th in the 11 team competition under coach Jerry Lee, with a 11-9 win/loss record. Jodie Murphy was named the top shooter in the WNBL for the season with 17.9 ppg and also made the WNBL All Star Five alongside Michelle Timms (Perth Breakers), Allison Cook (Melbourne Tigers), Michelle Brogan (Adelaide City) and Rachael Sporn (Adelaide City). Shooting guard Narelle Fletcher also ranked 3rd in the league in 3 point percentage, shooting 37% for the season (27/73). The team was knocked out in the Preliminary Final by the 3rd placed Dandenong Rangers 75-65 (J. Murphy 23 pts, K. Tominac 13).After some success in 1992, hopes were high in 1993 for the Capitals to become a premiership contender under new coach Tad Duffelmeir. These hopes increased with the recruitment of 196 cm Ukrainian centre Diana Sadovnikova in round 6 of the competition. Unfortunately the Capitals were unable to find stability with the rest of the team and were unable to replicate their form from the previous season. The Capitals finished 7th in the 10 team league with a 7-11 win/loss record.
The Capitals once again hired Jerry Lee as their head coach for the 1994 season, hoping to replicate their finals experience two years earlier. They signed another European import, Joulia Goureeva to bolster the club alongside Sandovnikova. Despite the return of Lee and the two European imports the team still struggled for consistency, again finishing with a 7-11 record leaving them in 7th spot in the 10 team league.
Canberra started the 1995 season with a new coach, Michelle Wall. Unfortunately they lost the services of their two European imports Diana Sadovnikova and Joulia Goureeva who both departed to play for the Dandenong Rangers. The Capitals recruited forward/centre Latonya McGhee from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, who finished went on to average 17.2 ppg (4th in the league) and 10.4 rpg (2nd in the league) and guard Cherie Hogg who returned to Australia after a two year stint playing for the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Despite the good form of the new recruits the team still finished 6th in the league with a 8-10 win/loss record.
1996 saw more turnover of player personnel. The Capitals lost Hogg, who departed for her hometown team Adelaide Lightning and also McGhee, who returned to the U.S. To add experience to a young team the Capitals signed Opals forward Fiona Robinson
Fiona Robinson
Fiona Mary Robinson-Hannan is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Perth Breakers....
from Perth. Robinson went on to average 17.8 ppg (equal 5th in the league) and 7.5 rpg (4th in the league) to be selected in the Opals squad and win a bronze medal for Australia at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Joulia Goureeva also returned to the Capitals from Dandenong. The addition of Robinson and New Zealand guard Kim Wielens to play alongside Goureeva was not enough for the Capitals however as they finished 8th in the league with a 5-13 win/loss record.
The Capitals signed American import Tanya Haave for the 1997 season to take the scoring load off Fiona Robinson. The club also added small forward Eleanor Sharp and AIS graduate guard Kellie Abrams to the squad. However two losses to the AIS team saw them again miss out on a finals appearance. Haave proved to be a good recruit for the club and was named team MVP for the season scoring 20 ppg, but the team still finished equal 6th with Brisbane, just missing out on a top 5 finals spot with a 6-12 win/loss record (even though the 5th placed AIS team finished with a 5-11 record, having played 2 less games that season).
The Capitals lost their two leading scorers, Fiona Robinson and Tanya Haave for the 1998 season. Robinson quit the WNBL to represent Australia in European Handball prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, while Haave continued her career with Swedish team Sätila SK. As a result the team struggled to remain competitive, finishing second last in the competition with a 2-10 win/loss record, beating only the winless Brisbane. Thankfully the season was a shortened one, as the WNBL switched to a summer league later that year.
In 1998/99 the WNBL switched to a summer competition for the first time. The season signalled the beginning of a turnaround for the Capitals program. The club secured Opals shooting guard Shelley Sandie who returned to the WNBL after the collapse of the US ABL league. Sandie combined with new centre/forward Karen Smith to make the Capitals a competitive team, however the club still finished last with a 4-17 record. Sandie was honoured with a WNBL life membership and was also named in the WNBL All Star Five at the end of the season, alongside Kristi Harrower
Kristi Harrower
Kristi Harrower is an Australian professional basketball player, who three times won the silver medal with the Australian Women's Team at the Summer Olympics. She played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1998 - 2005 for the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx...
(Melbourne Tigers), Rachel Sporn (Adelaide Lightning), Lauren Jackson
Lauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
(AIS) and Gina Stevens (Perth Breakers).
1999/00 Season
The 1999/00 season provided the Capitals with their biggest turnaround in franchise history. On the back of signing premiership winning coach Carrie Graf from Sydney, the Capitals managed to secure the nucleus of their WNBL dynasty by recruiting a number of graduates from the 1998/99 championship winning AIS team. The Capitals signed 1998/99 league MVP Lauren Jackson in a recruitment coup that also netted the club point guard Kristen Veal and swingman Deanna Smith. When these three pieces of the puzzle were combined with veterans Shelley Sandie and Karen Smith along with forward Eleanor Sharp the Capitals finally had a team capable of contending for the WNBL title.The Capitals managed to live up to pre-season expectations, finishing as minor premiers with a 16-5 win/loss record. In the Major Semi Final the Capitals played the 2nd placed Adelaide Lightning at the AIS Arena, going down in a hard fought match 84-91. The loss meant they needed to back up in the Preliminary Final against the 3rd placed Bulleen Boomers. This proved to be a much easier matchup, with the Capitals winning 80-66. Having now lost home court advantage for the Grand Final, Canberra made the trip to Adelaide to avenge their Semi Final loss. The Capitals triumphed 67-50, raising the banner for the first time in the club's history. Jackson finished the season as WNBL top scorer with 23.4 ppg, while Kristen Veal topped the league in assists with 4.9 apg. Jackson was also named league MVP for the season, appearing in the WNBL All Star Five alongside Trisha Fallon
Trisha Fallon
Trisha Nicole Dykstra née Fallon is an Australian basketball player in the Australian Women's National Basketball League and the Women's National Basketball Association in the United States...
(Sydney Flames), Kristi Harrower
Kristi Harrower
Kristi Harrower is an Australian professional basketball player, who three times won the silver medal with the Australian Women's Team at the Summer Olympics. She played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1998 - 2005 for the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx...
(Melbourne Tigers), Kristin Folkl
Kristin Folkl
Kristin Just Folkl is a former collegiate and professional women's basketball player. She now goes by her married name of Kristin Folkl-Kaburakis.-Early years and Stanford University:...
(Melbourne Tigers) and Jo Hill (Adelaide Lightning).
2000/01 Season
After 2 seasons with the Capitals, centre Karen Smith dropped a bombshell prior to the opening of the 2000/01 season, deciding to quit the game for personal reasons. The Capitals replaced her with Lucille Hamilton, the 187 cm forward from Dandenong. Deanna Smith also left the club for Adelaide while guard Kim Wielens decided to take a break from the WNBL.The change in personnel did not appear to effect the Capitals however, as the team managed to improve on their minor premier performance from the previous season, coming first with a 17-4 win/loss record. Lauren Jackson recorded the 2nd highest ppg for the league with 21.6 (behind league MVP Penny Taylor's 25.5 ppg), while Shelley Sandie provided the one-two punch from outside, recording the league's 4th highest scoring average with 17.3 ppg. Jackson also led the league in rebounds with 14.2 rpg and blocked shots with 4.3 bpg.
In the Major Semi Final at the AIS arena, Canberra thrashed the 2nd placed Sydney Panthers 73-56 winning the right to host the WNBL Grand Final for the first time. The week off did them no favours however, as Sydney overcame a half time deficit to win the Grand Final 69-65 despite Jackson recording figures of 22 points, 20 rebounds and 8 blocked shots for the game.
2001/02 Season
Canberra finished the regular season 2nd on the ladder with a 15-6 win/loss record. They faced minor premiers Adelaide in the Major Semi Final in Adelaide, winning a hard fought game 66-62 thanks to 30 points from Lauren Jackson. The win gave them the right to host the Grand Final at the AIS Arena for the second year running. In the following weekends Preliminary Final the 4th placed Sydney also beat Adelaide in a close game, 66-64, setting up a repeat of the previous season's Grand Final.This time the result would be different. The Capitals avenged the previous seasons loss, beating Sydney in the 2001/02 decider 75-69 for their second WNBL crown and their first title won in front of the home fans. Jackson again dominated the game with 29 points and 21 rebounds. The Grand Final win allowed Shelley Sandie to retire from the WNBL on a winning note having played in 321 WNBL games throughout her career, ranking her 6th on the competition's all-time player list. The win also gave coach Carrie Graf a fitting farewell as she left the Capitals to concentrate on establishing a WNBA coaching career.
2002/03 Season
Canberra entered the 2003/03 season with a new head coach, WNBL legend Tom Maher. The team also suited up without the retired Shelley Sandie, guard Kim Wielens and up and coming forward Jacinta Hamilton, who left to play for the Dandenong RangersDandenong Rangers
The Dandenong Jayco Rangers are an Australian Women's Basketball League team based in Melbourne, Australia. Historically, they have been one of the more successful franchises in league history, but over recent years have struggled to make the playoffs, generally finishing 5th or below...
. Despite this loss of depth and experience the Capitals core group of Lauren Jackson, Kristen Veal, Lucille Hamilton, Eleanor Sharp and Kellie Abrams went one step better than the 2001/02 team, finishing the competition as minor premiers with a 16-5 win/loss record.
This time the team faced second placed Townsville in the Major Semi Final, overcoming them in a thrilling one point victory 68-67 thanks to Lauren Jackson's domination with 38 points, 21 rebounds and 9 blocks. The win gave them the right to host the Grand Final at the AIS Arena for the third year running. In the following weekends Preliminary Final the 3rd placed Sydney also beat Townsville 83-78, setting up the third Grand Final between the two rivals.
The Capitals completed their first back-to-back premiership, beating Sydney 69-67 in a tense decider with Jackson replicating her Semi Final dominance, with 30 points and 23 rebounds. Jackson was named the WNBL MVP for the third time, dominating the league with an average of 27.2 points per game (almost 10 ppg more than the league's second highest scorer, Perth's Carly Wilson) and 11.6 rebounds per game.
2003 FIBA Women's World Cup Championship
As the defending WNBL Champions, the Capitals represented Australia at the inaugural FIBA Women's World Cup held in Russia on 14–19 October 2003. The Capitals were included in Group B of the competition, alongside Euroleague runners-up US Valenciennes (France), ANSO Volgaburmash Samara (Russia) and Mambas de Mozambique (Mozambique). Group A included the current Euroleague champions UMMC Ekaterinbourg (Russia), Woori Bank Hansae (South Korea), São Paulo Futebal Clube (Brazil) and a WNBA Select Team (USA).The Capitals, including new recruits Jo Hill, Zoe Carr and Kate Cohen, finished equal 2nd in Group B and 5th overall with a 3-2 record, beating Mambas 102-45, São Paulo 88-66 and Woori Bank Hansae 74-63, while losing to USVA Valenciennes 89-68 and Volgaburmash 72-56.
2004/05 Season
The 2004/05 season saw the WNBL celebrate its 25th Anniversary and for the Canberra Capitals it became a year of rebuilding. The team which was knocked out in the Minor Semi Final against Adelaide the season before had lost their coach Carrie Graf to the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in the WNBA. In her place returned Tom Maher, confirming his commitment in May 2004 to coach the Capitals for the second time in 3 seasons. However, Maher's desire to coach Lauren Jackson a second time around took a turn for the worse as Jackson was ruled out of the entire WNBL season after undergoing ankle surgery at the end of the 2004 WNBA competition. The Capitals had another blow with point guard Kristen Veal deciding to quit the WNBL before the season started, citing a loss of passion for the game.
Thankfully the Capitals had already coaxed veteran centre Jenny Whittle out of retirement and had also picked up 18 year old New Zealand point guard Angela Marino from the local Adelaide competition. Whittle last played in the WNBL for Bulleen in 1999/00 and had just hung up her boots after plaing professionally in Spain and France. When Veal confirmed that she was no longer playing in the WNBL, the Capitals managed to snare point guard Tully Bevilaqua
Tully Bevilaqua
Tully Louise Bevilaqua is an Australian professional women's basketball player. She currently plays for the San Antonio Silver Stars in the WNBA and the West Coast Waves in Australia's WNBL....
from the Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in the WNBA. Veteran small forward Eleanor Sharp was named captain for the season, replacing Jackson in that role. Seven games into the season, the Capitals were struck another blow with defensive specialist Kellie Abrams announcing she was quitting the club in what appeared to be a personality clash with coach Maher. Replacing Abrams in the Capitals squad was New Zealand international forward Donna Loffhagen, signed by the club to bolster their rebounding presence in the absence of the injured Jackson.
Loffhagen finished the season with the highest average rebounding record in the WNBL with 10.0 rpg, while Marino ended up as the 5th highest scorer with 17.5 ppg. Bevilaqua finished with the highest 3pt percentage in the competition, hitting a remarkable 45% of her outside shots (36/80). Despite the good form of the new recruits, the Capitals finished 5th in the 8 team comp with a 9-12 win/loss record, missing the finals for the first time in 5 years.
WNBL 25th Anniversary Team
To celebrate the WNBL's milestone of 25 seasons, the league announced an anniversity team of 10 players and head coach. Three Capitals players made it into the honourary team: Lauren Jackson; Shellie Sandie; Jenny Cheesman as well as coach Tom Maher.In order of votes, the players named were:
| Rank | Name | Team(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lauren Jackson Lauren Jackson Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian... |
AIS, Canberra |
| 2 | Robyn Maher Robyn Maher Robyn Maher is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Sydney Uni Flames. A three-time Olympian she was a member of the national women's team that won the bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.-Personal life:Maher is married to former Opals... |
Melbourne, Melbourne East, Tasmania, Perth, Sydney |
| 3 | Michele Timms Michele Timms Michele Margaret Timms is a retired Australian professional basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women's National Basketball Association... |
Bulleen, Melbourne East, Perth, Sydney |
| 4 | Rachael Sporn Rachael Sporn Rachael Pamela Sporn is a former Australian basketball player. She played for Adelaide Lightning in Australia's Women's National Basketball League where she was twice league MVP and seven times selected in the WNBL All-Star Five. She heads the all-time points scoring and rebound list for the WNBL... |
West Adelaide, North Adelaide, Adelaide |
| 5 | Shelley Sandie Shelley Sandie Shelley Ann Gorman-Sandie is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Canberra Capitals. A three-time Olympian she was a member of the national women's team that claimed the bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.-References:*... |
Melbourne East, AIS, Dandenong, Sydney, Canberra |
| 6 | Penny Taylor | AIS, Dandenong |
| 7 | Julie Nykiel | Noarlunga |
| 8 | Jenny Cheesman | Noarlunga, AIS, Canberra |
| 9 | Karin Maar | CYMS, Coburg, Bulleen |
| 10 | Trish Fallon | AIS, Melbourne, Sydney |
| Coach | Tom Maher Tom Maher Tom Maher is a basketball coach from Australia, who is the most successful coach in the WNBL history, having won seven WNBL titles... |
Melbourne, Nunawading, Tasmania, Perth, Sydney, Canberra |
2005/06 Season
The 2005/06 season saw the return of coach Carrie Graf who was cut as head coach of the WNBA club Phoenix Mercury after achieving a 33-35 win/loss record over the 2004 and 2005 seasons. On her return, coach Graf signed Adelaide's 1998 premiership winning centre Tracey Beatty to bolster the team's front court. The twin towers of Beatty (203 cm) and Whittle (197 cm) had the job of replacing Lauren Jackson who was ruled out of the early rounds of the competition due to injury. To compensate for the loss of scoring power provided by Jackson, Graf used her U.S. connections to engineer a WNBL coup by signing WNBA All Star guard/forward Alana BeardAlana Beard
-External links:****...
for 8 games. Beard averaged 26.9 points and 3 steals a game, also setting the third highest individual scoring game ever for the Capitals, with 41 points on 11 November 2005. In the 8 games she played in the WNBL, Beard proved to be one of the best imports to have played in the league. The Capitals also welcomed back guard Kellie Abrams.
Although Beard departed after the return of Lauren Jackson, the rest of the WNBL teams could not contend with the triple towers of Beatty, Whittle and Jackson. The Capitals met the Adelaide Lightning in the Semi-Final, overcoming them in a thrilling 83-81 overtime victory. They went on to win the WNBL Grand Final, defeating the minor premiers Dandenong Rangers 68-55. Lauren Jackson was named the Grand Final MVP, scoring a game high 24 points. Coach Carrie Graf and centre Jenny Whittle were also honoured with a WNBL lifetime memberships.
2006/07 Season
The 2006/07 season heralded a new beginning for the Capitals. Superstar forward Lauren Jackson left the club to pursue her career in Europe, while Jenny Whittle again hung up her WNBL boots. To replace Jackson and Whittle in the front court the Capitials tried to recruit AIS centre Hollie Grima, however they missed out on signing Grima who instead went on to become the league's MVP with the Bulleen Boomers. The Capitals did however sign guard Jess Bibby from Dandenong and forward Abby Bishop from the AIS to complement the core group of Beatty, Abrams, Sharp and Bevilaqua.On the back of an all-round team performance during the season the Capitals finished second on the WNBL ladder with a 15-6 win/loss record. Livewire guard Jess Bibby top scored for the Caps with 15.5 ppg, while centre Tracey Beatty filled the gap left by Jackson and Whittle finishing in the WNBL top 10 categories for Blocked Shots (2.8 bpg, first in the league), Total Rebounds (7.4 rpg) and Field Goal Percentage (49.7%). The Caps faced first placed Sydney in the major Semi-Final, losing 74-65 and setting up a repeat of the previous year's Preliminary Final against Adelaide. Once again the Capitals triumphed over the Lightning, winning their way through to another Grand Final, 82-74.
The Capitals won their 5th WNBL title, avenging their Semi-Final loss to the Sydney Uni Flames
Sydney Uni Flames
The Sydney Uni Flames are a Women's National Basketball League team aligned with the University of Sydney.-External links:*...
with a 73-59 victory at the ACUVUE Sports Hall. Centre Tracey Beatty was named the Grand Final MVP courtesy of her 12 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocked shots.
2007/08 Season
The Capitals finished the 2007/08 season third on the WNBL ladder with a 17-7 win/loss record. Jess Bibby again top scored for the team with 16.1 ppg while Tracey Beatty topped the league in Field Goal Percentage (58.2%) and ranked second in Blocked Shots with 2.3 bpg.The team was knocked out in the minor Semi-Final by Dandenong 60-54, ending their quest for a championship three-peat.
2008/09 Season
The Capitals had a further boost in April 2009 with coach Carrie Graf extending her contract for a further 4 seasons after being appointed as the Australian Opals head coach.On the back of a WNBL All-Star 5 season from Abby Bishop, who topped the WNBL in rebounding with 10.7 rpg on top of 17.3 points per game the Capitals finished the regular season as minor premiers with a 19-3 record. The Capitals faced 2nd place Bulleen in the Major Semi Final at the AIS Arena, beating them 60-52 to win their way into their 7th Grand Final.
The Capitals won their 6th Grand Final in 10 years on 13 March 2009, defeating the Bulleen Boomers 61-58 at the AIS Arena. Point Guard Natalie Hurst was named Grand Final MVP after a 12 point, 6 rebound performance. She was assisted by Michelle Musselwhite who top scored for the Capitals with 13 points, forward Abby Bishop (six points, 14 rebounds) and centre Marianna Tolo who starred off the bench with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocked shots.
2009/10 Season
The Capitals began the 2009/10 WNBL season with a number of changes to their roster. Opals forward and MVP from 2008–09, Abby Bishop, started the season rehabilitating from an injury to her shoulder suffered while playing with the Rockhampton Cyclones in the Queensland Basketball League during the WNBL off season. Bishop was replaced by 20 year old New Zealand international centre/forward Jess McCormack. The team also lost guard/forward Michelle Cosier (née Musselwhite) who fell pregnant during the offseason. Cosier was replaced by ex Opals guard Carly Wilson who left French team Challes-les-EauxChalles-les-Eaux
Challes-les-Eaux is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Chambéry Aerodrome is located in the commune.-External links:*...
, signing a one year deal to play under Opals coach Carrie Graf in an attempt to improve her chances of representing Australia at the 2010 World Championships. Peta Sinclair retired from the WNBL to take up a scholarship coaching role with the AIS women's basketball team and guard Michaela Bennie left to focus on university studies. Replacing Sinclair and Bennie on the Capitals bench was 20 year old point guard Nicole Romeo, who signed with the Capitals after quitting the University of Washington Huskies after her freshman season, and 22 year old forward Katie Rose, who returned to the Capitals after last playing for them in the 2004-05 season.
On November 25 the Canberra Capitals made the international women's basketball signing coup of the year by enticing Lauren Jackson back to the WNBL with a $220,000 contract to play out the remainder of the season. Jackson received a clearance from her Russian club WBC Spartak Moscow
WBC Spartak Moscow
Women’s Basketball Club Spartak Moscow Region is a women's basketball team based in Vidnoye, Russia that plays in FIBA’s EuroLeague Women. It is a highly successful team in recent years, winning the 2005-2006 EuroCup Women and the 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 EuroLeague Women...
following the assassination of team owner Shabtai von Kalmanovich on November 2. Jackson was recovering from stress fractures in her back at the AIS when an approach was made to her with funding acquired from a consortium of the ACT government, Canberra businesses and local football clubs, the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
and the ACT Brumbies. Jackson played her first game back in the WNBL on December 12 vs the Perth Lynx, scoring 18 points and taking 7 rebounds. The return of Bishop and Jackson to the Capitals lineup saw the release of Jess McCormack who struggled to make an impact in her time on court.
The Capitals finished the WNBL season 3rd on the table with a 16-6 win/loss record, behind the Bulleen Boomers and Sydney Uni Flames. The team faced the 4th placed Townsville Fire in the second semi-final at the AIS Arena, after the Fire beat Bendigo 84-73 only 4 days earlier in an elimination final. The Capitals dominated a fatigued Townsville, winning 70-39 and in so doing set a WNBL record in limiting Townsville to the lowest score in a finals matchup. The win meant Canberra faced their arch rival Sydney at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in the Preliminary Final. The Capitals triumphed 61-56 in a physical encounter, winning their way to an 8th Grand Final in a replay of last season's decider against minor premiers Bulleen.
On the 6th March 2010, Canberra raised their 8th WNBL banner with a hard fought 75-70 win over Bulleen at the sold-out State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne. After 23 lead changes during the game, the Capitals finished off the match with a 13-2 run in the last four and a half minutes to clinch the decider. Lauren Jackson was named the Grand Final MVP with 18 points and 13 rebounds but she was well supported by Natalie Hurst who top scored for the Caps with 21 and Marianna Tolo who pulled down 8 rebounds and made 6 blocks through the game. Bulleen swingman Jenna O'Hea top scored for the match with 26 points to go with her 7 rebounds.
2010/11 Season
After winning four championships over the past five seasons, the Capitals again entered a rebuilding phase after winning the 2009/10 title. Lauren Jackson departed the club for the third time to re-establish her career in Europe and the US, captain (and club game record holder) Kellie Abrams retired, while point guard and 206 WNBL game veteran, Natalie Hurst left to join the Aix en Provence club in France on a one year deal. The loss of Hurst signalled the end of an era for the club given she was the only Capitals player to have suited up for the team in all 7 of their championship wins. Forward Abby Bishop also left the Capitals to join the Dandenong Rangers on a one year deal after failing to secure a contract with a European club. Reserve guard Chantella Perera became the fourth player to depart, joining Bishop at Dandenong on a one season deal. Centre Tracey Beatty also decided to take the season off due to her ongoing ankle injuries. These departures left Carly Wilson as the only surviving member of the championship winning starting five from the previous season.The club was however able to soften the blow of losing Jackson, Beatty and Bishop from the front court by enticing Sydney Flames and Opals powerhouse centre Suzy Batkovic to Canberra on a one year deal. The club also secured Canberra born point guard Alison Lacey and Dandenong backup point guard Nicole Hunt on a one year deals to replace Hurst. Lacey returning home in the WNBA off-season after being recruited by the Seattle Storm as the 10th pick in the 2010 WNBA draft. Returning for the Capitals were centre Marianna Tolo and guard Carly Wilson who both signed on for one more season.
The Capitals opened the 2010/11 season with a grand final replay against the Bulleen Boomers at the Veneto Club in Bulleen, winning 79-71. Unfortunately Suzy Batkovic injured her knee in the victory, sitting her out for the following 4 weeks. To cover for the injured centre the Capitals were able to entice Tracey Beatty out of retirement on a short term contract, which eventuated in her remaining on board for the entire season. The Caps went on to finish second on the WNBL table with a 18-4 record, Bulleen finishing first with a 19-3 record. The scene was set for another grand final showdown between the two powerhouse clubs with Bulleen centre and league MVP Liz Cambage joining swingman Jenna O'Hea in the WNBL All Star 5 (for the second year running) up against Capitals All Star 5 forward Tolo and last year's All Star 5 centre Batkovic, alongside Opal swingman Wilson and the emerging point guard Hunt.
The Capitals lost their first round Semi Final against Bulleen 71-67, after leading 25-12 at quarter time. This result gave Bulleen their second consecutive home Grand Final. Captain Jess Bibby top scored for the Caps with 22 points, while bench forward Hannah Bowley grabbed the most boards with 8. Canberra then took care of Bendigo in the Preliminary Final, winning 83-78, with Wilson top scoring with 21 points and Tolo grabbing 9 boards to go with her 20 points. The win set up another Grand Final showdown with Bulleen, however this time the result was vastly different to 2009/10, with Bulleen coming off a week's break to beat the Capitals 103-78 in the decider, setting a new WNBL record for the highest Grand Final score recorded. Bulleen Point Guard Sharin Milner finished her WNBL career as Grand Final MVP by top scoring for the Boomers with 27 points at a remarkable 82% success rate. Canberra Centre Suzie Batkivic top scored for the game with 28 points with Michelle Cosier chipping in 19, however the Boomers were far too good on the day with five players scoring in double figures, securing the club's first WNBL grand final win in emphatic style.
2011/12 Season
The 2011/12 season saw significant turnover in the Capitals roster. During the offseason the team lost Opals centre Suzy Batkovic to the Adelaide Lightning, centre Tracey Beatty to retirement, point guard Nicole Romeo to the Townsville Fire as well as forwards Rebecca Haynes and Michaela Dalgleish and guard Alison Lacey. The Capitals recruited forwards Molly Lewis from Sydney, Brigitte Ardossi from the Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
and Lauren Angel from University of Portland
University of Portland
The University of Portland is a private Roman Catholic university located in Portland, Oregon. It is affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross and is the sister school of the University of Notre Dame. Founded in 1901, UP has a student body of about 3,600 students...
, guard Mikaela Dombkins who sat out the 2010/11 WNBL season due to injuries, as well as two Canberra locals, forward Alice Coddington returning from Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
and swingman Abbie Davis. During the preseason the Capitals also lost their key starting off-guard Michelle Cosier for at least the first half of the season, to osteitis pubis.
The Capitals season began with a difficult road trip to play the defending champions Bulleen at the Veneto Club and Dandenong at the Dandenong Basketball stadium. The Capitals struggled for offensive cohesion in both games, losing the first 68-88 and the second 63-66. As a result the club enticed veteran post player Natalie Porter out of retirement to assist centre Marianna Tolo under the basket.
2012/2013 Season
At the beginning of the 2011/2012 season, it was announced that Lauren JacksonLauren Jackson
Lauren Elizabeth Jackson is an Australian professional basketball player. Jackson began her professional career at the Australian Institute of Sport in the WNBL before moving on to the Canberra Capitals. She is currently a forward/centre with the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Australian...
had signed a $1 million deal to re-join the team for 3 of the next 4 seasons starting in 2012/2013.
Current Team Roster
Coaches
The Capitals have had 10 head coaches since their WNBL inception in 1986:| Coach | Season(s) | Regular Season W-L (win %) | Finals W-L (win %) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry Lee | 1986, 1991–1992, 1994 | 46-38 (55%) | 0-1 (0%) |
| Ken Simpson | 1987 | 7-13 (35%) | - |
| Dave Nelson Dave Nelson David Earl Nelson is a former Major League Baseball player and one of the current broadcasters for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team on Fox Sports Wisconsin... |
1988 | 13-9 (59%) | - |
| Guy Molloy | 1989 | 8-15 (35%) | - |
| Tony McGee Tony McGee Anthony Eugene McGee is a former professional American football player who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League. He played in two Super Bowls for the Washington Redskins... |
1990 | 5-19 (21%) | - |
| Tad Duffelmeir | 1993 | 7-11 (39%) | - |
| Michelle Wall | 1995–1996 | 13-23 (36%) | - |
| Mike McHugh Mike McHugh Michael McHugh is a former National Hockey League left wing. He was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars with the first pick in the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft.... |
1997-1998/99 | 12-39 (24%) | - |
| Carrie Graf | 1999/00-2001/02, 2003/04, 2005/06-2011/12 |
160-56 (74%) | 15-8 (65%) |
| Tom Maher Tom Maher Tom Maher is a basketball coach from Australia, who is the most successful coach in the WNBL history, having won seven WNBL titles... |
2002/03, 2004/05 | 25-17 (60%) | 2-0 (100%) |
| Totals | 296-240 (55%) | 17-9 (65%) |
(Win/Loss statistics as at the end of the 2010/11 WNBL Season)