Monash Women's Basketball team primed for a strong debut at Div 1 Nationals

The Monash Women's Basketball team qualified for Division 1 Nationals after their dominant gold medal performance at the Division 2 competition earlier this year. 

The Monash Women’s Basketball team are set for a fiery debut at the Unisport Division 1 National Championships this year.

The team was promoted to Div 1 after taking out the Div 2 competition in July, following a commanding victory over Melbourne Uni in the gold medal match.

Deakin University is the team to beat this year, returning as reigning champions of the event. But the competition is expected to be strong across the board, as many of the matches last year were closely contested.

Seven of the Monash Women’s team members, who range from 18 to 25 years old, will be representing Monash in their first Nationals Div 1 competition.

World University games 3x3 Basketball Australian representative Jacqui Trotto is leading the way for TeamMONASH this year, captaining the entire Monash contingent alongside experienced sailor Maddy Salter.

Jacqui said the Basketballers are looking strong leading up to the event.

“At the end of the day the aim is to win, but aside from that to try our best and leave everything out on the floor,” she said. 

The Monash Men’s Basketball team is also looking to contend for a medal in the Gold Coast later this month.

The Monash Men's Basketball team

is hoping to improve on its 5th

place performance at last year's 

Division 1 Nationals. 

The team placed 5^th at the past two Nationals after suffering very close defeats in the semi finals.

Earlier this year several of the Men’s Basketball team members competed in the International Student Basketball Cup in Russia, finishing 9^th against very strong competition from all over the world. They recently defeated the Taiwan National Champion University team FoGuang University, in an exhibition match against the touring team at Monash.

“We feel very confident about our team this year. We have added some new players and brought back some old ones, making a very strong and balanced team,” Team Captain Ryan Potter said.

“We believe we have a very strong, balanced and deep squad that has the ability to have a great run this year.”

Based on last year, local rivals Victoria University, RMIT, and Melbourne University will be the teams to beat.

Monash are hoping Harry Cheverly and Angus Howey will make their mark on the competition in their first UniSport Nationals, and team veterans Daniel Kinkela, Naoum Lazis and Riley Henderson will deliver the experience needed to go deep into the finals. 

Written by Nell O’Shea Carre, Media Coordinator.