Women's National Wheelchair Basketball League

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

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

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,^[1] and won the league championship in 2019.^[2]

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.^[3] They assumed their current identity of the Sydney Metro Blues in 2016,^[4] and won the league championship in 2017.^[5]

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.^[6]

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.^[7][8][9]

Queensland Comets

The Queensland Comets (formerly the Minecraft Comets) became the league's fifth team in 2011.^[10] They won the league championship in 2014 and 2018.^[11][12]

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.^[13]

Champions

League Champions

Year	Team	Reference
2000	Victorian Wheelies	[3]
2001	North Sydney Bears	[3]
2002	Hills Hornets	[3]
2003	Hills Hornets	[3]
2004	Hills Hornets	[3]
2005	Hills Hornets	[3]
2006	Hills Hornets	[3]
2007	Hills Hornets	[3]
2008	Hills Hornets	[3]
2009	Hills Hornets	[3]
2010	Sydney University Flames	[3]
2011	Victorian Dandenong Rangers	[3]
2012	Victorian Dandenong Rangers	[3]
2013	Be Active Western Stars	[3]
2014	Minecraft Comets	[11]
2015	Kilsyth Cobras	[14][15]
2016	Be Active Western Stars	[16]
2017	Sydney Metro Blues	[5]
2018	Queensland Comets	[8]
2019	Sydney University Flames	[2]

Awards

MVP – 1 Pointer

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2009	Clare Burzynski	Western Stars	[17]
2010	Clare Burzynski	Western Stars	[17]
2011	Clare Burzynski	Be Active Western Stars	[17]
2012	Amanda Carter	Dandenong Rangers	[17]
2013	Clare Nott	Be Active Western Stars	[17]
2014	Ella Sabljak	Minecraft Comets	[18]
2015	Clare Nott	Kilsyth Cobras	[15]
2016	Sarah Vinci	Be Active Western Stars	[4]
2017	Sarah Vinci	Be Active Western Stars	[5]
2018	Hannah Dodd	Sydney Uni Flames	[8]
2019	Hannah Dodd	Sydney Uni Flames	[19]

MVP – 2 Pointer

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2009	Kylie Gauci	Goudcamp Gladiators	[20]
2010	Kylie Gauci	Goudcamp Gladiators	[20]
2011	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[20]
2012	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[20]
2013	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[20]
2014	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[18]
2015	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[15]
2016	Kylie Gauci	Sydney Metro Blues	[4]
2017	Hannah Dodd	Sydney University Flames	[5]
2018	Kylie Gauci	Sydney Metro Blues	[8]
2019	Georgia Inglis	Perth Wheelcats	[21]

MVP – 3 Pointer

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2009	Sarah Stewart	Hills Hornets	[22]
2010	Sarah Stewart	Sydney University Flames	[22]
2011	Shelley Chaplin	Dandenong Rangers	[22]
2012	Shelley Chaplin	Dandenong Rangers	[22]
2013	Sarah Stewart	Sydney University Flames	[22]
2014	Sarah Stewart	Sydney University Flames	[18]
2015	Leanne Del Toso	Kilsyth Cobras	[15]
2016	Sarah Stewart	Sydney University Flames	[4]
2017	Sarah Stewart	Sydney University Flames	[5]
2018	Leanne Del Toso	Kilsyth Cobras	[8]
2019	Leanne Del Toso	Kilsyth Cobras	[23]

MVP – 4 Pointer

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2010	Liesl Tesch	Sydney Uni Flames	[24]
2011	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[24]
2012	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[24]
2013	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[24]
2014	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[18]
2015	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[15]
2016	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[4]
2017	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[5]
2018	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[8]
2019	Amber Merritt	Perth Wheelcats	[9]

Finals series MVP

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2009	Katie Hill	Hills Hornets	[25]
2010	Liesl Tesch	Sydney Uni Flames	[25]
2011	Shelley Chaplin	Victoria Dandenong Rangers	[25]
2012	Cobi Crispin	Victoria Dandenong	[25]
2013	Mari Amimoto	Stacks Goudkamp Bears	[25]

Overall MVP

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2000	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[26]
2001	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[26]
2002	Alison Mosely	Queensland Storm	[26]
2003	Kylie Gauci	Hills Hornets	[26]
2004	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[26]
2005	Shelley Chaplin	Knox Ford Raiders	[26]
2006	Alison Mosely	Queensland Comets	[26]
2007	Kylie Gauci	Goudcamp Gladiators	[26]
2008	Kylie Gauci	Goudcamp Gladiators	[26]
2009	Kylie Gauci	Goudcamp Gladiators	[26]
2010	Kylie Gauci	Goudcamp Gladiators	[26]
2011	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[26]
2012	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[26]
2013	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[26]
2014	Kylie Gauci	Sachs Goudcamp Bears	[18]
2015	Clare Nott	Kilsyth Cobras	[15]
2016	Sarah Stewart	Sydney University Flames	[4]
2018	Cobi Crispin	Queensland Comets	[8]
2019	Annabelle Lindsay	Sydney Uni Flames	[27]

All Star Five

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2000	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Paula Coughlan	Victorian Wheelies	[28]
	Alison Mosely	Northern Premiers	[28]
	Lisa O'Nion	North Sydney Bears	[28]
	Coralie Crossley	Adelaide Storm	[28]
2001	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Alison Mosely	Northern Premiers	[28]
	Lisa O'Nion	North Sydney Bears	[28]
	Juilianne Adams	Victorian Wheelies	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Hills Hornets	[28]
2002	Alison Mosely	Queensland Storm	[28]
	Lisa O'Nion	North Sydney Bears	[28]
	Juilianne Adams	Victorian Wheelies	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Paula Coughlan	Victorian Wheelies	[28]
2003	Kylie Gauci	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Alison Mosely	Queensland Storm	[28]
	Juilianne Adams	Victorian Wheelies	[28]
	Lisa O'Nion	North Sydney Bears	[28]
	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[28]
2004	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Jenny Pattison	North's Bears	[28]
	Tina Mckenzie	Knox Raiders	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Sarah Stewart	North's Bears	[28]
2005	Shelley Chaplin	Knox Ford Raiders	[28]
	Alison Mosely	Queensland Storm	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Jane Sachs	North's Bears	[28]
	Melanie Hall	Queensland Storm	[28]
2006	Alison Mosely	Queensland Comets	[28]
	Jenny Nichols	North's Bears	[28]
	Tina Mckenzie	Knox Raiders	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	North's Bears	[28]
	Mandy Bonavita	Western Stars	[28]
2007	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Nu Nguyen-Thi	Western Stars	[28]
	Tina Mckenzie	Knox Raiders	[28]
	Katie Hill	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	North's Bears	[28]
2008	Amanda Carter	Dandenong Rangers	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Goudkamp Gladiators	[28]
	Sarah Stewart	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Cobi Crispin	Western Stars	[28]
	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[28]
2009	Clare Burzynski	Western Stars	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Goudkamp Gladiators	[28]
	Sarah Stewart	Hills Hornets	[28]
	Cobi Crispin	Western Stars	[28]
	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[28]
2010	Clare Burzynski	Western Stars	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Goudkamp Gladiators	[28]
	Sarah Stewart	Sydney Uni Flames	[28]
	Cobi Crispin	Western Stars	[28]
	Liesl Tesch	Sydney Uni Flames	[28]
2011	Clare Burzynski	Western Stars	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Goudkamp Gladiators	[28]
	Shelley Chaplin	Dandenong Rangers	[28]
	Amber Merritt	Western Stars	[28]
	Cobi Crispin	Dandenong Rangers	[28]
2012	Amanda Carter	Dandenong Rangers	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Stacks Goudkamp Bears	[28]
	Shelley Chaplin	Dandenong Rangers	[28]
	Amber Merritt	Western Stars	[28]
	Sarah Stewart	Sydney Uni Flames	[28]
2013	Clare Nott	Be Active Western Stars	[28]
	Kylie Gauci	Stacks Goudkamp Bears	[28]
	Sarah Stewart	Sydney Uni Flames	[28]
	Amber Merritt	Western Stars	[28]
	Cobi Crispin	Victoria	[28]
2014	Ella Sabljak	Minecraft Comets	[18]
	Kylie Gauci	Stacks Goudkamp Bears	[18]
	Sarah Stewart	Sydney Uni Flames	[18]
	Amber Merritt	Western Stars	[18]
	Georgia Inglis	Western Stars	[18]
2015	Clare Nott	Kilsyth Cobras	[15]
	Kylie Gauci	Stacks Goudkamp Bears	[15]
	Leanne Del Toso	Kilsyth Cobras	[15]
	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[15]
	Sarah Vinci	Be Active Western Stars	[15]
2016	Sarah Vinci	Be Active Western Stars	[4]
	Kylie Gauci	Sydney Metro Blues	[4]
	Sarah Stewart	Sydney Uni Flames	[4]
	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[4]
	Bridie Kean	Sydney Metro Blues	[4]
2017	Sarah Vinci	Be Active Western Stars	[5]
	Hannah Dodd	Sydney Uni Flames	[5]
	Sarah Stewart	Sydney Uni Flames	[5]
	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[5]
	Georgia Munro-Cook	Sydney Metro Blues	[5]
2018	Hannah Dodd	Sydney Uni Flames	[8]
	Kylie Gauci	Sydney Metro Blues	[8]
	Leanne Del Tosos	Kilsyth Kobras	[8]
	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[8]
	Cobi Crispin	Queensland Comets	[8]
2019	Hannah Dodd	Sydney Uni Flames	[29]
	Georgia Inglis	Perth Wheelcats	[29]
	Leanne Del Tosos	Kilsyth Kobras	[29]
	Amber Merritt	Perth Wheelcats	[29]
	Sarah Vinci	Perth Wheelcats	[29]

Voted by the coaches and referees

Best New Talent

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2001	Emily Jansen	Victorian Wheelies	[30]
2002	Sarah Stewart	North Sydney Bears	[30]
2003	Jenny Pattison	North's Bears	[30]
2004	Emily Tobin	Queenslanders	[30]
2005	Clare Burzynski	Queensland Storm	[30]
2006	Sharnie Grazules	Hills Hornets	[30]
2007	Leanne Del Toso	Knox Raiders	[30]
2008	Amber Merritt	Western Stars	[30]
2009	Anne Marie Howarth	Goupkamp Gladiators	[30]
2010	Shelley Cronau	Sydney University Flames	[30]
2011	Natalie Hodges	Minecraft Comets	[30]
2012	Jasmine Clark	Minecraft Comets	[30]
2013	Ellie Cole	Victoria	[30]
2014	Laura Bassegio	Victoria	[18]
2015	Zeena Suavaga	Sachs Goudkamp Bears	[15]
2016	Annabelle Lindsay	Sydney University Flames	[4]
2017	Teisha Shadwell	Kilsyth Cobras	[5]

Voted by the captain of each team.^[18]

Highest Point Scorer

Year	Player	Team	Reference
2000	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[31]
2001	Alison Mosely	North Sydney Bears	[31]
2002	Alison Mosely	Queensland Storm	[31]
2003	Kylie Gauci	Hills Hornets	[31]
2004	Alison Mosely	Queenslanders	[31]
2005	Jenny Nichols	North's Bears	[31]
2006	Alison Mosely	Queensland Comets	[31]
2007	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[31]
2008	Liesl Tesch	Hills Hornets	[31]
2009	Cobi Crispin	Perth Western Stars	[31]
2010	Sarah Stewart	Sydney University Flames	[31]
2011	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[31]
2012	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[31]
2013	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[31]
2014	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[18]
2015	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[15]
2016	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[4]
2017	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[5]
2018	Amber Merritt	Be Active Western Stars	[8]
2019	Amber Merritt	Perth Wheelcats	[32]