- Australia women's national basketball team
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For the precious stone, see opal.
Australia 
FIBA ranking 3rd[1] FIBA zone FIBA Oceania National federation Basketball Australia Coach Carrie Graf Nickname(s) Opals Olympic Games Appearances 6 Medals Silver: 2000, 2004, 2008,
Bronze: 1996World Championships for Women Appearances 12 Medals Gold: 2006
Bronze: 1998, 2002Oceania Championship for Women Appearances 11 Medals Gold: 1974, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 Uniforms 
LightDarkThe Australia Women's National Basketball Team (nicknamed The Opals) is the women's National Basketball team for Australia. They won Gold at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006 defeating New Zealand's Tall Ferns in the final match with a score of 77–39. They then followed it up with a gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women, beating Russia 91–74. The Opals became the first non-American team since Brazil in 1994 to become world champions with their victory over the Russians.[2]
The team's captain and star player is centre Lauren Jackson, a perennial WNBA All-Star team member.
Contents
Olympic history
Women's basketball was introduced as an Olympic sport at Montreal in 1976.[3]
Year Games Result 1976 Montreal Did not qualify 1980 Moscow Did not qualify[4] 1984 Los Angeles 5th 1988 Seoul 4th 1992 Barcelona Did not qualify 1996 Atlanta 
Bronze2000 Sydney 
Silver2004 Athens Silver2008 Beijing Silver2012 London Past Olympics squads
1984 Los Angeles Roster
Jenny Cheesman (Capt), Robyn Maher, Bronwyn Marshall, Patricia Cockrem, Donna Quinn, Patricia Mickan, Julie Nykiel, Kathy Foster, Marina Moffa, Karen Dalton, Wendy Laidlaw, Sue Geh, Brendan Flynn (Head Coach), Kay McFarlane (Assistant Coach), Lorraine Landon (Manager), Eddie Crouch (Referee).
1988 Seoul Roster
Jenny Cheesman (Capt), Robyn Maher, Sandy Brondello, Michele Timms, Donna Brown, Patricia Mickan, Julie Nykiel, Debbie Slimmon, Marina Moffa, Karen Dalton, Shelley Gorman, Maree White, Robbie Cadee (Head Coach), Ray Tomlinson (Assistant Coach), Michael Pattison (Assistant Coach), Lorraine Landon (Manager), Geoff Weeks (Referee.
1996 Atlanta Roster
Robyn Maher (Capt), Allison Cook, Sandy Brondello, Michele Timms, Shelley Sandie, Trish Fallon, Michelle Chandler, Fiona Robinson, Carla Boyd, Jenny Whittle, Rachael Sporn, Michelle Brogan, Tom Maher (Head Coach), Jenny Cheesman (Assistant Coach), Carrie Graf (Assistant Coach), Marian Stewart (Manager), Robbie Barnett (Referee), Michael Butler (Referee).
2000 Sydney Roster
Michele Timms (Capt), Rachael Sporn (VC), Carla Boyd, Sandy Brondello, Trish Fallon, Michelle Griffiths, Kristi Harrower, Jo Hill, Lauren Jackson, Annie La Fleur, Shelley Sandie, Jenny Whittle, Tom Maher (Head Coach), Jenny Cheesman (AC), Carrie Graf (AC), Marian Stewart (Manager), Carolyn Broderick (Dr), Jill Cook (Physio), Carolyn Gillespie (Referee).
2004 Athens Roster
Trisha Fallon (Capt), Suzy Batkovic, Sandy Brondello, Kristi Harrower, Lauren Jackson, Natalie Porter, Alicia Poto, Belinda Snell, Rachel Sporn, Laura Summerton, Penny Taylor, Allison Tranquilli, Jan Stirling (Head Coach), Karen Dalton (Ass. Coach), Chris Lucas (Technical Ass.), Marian Stewart (Manager), Dr Scott Burne (Doctor), Annette Tonkin (Physiotherapist).
Current roster
This was the roster for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[5]
Australia Women's National Basketball Team roster4 Phillips, Erin 23 - July 19, 1985 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Indiana Fever 
G 5 Bevilaqua, Tully 36 - May 19, 1972 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) San Antonio Silver Stars G 6 Screen, Jennifer 26 - February 19, 1982 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) Adelaide Lightning 
F 7 Taylor, Penny 27 - May 24, 1981 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Phoenix Mercury F/C 8 Batkovic, Suzy 27 - May 24, 1981 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Adelaide Lightning C 9 Grima, Hollie 24 - December 16, 1983 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Frisco Sika Brno 
PG 10 Harrower, Kristi 33 - March 4, 1975 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) Bendigo Spirit F 11 Summerton, Laura 24 - December 13, 1983 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Levoni Taranto 
F 12 Snell, Belinda 27 - January 10, 1981 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Sydney Uni Flames C 13 Randall, Emma 23 - May 6, 1985 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Logan Thunder C 14 Cambage, Liz 16 - August 18, 1991 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Tulsa Shock PF 15 Jackson, Lauren (C) 27 - May 11, 1981 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Seattle Storm - Head coach
- Carrie Graf
- Assistant coach(es)
- Phil Brown, Michele Timms, Peter Buckle
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- nat field describes country
of last club
before the tournament - Age field is age on 9 August 2008
See also
References
- ^ FIBA (2008). FIBA World ranking for women. Retrieved on 26 August 2008.
- ^ James Dampney (25 September 2006). "US No Longer Invincible". Fox Sports. http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,20471771-23769,00.html.
- ^ CBC Sports (2008). Olympic Games Basketball History: Women's hoop dreams. Retrieved on 25 August 2008.
- ^ Australian Opals (2008). Opals Olympic History: 1980 Moscow. Retrieved on 25 August 2008.
- ^ Basketball Australia (2008). Australian Defence Force Opals (2008 National Team). Retrieved on 25 August 2008.
External links
- Opals Official Page
- Basketball Australia page
- Media Release referring to Opals Commonwealth Games team
2010 FIBA World Championship for Women Teams Continental Championships Africa | Americas | Asia | Europe | Oceania | 2008 OlympicsQualifying EuropeInternational women's basketball Africa 
Americas Asia Europe Oceania Note: The Under-21 Championship is no longer held.National sports teams of Australia A1 GP · Association football (soccer) (M, W, M U/23, M U/20, W U/20, M U/17) · Baseball (M, W, M U/19) · Basketball (M, W) · Beach soccer · Commonwealth Games · Cricket (M, W) · Futsal (M, W) · Goalball (M, W) · Gridiron · Handball (M, W) · Hockey (M, W) · Ice Hockey (M, W, M U/20, M U/18) · Inline Hockey · International rules (M, W) · Korfball · Lacrosse (M, Indoor, W) · Netball · Olympics · Paralympics · Roller Hockey (M, W) · Rugby League (M, W) · Rugby Union (M, W, M7) · Softball (M, W) · Speedway · Tennis (M, W) · Volleyball (M, W) · Water Polo (M, W) · Wheelchair Basketball (M, W))Categories:- Basketball in Australia
- Australia at the Commonwealth Games
- Women's national sports teams of Australia
- Women's national basketball teams
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