Women's National Basketball League - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) is the pre-eminent women's professional basketball

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 in 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...

. It currently is composed of ten teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Basketball League

National Basketball League (Australasia)

The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....

(NBL). League play started in 1981; the regular season is currently played from October to March with the Grand Final in either late February or early March.

Some WNBL teams have NBL counterparts. The Adelaide Lightning, West Coast Waves

West Coast Waves

The West Coast Waves are an Australian women's professional basketball team in the Women's National Basketball League . Based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, the Waves are the only team representing WA and one of ten teams competing in the WNBL...

, and Sydney Flames are the only current teams to play sharing the market with an NBL team (although the Canberra Capitals

Canberra Capitals

The Canberra TransACT Capitals are an Australian Women's Basketball League team based in Canberra, Australia. TransACT Communications is the current naming rights sponsor for the Canberra Capitals...

and 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...

shared a market with the Canberra Cannons

Canberra Cannons

The Canberra Cannons were a basketball team competing in the Australian National Basketball League. They went into financial administration in 2003 and were relocated to Newcastle, where they became the Hunter Pirates...

and South Dragons

South Dragons

The South Dragons is a former team in the Australasian National Basketball League . They made their début in the 2006/07 season and played their final season in 2008/09...

, respectively, before the teams both became defunct).

History

On October 4, 1980, during the Australian Women’s Club Championship in 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...

, a meeting of delegates from six of the leading clubs in Australian women’s basketball was held. The clubs were North Adelaide, West Adelaide and Glenelg from SA and CYMS, Melbourne Telstars and St. Kilda from Victoria.

The meeting resolved to form a 2 round competition between these teams to be held in July and August in 1981. The basis for the idea was that many of the top sides in both States wanted a varied competition from their standard State League as well as a suitable preparation for the Australian Club Championship, which was held on an annual basis for the top 24 teams in the country. There was also much excitement with the formation of the men’s National League in 1979 and the women felt that one of best ways to develop the game was to provide more opportunities for the best players and clubs to play against each other more regularly.

A major consideration was finance and with this in mind the competition was formed with the six teams with a full home and away series between all teams with three games on one weekend to save costs. The NSW based clubs of Bankstown and Sutherland were not happy to be left out due to costs and offered to pay their own way to Melbourne and Adelaide where they would play each team once for double points.

In 1981 the Australian Institute of Sport

Australian Institute of Sport

The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...

was also opened and the men’s head coach Dr. Adrian Hurley (who was to lead the Australian Boomers in the 1988

1988 Summer Olympics

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...

and 1992

1992 Summer Olympics

The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...

Olympics) contacted the clubs and asked whether the AIS could also participate in the competition to commence later that year.

The competition commenced on June 19, 1981 with the first game to be played in Adelaide

Adelaide

Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...

between the AIS and West Adelaide.

The competition was called the Women’s Interstate Basketball Conference with each team paying the sum of $25 to be a part of the WIBC – giving a central fund of $200 to conduct the competition.

The inaugural winner was St. Kilda Saints defeating North Adelaide 77–58. St. Kilda also went on to the win the Victorian State Championship and the Australian Club Championship in Melbourne defeating Bankstown Bruins in the final. St. Kilda had three Australian representatives in Tracy Morris, Karen Ogden and Patricia Cockrem. Ogden became the national league’s first dual Most Valuable Player award winner when she took the coveted individual trophy in 1982 (the first season it was presented) and again in 1983.

In 1982 the competition expanded into another State with the entry of a combined Brisbane team. The new revised program saw Victorian teams traveling to NSW and AIS, and NSW teams traveling to South Australia and South Australian teams traveling to Victoria. It was not a full home and away competition but the beginnings of what was to come in the future.

The competition also changed its name to the more appropriate Women’s Basketball League.

St. Kilda repeated in 1982 with a grand final win over Bankstown. It is interested to note that St. Kilda also won the first two titles in the men’s NBL, which showed the strength of the St. Kilda at that time.

In 1983 Nunawading Spectres led by the brilliant Robyn Maher easily defeated St. Kilda and went on to win 9 WNBL titles during the next 12 years.

Amazingly during the 1983 Australian Club Championships a workshop was held to discuss women’s basketball and from this meeting came the decision to bring together a second tier of clubs to form the Women’s Conference. There were now 20 women’s teams playing in a home and away competition, which immediately improved the standard of women’s basketball in Australia.

It was also an important time for Australian Basketball with the 1984 Olympics to be held in Los Angeles and the only way that Australia could qualify was to compete in the Pre Olympic Tournament in Cuba in March 1984. Only six teams would qualify for the Olympics and the Aussies were buoyed with five consecutive victories including the prized scalps of big guns Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. But losses to South Korea, Canada and Cuba by two points relegated Australia to seventh place. Overall it had been a tremendous and memorable, if ultimately vain effort to win one of the six prized spots in Los Angeles. But when politics later played their inexorable part and the dust settled on a Soviet Union inspired Eastern Bloc boycott of the LA games, suddenly Australia – the next highest qualifier – was through.

Australia went on to compete in Los Angeles and whilst only winning one game (the final game against Yugoslavia) to finish in 5th position, the Aussies was just starting to make their mark on the international women’s basketball scene.

Back in Australia in 1985 the two competitions continued to work together to improve women’s basketball and recognised the need to promote the competition and the individual clubs and athletes. Hobart was winners of the second conference and was keen to enter the main competition however this was not to be until 1986.

With the NBL finally riding the crest of a sudden wave of popularity, media interest in the women’s league also was on the increase. Most clubs were recognising the need to promote themselves and the image of the league. Double header matches with the men’s NBL and with South East Basketball League games – a secondary men’s interstate competition – pushed the women’s game before a wider spectator audience unfamiliar with the qualify of women’s basketball.

When Perth admitted a team for the 1986 Women’s Basketball Conference, the two women’s leagues could rightfully boast that between them they had a truly national competition. The Australian Basketball Federation approved the WBL’s application to be renamed the National Women’s Basketball League and a new era was underway.

1986 was also the first year that the WNBL played its first full home and away competition and next year Perth sought a position in the number league. Perth’s inclusion was on the basis that they paid their own airfares in the first two years and earnt their position. The WNBL as part of their early strategy introduced full equalisation, which was, and still is the reason that the league has survived given Australian is such a large country.

On the International front the Australians again had to qualify for the 1988 Seoul Olympics and with the improvement in local competition, Basketball Australia sent a strong and exciting team to Malaysia for the Pre Olympic Tournament. Eight teams were to qualify (12 for the men) for Seoul with the Aussies gaining one of the valuable 8 positions.

In Seoul the Australians inflicted the first ever defeat of the USSR (Soviet Union) with a 60-48 victory to qualify for the semi finals against Yugoslavia. Remember the Australians had beaten the Yugoslavs in LA in the final game and despite a heart wrenching game, were defeated in the final four seconds of the game by 1 point. The Soviets went on to defeat the Australians in the bronze medal game. The Australians who were named the Opals had to wait until 1996 in Atlanta before they were able to capture that elusive Olympic medal – the women winning the first ever basketball medal in Olympic competition.

In 1989 with some excellent work from the AIS who had continued to compete in the WNBL, the junior women played in the 2nd junior world championship in Spain winning Australia’s first international basketball medal with a bronze medal. In that team was Shelley Sandie (nee Gorman) who had been a young 18 year old on the Seoul team.

Following the success of the Seoul Olympics, the WNBL were ready to enter a new era and appointed Lyn Palmer in the newly created full time general manager position. Lyn Palmer who had just retired after a distinguished playing career with St. Kilda, Nunawading and Coburg, was looking for a change whilst her husband Bill was general manager of the men’s NBL with Mr. & Mrs. Palmer now heading up the men and women’s leagues.

In 1989 the WNBL gained its first sponsorship in Pony one of Australia’s leading sporting apparel companies at the time for $258,000 and ABC agreed to cover the finals series. The women’s game in Australia was on the move. There were 13 teams in the WNBL for the 1989 season with the Bankstown Bruins changing their name to the Sydney Bruins to try and gain more market exposure in Australia’s largest city.

The next few years saw the league continue to grow with Australia being awarded the Women’s World Championships in 1994. The pressure was now on to ensure that women’s basketball gained a profile in the country and in 1993 the WNBL teams agreed to contribute some money to enable the game to be televised on a weekly basis by ABC. This was the break through that the sport needed and also co-incided with the Sydney Kings taking over the ownership of the Sydney Bruins and the formation of the Sydney Flames.

Coached by Carrie Graf the Flames became one of Australia’s most popular women’s sporting team. The Perth Breakers led the way with the bodysuit in the early 90’s whilst the Flames continued to modify the suit winning the title in 1993 and gaining back page coverage on the Sydney newspapers a feat never envisaged back in the early 80’s.

With the Women’s World Championships – OZ 94 on our doorstep, Australia’s most winningest coach Tom Maher stepped into the role of Australian coach and has led the Opals to be ranked in the top four teams in the world for the past 8 years.

Tom coached the team to a 4th position in the 1994 world championships, a bronze medal in Atlanta in 1996, a bronze medal in Germany in 1998 and a silver medal in Sydney 2000.

In the WNBL Sydney, Melbourne Tigers, Adelaide Lightning and Canberra have dominated the finals in the latter 90’s. Adelaide coached by Jan Stirling has won four titles, Sydney has won three and Canberra have won two. The AIS won their first title in the first summer season of 1998/99 led by one of the best basketballers in the world, Lauren Jackson.

The AIS are the only team to have retained the same name since 1981 when they entered the inaugural competition. There have been teams from Sydney and Adelaide but each has changed their name during the course of the last 22 seasons.

ABC has continued to televise the league since the first finals in 1989 despite some difficulties in mid 2001 when the ABC contemplated changing their televising of sport. A successful lobby subsequently saw the WNBL and Netball retained on ABC. In 2006/07 the ABC undrtook to increase their coverage by showing Friady night games live on ABC digital televison as well as a replay in the regular Saturday afternoon slot.

Financial stability has always been a challenge for the WNBL since its inception. Money has always been difficult to source and all clubs have had to be diligent in expenditure throughout the years.

The WNBL was very stable with eight teams for a number of seasons with Tasmania and Northern Territory not represented. In 2006 Bendigo through the efforts of a strong community focus for women’s basketball, commenced discussions with Basketball Australia about entering a team for the 2007/2008 season. At the same time Basketball New Zealand had discussions with Basketball Australia about a team from New Zealand entering the next season.

In October 2006 the decision was made to welcome two new teams into the WNBL for the 2007/2008 season in Bendigo Spirit and Christchurch Sirens. Bendigo have brought excellent community support into the league whilst Christchurch have a number of the New Zealand Tall Ferns on their roster. One of the strategic objectives of the WNBL was to see a second team out of Queensland from the south and after some very effective feasibility work, Logan Basketball Association were successful in being admitted into the 2008/2009 season with the Logan Thunder.

Over the years the league has comprised teams who have been Association based and also State based e.g. Canberra and Adelaide. Sydney Flames were a part of the very successful Sydney Kings franchise but in 2002 when the Kings were sold the Flames became a separate identity. For one season they were owned privately and then the following season became a part of the Sydney Uni Sports organization. This has been an excellent relationship for the team, the sport and also has brought excellent benefits into the sport through the educational opportunities through Sydney University.

Adelaide Lightning traditionally a part of the State Association were also privately brought in 2006 when the State Government took over the two league teams that had been managed and controlled by Basketball SA.

Over the years the success of the Opals has been vitally linked to the success of the WNBL. The WNBL has seen the development of famous Opals such as Robyn Maher, Michele Timms, Karen Dalton, Rachel Sporn, Shelley Sandie, Julie Nykiel, Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor.

All have represented Australia with distinction and been key performers season after season for their clubs.

Following the success of the Opals on the international scene, a number of players have been recruited for the European Leagues with Michele Timms and Sandy Brondello having played for German club Wuppertal for many years. Sandy is now an assistant coach with San Antonio in the WNBA whilst Michele Timms is now an assistant coach with the Dragons in the NBL, again a first for Michele Timms. Other opals who have played in Europe with distinction have been Kristi Harrower, Trish Fallon, Penny Taylor, Belinda Snell, Lauren Jackson, Suzy Batkovic, Alicia Poto, Rachael Sporn, Jenny Whittle, Alison Tranquilli, Jenni Screen, Laura Summerton, Hollie Grima and Emma Randall.

Following the Atlanta Olympics, the NBA introduced the WNBA, with Michele Timms being the first international player drafted to the WNBA. Since that time many Australian players have gone on to the play in the WNBA with Lauren Jackson being named as the WNBA's No. 1 Draft pick in 2001 – an amazing feat for an Australian. Lauren Jackson was MVP in season 2007 and Penny Taylor and Belinda Snell led the Phoenix Mercury to their first ever championship.

International influence

The WNBL has been a major stepping stone for Australians to become noticed in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an and America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

n league, namely, the WNBA

Women's National Basketball Association

The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...

.

Australians who have played in the WNBA include:

Suzy Batkovic
Suzy Batkovic
Suzy Batkovic-Brown is an Australian-Croatian women's basketball player who plays in Australia and the American WNBA. The 6'4", 195-pound Batkovic-Brown is a bruising center known for her physical play and dominance inside...

- Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...

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....

- Cleveland Rockers

Cleveland Rockers

This article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which...

, Portland Fire

Portland Fire

The Portland Fire joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000 as the counterpart to the NBA team the Portland Trail Blazers. They played their games at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The team folded after the 2002 season, after just three seasons in the league...

, Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

, 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...

, San Antonio Silver Stars

San Antonio Silver Stars

The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...

Jessica Bibby
Jessica Bibby
Jessica Bibby is an Australian professional basketball player. In April, 2006 she signed with the Canberra Capitals of the Australian WNBL, just a few months after her Dandenong Rangers team was beaten in the Grand Final by the Capitals. She has played for Seattle Storm of the WNBA. In 2000,...

- New York Liberty

New York Liberty

The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...

, Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

Abby Bishop
Abby Bishop
Abby Bishop is an Australian professional basketball player in the WNBA. Bishop also plays for the Dandenong Rangers of the Australian WNBL...

- Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

Michelle Brogan
Michelle Brogan
Michelle Brogan is a former basketball player from Australia, who won the bronze medal with the Australia women's national basketball team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia...

- 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...

Sandy Brondello
Sandy Brondello
Sandra Anne Brondello is an Australian women's basketball player who played in Australia and the WNBA before retiring to become a coach, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. The 1.70 m Brondello is one of Australia's all-time best shooting guards...

- Detroit Shock

Detroit Shock

The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...

, Miami Sol

Miami Sol

The Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...

, Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

Carla Boyd
Carla Boyd
Carla Maree Boyd is an Australian former professional basketball player in the WNBA as a forward for the Detroit Shock...

- Detroit Shock

Detroit Shock

The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...

Elizabeth Cambage - Tulsa Shock

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...

- Minnesota Lynx

Minnesota Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...

, Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury

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...

- Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury

, Minnesota Lynx

Minnesota Lynx

, Los Angeles Sparks

Los Angeles Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...

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...

- Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

Alison Lacey
Alison Lacey
Alison Lacey is an Australian professional basketball player in the WNBA. She played at Iowa State University from 2006–2010, where she became the highest drafted player in school history. She became the only player from Iowa State, and only the seventh in Big 12 history, to record 1500 points,...

- Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

Jenna O'Hea
Jenna O'Hea
Jenna O'Hea is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women's National Basketball Association and the Dandenong Rangers in the Women's National Basketball League. She is also a member of the Australia women's national basketball...

- Los Angeles Sparks

Los Angeles Sparks

Erin Phillips
Erin Phillips
Erin Victoria Phillips is an Australian professional women's basketball player. In the United States, she currently plays for the Indiana Fever in the Women's National Basketball Association and for Adelaide Lightning in the Women's National Basketball League .-Personal:Phillips is the daughter...

- Connecticut Sun

Connecticut Sun

The Connecticut Sun is a professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Orlando, Florida before the 1999 season began; the team moved to Connecticut before the 2003 season...

, Indiana Fever

Indiana Fever

Belinda Snell
Belinda Snell
Belinda Snell is an Australian women's basketball player who plays for Australia and the WNBA in the United States....

- Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury

, San Antonio Silver Stars

San Antonio Silver Stars

, Seattle Storm

Seattle Storm

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...

- Detroit Shock

Detroit Shock

The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...

Laura Summerton
Laura Summerton
Laura Summerton is an Australian professional basketball player. She is 1.88 m tall, weighs 75.7 kg and plays at the forward position. Summerton played for the Connecticut Sun in the WNBA during the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and has played for the Adelaide Lightning in Australia's WNBL...

- Connecticut Sun

Connecticut Sun

Penny Taylor - Cleveland Rockers

Cleveland Rockers

, Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury

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...

- Phoenix Mercury

Phoenix Mercury

Jennifer Whittle
Jennifer Whittle
Jennifer "Jenny" Hazel Whittle is an Australian female basketball player who played for the Bulleen Boomers and the Canberra Capitals. Whittle was also a member of the Australia women's national basketball team that claimed the Bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympic games and the Silver medal...

- 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'...

Teams

The WNBL currently has 10 teams.
Women's National Basketball League (WNBL)>

WNBL	Team	City	Arena	Colours	Joined WNBL	Head Coach
Women's National Basketball League
	Adelaide Lightning	Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... , SA South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...	Adelaide Arena	Red, Yellow, Black, White	1992	Peter Buckle
	Australian Institute of Sport Australian Institute of Sport The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...	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... , ACT Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...	AIS Training Hall	Blue, White, Red	1981	Phil Brown
	Bendigo Spirit Bendigo Spirit Bendigo Spirit is one of three Victorian basketball teams in the Australian Women's National Basketball League. The team, based in the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, joined the competition from the 2007/08 season....	Bendigo, VIC	Schweppes Centre Schweppes Centre The Schweppes Center is a sports and entertainment center in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. It is home to the Bendigo Braves and the Bendigo Spirit . The stadium hosted basketball matches during the 2006 Commonwealth Games...	Sky Blue, Gold, White	2007	Bernie Harrower
	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...	Bulleen Bulleen, Victoria Bulleen is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham. At the 2006 Census, Bulleen had a population of 10,528.-Etymology:... , VIC	Veneto Club	Blue, Gold	1984	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...
	Canberra Capitals Canberra Capitals The Canberra TransACT Capitals are an Australian Women's Basketball League team based in Canberra, Australia. TransACT Communications is the current naming rights sponsor for the Canberra Capitals...	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... , ACT Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...	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...	Light Blue, White, Gold	1986	Carrie Graf
	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...	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... , VIC	Dandenong Basketball Stadium	Bottle Green, Gold	1992	Mark Wright
	Logan Thunder Logan Thunder The Logan Thunder are an Australian Women's National Basketball League team based in Logan, Queensland. -History:The Logan Thunder started in 2008 replacing New Zealand team Christchurch Sirens. They are now in their 3rd year of WNBL basketball and are more successful in the current 2010-2011...	Logan, QLD Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...	Logan Metro	Purple, Burgundy, Gold	2008	Olaf Lange Olaf Lange Olaf Helliesen Lange was a Norwegian painter and graphic designer.Olaf Lange was born in Stavanger, in the county of Rogaland, Norway. He was the son of doctor Emil Lange and Marie Helliesen . He studied in Paris and Oslo, while living in Munich. Friends with textile artist Frida Hansen,...
	Sydney Flames	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... , NSW New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...	Sydney University	Blue, Gold, White	1989	Karen Dalton
	Townsville Fire Townsville Fire The Townsville Fire are a basketball team competing in the Australian Women's National Basketball League . Since being established for the 2001/2002 WNBL season, the Fire have sustained community support, but on-court success has eluded them....	Townsville Townsville, Queensland Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census... , QLD Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...	Townsville RSL Stadium	Black, Red, Orange	2001	Chris Lucas
	West Coast Waves West Coast Waves The West Coast Waves are an Australian women's professional basketball team in the Women's National Basketball League . Based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, the Waves are the only team representing WA and one of ten teams competing in the WNBL...	Perth Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000.... , WA Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...	WA Basketball Centre	Green, Yellow, Black	1990	David Herbert

Regular season

Following the winter break, teams hold preseasons throughout August and September before the regular season begins in early October.

During the regular season, each team plays 22 games, 11 each home and away. Each team hosts and visits every other team at least once every season.

Awards

The awards given to players at the conclusion of the season at the Basketball Australia

Basketball Australia

Basketball Australia is the governing and controlling body of basketball in Australia, responsible for the development and promotion of the sport at all levels.Formed in 1939 the organisation was constituted in 1946...

Awards Dinner are:

Most Valuable Player - 2010/11 winner: Elizabeth Cambage (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...

)
Defensive Player - 2010/11 winner: Rachael Flanagan (Townsville Fire
Townsville Fire
The Townsville Fire are a basketball team competing in the Australian Women's National Basketball League . Since being established for the 2001/2002 WNBL season, the Fire have sustained community support, but on-court success has eluded them....

)
Rookie of the Year - 2010/11 winner: Gretel Tippett (Logan Thunder
Logan Thunder
The Logan Thunder are an Australian Women's National Basketball League team based in Logan, Queensland. -History:The Logan Thunder started in 2008 replacing New Zealand team Christchurch Sirens. They are now in their 3rd year of WNBL basketball and are more successful in the current 2010-2011...

)
Coach of the Year - 2010/11 winner: 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...

(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...

)
WNBL All-Star Five - 2010/11 winners: Kathleen Macleod (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...

), Jenna O'Hea
Jenna O'Hea
Jenna O'Hea is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women's National Basketball Association and the Dandenong Rangers in the Women's National Basketball League. She is also a member of the Australia women's national basketball...

(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...

), Amy Denson (Sydney Flames), Marianna Tolo (Canberra Capitals
Canberra Capitals
The Canberra TransACT Capitals are an Australian Women's Basketball League team based in Canberra, Australia. TransACT Communications is the current naming rights sponsor for the Canberra Capitals...

), Elizabeth Cambage (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...

)

Media coverage

Currently, WNBL games are televised throughout Australia by ABC1

ABC1

ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...

on Saturday afternoons at 1.00 pm AEST, either live or on delay. FIBA LiveStats is available on the WNBL website to follow games live. WNBL Radio is also available on the website.

External links

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