Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League

Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League
Sport wheelchair basketball
Founded 2000
No. of teams 6
Country Australia
Most recent
champion(s)		 Sydney Uni Flames
Most titles Hills Hornets/Sydney Uni Flames (10)
Official website wheelchairleagues.basketball

The Australia Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League (WNWBL) is a women's semi-professional wheelchair basketball league in Australia.

Sydney Metro Blues are the 2017 WNWBL gold medallists. Left to right: Bridie Kean, Jessica Pellow, Ashlea Pellow, Troy Sachs (coach), Jess Cronje, Kylie Gauci, Georgia Munro-Cook, Courtney Ryan, Kris Riley (team manager), Cobi Crispin, Maryanne Latu
The Be Active Western Stars win the 2016 WNWBL Championship. Front row, left to right: Natalie Alexander, Mary Friday, Tasha Ovens, Sarah Vinci, Georgia Inglis. Back row, left to right: Stephen Charlton (head coach), Amber Merritt, Anneka Bodt, Chihiro Kitada, Stephen Connell (assistant coach)
Kilsyth Cobras are the 2015 WNWBL champions Left to right: Leanne Del Toso (Captain), Lynne Panayiotis, Tina McKenzie, Ben Hodgens (Head Coach), Shelley Chaplin, Mel Adams, Alice Hammond, Clare Nott, Phil Turner (Team Manager), Katherine Reed
Minecraft Comets celebrate winning the 2014 championship. Players are (left to right): Melanie Hall, Allison Herring, Anthea Castelli, Georgia Bishop-Cash, Kirsty Bishop, Bridie Kean, Shelley Cronau, Ella Sabljak

Teams

The league currently has six teams:

Sydney University Flames

The Sydney University Flames, as the Hills Hornets, were one of the league's original teams, and the most successful, winning the championship nine years in a row from 2002 to 2010. Seven-time Paralympian Liesl Tesch was one of the team's founding members, who was named the first overall MVP in 2000, and played for the team in 2017. The team became the Sydney University Flames in 2010, and won the league championship in 2019.

Sydney Metro Blues

The Sydney Metro Blues were also one the league's original teams, as the North Sydney Bears. As such, they won the league championship in 2001. They subsequently became the Goudcamp Gladiators, and then the Sachs Goudcamp Bears in 2011. They assumed their current identity of the Sydney Metro Blues in 2016, and won the league championship in 2017.

Kilsyth Cobras

Another of the original teams, the Kilsyth Cobras began as the Victorian Wheelies in 2000. They subsequently became the Dandenong Rangers, and won the league championship in 2011 and 2012 with players including Amanda Carter and Shelley Chaplin. In 2015, the team became affiliated with the Kilsyth Cobras, a club that also fields teams in the men’s and women’s sections of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL), the Victorian Youth Championship Competition (VYC), the Victorian Junior Basketball League (VJBL) and the National Wheelchair Basketball League (NWBL). The Kilsyth Cobras went through the 2015 season undefeated, posting a 16–0 record that still stands, and claimed the league championship.

Perth Wheelcats

The Perth Wheelcats (Formerly Be Active Western Stars) joined the league in 2006. The team quickly became a force in the competition, supplying three players (Amber Merritt, Sarah Vinci and Clare Nott) to the Australia women's national wheelchair basketball team at the 2012 Summer Paralympics, plus the coach, John Triscari. The Stars won league championships in 2013 and 2016, and Merritt was the 4.0 MVP and highest point scorer for nine years running from 2011 to 2019.

Queensland Comets

The Queensland Comets (formerly the Minecraft Comets) became the league's fifth team in 2011. They won the league championship in 2014 and 2018.

Red Dust Lady Heelers

The Red Dust Lady Heelers became the league's sixth team in 2017, following the track of the Red Dust Heelers, who joined the NWBL three years before. The Red Dust Heelers program grew out of the 2012 Outback Academy Australia. In its inaugural year in the competition, it was fortunate to have players like Deanna Smith, Kathleen O'Kelly-Kennedy, Clare Nott and Georgia Inglis.

Champions

League Champions
Year Team Reference
2000 Victorian Wheelies
2001 North Sydney Bears
2002 Hills Hornets
2003 Hills Hornets
2004 Hills Hornets
2005 Hills Hornets
2006 Hills Hornets
2007 Hills Hornets
2008 Hills Hornets
2009 Hills Hornets
2010 Sydney University Flames
2011 Victorian Dandenong Rangers
2012 Victorian Dandenong Rangers
2013 Be Active Western Stars
2014 Minecraft Comets
2015 Kilsyth Cobras
2016 Be Active Western Stars
2017 Sydney Metro Blues
2018 Queensland Comets
2019 Sydney University Flames

Awards

MVP – 1 Pointer
Year Player Team Reference
2009 Clare Burzynski Western Stars
2010 Clare Burzynski Western Stars
2011 Clare Burzynski Be Active Western Stars
2012 Amanda Carter Dandenong Rangers
2013 Clare Nott Be Active Western Stars
2014 Ella Sabljak Minecraft Comets
2015 Clare Nott Kilsyth Cobras
2016 Sarah Vinci Be Active Western Stars
2017 Sarah Vinci Be Active Western Stars
2018 Hannah Dodd Sydney Uni Flames
2019 Hannah Dodd Sydney Uni Flames
MVP – 2 Pointer
Year Player Team Reference
2009 Kylie Gauci Goudcamp Gladiators
2010 Kylie Gauci Goudcamp Gladiators
2011 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2012 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2013 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2014 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2015 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2016 Kylie Gauci Sydney Metro Blues
2017 Hannah Dodd Sydney University Flames
2018 Kylie Gauci Sydney Metro Blues
2019 Georgia Inglis Perth Wheelcats
MVP – 3 Pointer
Year Player Team Reference
2009 Sarah Stewart Hills Hornets
2010 Sarah Stewart Sydney University Flames
2011 Shelley Chaplin Dandenong Rangers
2012 Shelley Chaplin Dandenong Rangers
2013 Sarah Stewart Sydney University Flames
2014 Sarah Stewart Sydney University Flames
2015 Leanne Del Toso Kilsyth Cobras
2016 Sarah Stewart Sydney University Flames
2017 Sarah Stewart Sydney University Flames
2018 Leanne Del Toso Kilsyth Cobras
2019 Leanne Del Toso Kilsyth Cobras
MVP – 4 Pointer
Year Player Team Reference
2010 Liesl Tesch Sydney Uni Flames
2011 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2012 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2013 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2014 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2015 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2016 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2017 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2018 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2019 Amber Merritt Perth Wheelcats
Finals series MVP
Year Player Team Reference
2009 Katie Hill Hills Hornets
2010 Liesl Tesch Sydney Uni Flames
2011 Shelley Chaplin Victoria Dandenong Rangers
2012 Cobi Crispin Victoria Dandenong
2013 Mari Amimoto Stacks Goudkamp Bears
Overall MVP
Year Player Team Reference
2000 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2001 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2002 Alison Mosely Queensland Storm
2003 Kylie Gauci Hills Hornets
2004 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2005 Shelley Chaplin Knox Ford Raiders
2006 Alison Mosely Queensland Comets
2007 Kylie Gauci Goudcamp Gladiators
2008 Kylie Gauci Goudcamp Gladiators
2009 Kylie Gauci Goudcamp Gladiators
2010 Kylie Gauci Goudcamp Gladiators
2011 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2012 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2013 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2014 Kylie Gauci Sachs Goudcamp Bears
2015 Clare Nott Kilsyth Cobras
2016 Sarah Stewart Sydney University Flames
2018 Cobi Crispin Queensland Comets
2019 Annabelle Lindsay Sydney Uni Flames
All Star Five
Year Player Team Reference
2000 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
Paula Coughlan Victorian Wheelies
Alison Mosely Northern Premiers
Lisa O'Nion North Sydney Bears
Coralie Crossley Adelaide Storm
2001 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
Alison Mosely Northern Premiers
Lisa O'Nion North Sydney Bears
Juilianne Adams Victorian Wheelies
Kylie Gauci Hills Hornets
2002 Alison Mosely Queensland Storm
Lisa O'Nion North Sydney Bears
Juilianne Adams Victorian Wheelies
Kylie Gauci Hills Hornets
Paula Coughlan Victorian Wheelies
2003 Kylie Gauci Hills Hornets
Alison Mosely Queensland Storm
Juilianne Adams Victorian Wheelies
Lisa O'Nion North Sydney Bears
Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2004 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
Jenny Pattison North's Bears
Tina Mckenzie Knox Raiders
Kylie Gauci Hills Hornets
Sarah Stewart North's Bears
2005 Shelley Chaplin Knox Ford Raiders
Alison Mosely Queensland Storm
Kylie Gauci Hills Hornets
Jane Sachs North's Bears
Melanie Hall Queensland Storm
2006 Alison Mosely Queensland Comets
Jenny Nichols North's Bears
Tina Mckenzie Knox Raiders
Kylie Gauci North's Bears
Mandy Bonavita Western Stars
2007 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
Nu Nguyen-Thi Western Stars
Tina Mckenzie Knox Raiders
Katie Hill Hills Hornets
Kylie Gauci North's Bears
2008 Amanda Carter Dandenong Rangers
Kylie Gauci Goudkamp Gladiators
Sarah Stewart Hills Hornets
Cobi Crispin Western Stars
Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2009 Clare Burzynski Western Stars
Kylie Gauci Goudkamp Gladiators
Sarah Stewart Hills Hornets
Cobi Crispin Western Stars
Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2010 Clare Burzynski Western Stars
Kylie Gauci Goudkamp Gladiators
Sarah Stewart Sydney Uni Flames
Cobi Crispin Western Stars
Liesl Tesch Sydney Uni Flames
2011 Clare Burzynski Western Stars
Kylie Gauci Goudkamp Gladiators
Shelley Chaplin Dandenong Rangers
Amber Merritt Western Stars
Cobi Crispin Dandenong Rangers
2012 Amanda Carter Dandenong Rangers
Kylie Gauci Stacks Goudkamp Bears
Shelley Chaplin Dandenong Rangers
Amber Merritt Western Stars
Sarah Stewart Sydney Uni Flames
2013 Clare Nott Be Active Western Stars
Kylie Gauci Stacks Goudkamp Bears
Sarah Stewart Sydney Uni Flames
Amber Merritt Western Stars
Cobi Crispin Victoria
2014 Ella Sabljak Minecraft Comets
Kylie Gauci Stacks Goudkamp Bears
Sarah Stewart Sydney Uni Flames
Amber Merritt Western Stars
Georgia Inglis Western Stars
2015 Clare Nott Kilsyth Cobras
Kylie Gauci Stacks Goudkamp Bears
Leanne Del Toso Kilsyth Cobras
Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
Sarah Vinci Be Active Western Stars
2016 Sarah Vinci Be Active Western Stars
Kylie Gauci Sydney Metro Blues
Sarah Stewart Sydney Uni Flames
Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
Bridie Kean Sydney Metro Blues
2017 Sarah Vinci Be Active Western Stars
Hannah Dodd Sydney Uni Flames
Sarah Stewart Sydney Uni Flames
Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
Georgia Munro-Cook Sydney Metro Blues
2018 Hannah Dodd Sydney Uni Flames
Kylie Gauci Sydney Metro Blues
Leanne Del Tosos Kilsyth Kobras
Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
Cobi Crispin Queensland Comets
2019 Hannah Dodd Sydney Uni Flames
Georgia Inglis Perth Wheelcats
Leanne Del Tosos Kilsyth Kobras
Amber Merritt Perth Wheelcats
Sarah Vinci Perth Wheelcats

Voted by the coaches and referees

Best New Talent
Year Player Team Reference
2001 Emily Jansen Victorian Wheelies
2002 Sarah Stewart North Sydney Bears
2003 Jenny Pattison North's Bears
2004 Emily Tobin Queenslanders
2005 Clare Burzynski Queensland Storm
2006 Sharnie Grazules Hills Hornets
2007 Leanne Del Toso Knox Raiders
2008 Amber Merritt Western Stars
2009 Anne Marie Howarth Goupkamp Gladiators
2010 Shelley Cronau Sydney University Flames
2011 Natalie Hodges Minecraft Comets
2012 Jasmine Clark Minecraft Comets
2013 Ellie Cole Victoria
2014 Laura Bassegio Victoria
2015 Zeena Suavaga Sachs Goudkamp Bears
2016 Annabelle Lindsay Sydney University Flames
2017 Teisha Shadwell Kilsyth Cobras

Voted by the captain of each team.

Highest Point Scorer
Year Player Team Reference
2000 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2001 Alison Mosely North Sydney Bears
2002 Alison Mosely Queensland Storm
2003 Kylie Gauci Hills Hornets
2004 Alison Mosely Queenslanders
2005 Jenny Nichols North's Bears
2006 Alison Mosely Queensland Comets
2007 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2008 Liesl Tesch Hills Hornets
2009 Cobi Crispin Perth Western Stars
2010 Sarah Stewart Sydney University Flames
2011 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2012 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2013 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2014 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2015 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2016 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2017 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2018 Amber Merritt Be Active Western Stars
2019 Amber Merritt Perth Wheelcats