Latest news with #WNBL
USA Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Iowa women's basketball star Lucy Olsen signs with WNBL's Townsville Fire
Yay!!! So excited 🤩🤩 After seldom seeing the floor so far for the Washington Mystics in her first WNBA season, former Iowa women's basketball star Lucy Olsen announced her exciting offseason plans Tuesday evening. Olsen, who was selected with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, has been serving as a depth player off the bench for Washington, where she occasionally contributes scoring outbursts. That included Olsen's 19-point performance against the Minnesota Lynx on July 3. With the Mystics' 2025 campaign still ongoing, Olsen made her offseason plans official Tuesday evening when it was announced that the former Hawkeye would be playing for the Townsville Fire in Australia's Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). Given the financial incentives and opportunities to continue competing, it is commonplace for many WNBA players to play overseas or in another domestic league, such as Unrivaled, during the offseason. As Olsen joins the WNBL, she will have an excellent opportunity to develop and showcase her skills while contributing to a Fire squad that made it to the league championship last season. "We're really excited to add Lucy to our team. She's a skilled, versatile guard who can score at all three levels and has excellent vision to create for others. 'What really stood out to me was her character. Everyone I spoke to had nothing but great things to say about her work ethic and the kind of teammate she is. Lucy ticks a lot of boxes for us on and off the floor, and I know she will come in ready to work hard and contribute to our team's success," Fire head coach Shannan Seebobm said of Olsen. Given the new offseason opportunity, Olsen fully embraced the challenge by stating that Townsville's love for the game of basketball perfectly matches her own. 'The Fire organisation has a tremendous reputation here in the US and hearing how beautiful the Townsville area is has me more than excited to be joining this upcoming season! I love to play basketball and it sounds like Townsville loves basketball too – a perfect match! Let's go get the Championship," Olsen said in her statement. With fellow Mystics teammate Jade Melbourne also signed as a member of the University of Canberra (UC) Capitals, Olsen playfully joked that the two may have become "Frenemies" heading into the WNBL's 2025-26 season. @jade_melbourne does this mean we're frenemies now😒🤣 So far in her 19 games played for the Mystics, Olsen is averaging 3.7 points and 1.1 rebounds per game on 43.9% shooting from the floor, 40.0% from 3-point territory, and 90.9% from the free-throw line in 10:30 of playing time per contest. Townsville opens its 2025-26 season on Oct. 19 against the Bendigo Spirit. Ironically, the Fire's second game, scheduled on Oct. 25, will be in Canberra's AIS Arena against Melbourne and the UC Capitals. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
News.com.au
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Goth basketballer wears full face of makeup for games
She's the black sheep of the game and she knows it. With a full face of make-up every time she takes to the basketball court, Goth athlete Caitlin Cunningham makes no apologies for being the standout. In fact, she relishes in the spotlight and hopes she is a role model for other aspiring athletes – or anyone too afraid to be their authentic selves. 'I've always had heavy eye shadow and a very black goth aesthetic every single game I've played in my life, that's just me, some people get it, some don't,' Cunningham told 'I've always just messed around with makeup. Then last season I did a bit of a crow, extended the eye lines out. I always thought it would be cool to have full clown makeup, but I guess this is the next level down. I have quietly extended it,' she said. How does she keep her artwork intact for the full two hours of play? 'I guess I'm lucky I have never been much of a sweater,' she said. Cunningham said being the odd one out wasn't always easy. 'I was definitely the black sheep of the sport. Basketball in Australia is very political. I was always the odd one out, misunderstood, the one the coaches didn't get. 'I wouldn't be selected, wouldn't be a favourite. It got to the point where I stopped playing WNBL for a while.' Drafted to the Canberra Capitals at 19 after three years at the Australian Institute of Sport, Cunningham moved to Adelaide then Dandenong in Victoria, gradually became 'sick and tired' of people not believing in her. 'I thought 'f**k this' and started going out and hanging out with music friends and friends in fashion, other creative people and I just stepped away from the game, I was 25,' she said. Once the pandemic hit, and imports couldn't enter the country, Cunningham had several coaches asking her to reconsider her retirement. She took a contract on the Gold Coast and is now signed to Rockhampton in central Queensland. 'My style of game? I'm quite tall and skinny and these days a lot of players are heavy and strong girls,' Cunningham said. 'I'm like a little rat that runs and jumps, my game is pure athleticism. 'I don't have the physical brute but I am very tricky, agile and I can shoot.' Cunningham has the balance just right – living in Melbourne where she is continuing her music career and is soon to release her first song, personal training clients and working with youth at the YMCA, then flies to Rockhampton for matches and training. 'I'm really lucky I am doing it all, following all my dreams,' she said. 'I want people to know they should follow their dreams, do what they love, be their authentic self,' she said. As her online fan base increases exponentially, Cunningham takes her job as a role model extremely seriously. 'I have so many fans and people reaching out to me as a player, but also as a musician and as a person,' she said. 'I'm a queer Goth and if I had that person on the internet to look up to when I was young I would have felt so seen. 'It's empowerment, that's what life is about, having people that inspire you to be you, and live the best life you can, that's priceless.'
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aussie basketball star goes viral for wearing goth makeup during matches - and turning two of their teeth into FANGS
Australian basketballer Caitlin Cunningham has gone viral online not just for their basketball skills, but their unusual goth appearance. Dubbed 'Caitlin Dark' after WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, the 39-year-old has grabbed global attention for their combination of athleticism and goth aesthetic. 'I was a MySpace kid,' Cunningham, who uses they/them/she pronouns, told the ABC. 'Emo music's a big part of my life and so the makeup has always been an expression, and I've always done it.' The former WNBL player, who now plays semi-professionally for the Rockhampton Cyclones, says people have always noticed how at odds she looks compared to typical athletes. 'I found an old article from when I was 21, when I was signed to the Canberra Capitals, playing in the WNBL,' she said. 'The journalist touched on my black shoes, my black socks, my goth looks. 'So it's always been a thing for me.' Cunningham explains that their look - dark makeup, tattoos, athleisure outfits in the same colour and those fangs - is all tied into the music she loves. 'When I was young, I would look up to these artists and be mesmerised by their self-expression and their art form,' Cunningham said. 'And if people are looking at me like I looked at those people … you have a role to play in these young people's journey of self-discovery and I do take it seriously. 'If I had someone like me when I was growing up, I would have felt so seen.' Sports fans online have celebrated Cunningham's bold individuality, proving opposite subcultures can flourish together. 'Welcome back Dennis Rodman,' joked one Instagram user. 'Do you need a controversially far away girlfriend,' posted another 'She looks photoshopped in, I love her.' said a third. Cunningham is overwhelmed by all the attention she is getting, with their TikTok quickly growing from 200 followers to over 50,000. A TikTok compilation of Cunningham has had more than three million views. Some have even compared Cunningham to American actor and comedian Pete Davidson. 'A lot of very attractive women always seem to want to date me, and I think that may have a bit to do with the comparison,' Cunningham told 'But I think I'm tall, I'm skinny, I've got a lot of tattoos, I don't know, I'm a bit dorky, maybe similar to him. 'Maybe I've just got big d**k energy.' Cunningham hopes that the increased visibility she has received can benefit LGBTQ+ people. 'It's harder to sleep because I've been getting some quite heavy DMs, and I really care about the people reaching out to me because they're feeling so seen and connected, and I'm helping them realize something about themselves or feel comfortable in their own skin,' Cunningham said. 'And that is so powerful, and if I'm that connection for them to be the best version of themselves, I just want to know how to keep helping people feel good with themselves. 'If I'm that role model for someone, I'll take it, I'll do it, I'll do the best I can to harness that.'
ABC News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Basketballer Caitlin Cunningham is a 'health goth' and wants to show sport is for all
The emo/goth aesthetic isn't one usually associated with athletes, particularly not at an elite level. But that's never bothered Caitlin Cunningham, who's proof that the two seemingly opposite subcultures can coexist and flourish. "I was a Myspace kid. Emo music's a big part of my life and so the makeup has always been an expression, and I've always done it," Cunningham, who uses they/them/she pronouns, told ABC Melbourne's The Conversation Hour. They were also an early adopter of the health goth style — broadly speaking, a trend that originated around a decade ago, combining sport/working out with monochromatic athleisure, dark make-up and a general gothic look. The former WNBL player, who now plays semi-professionally for the Rockhampton Cyclones in the NBL1 North, has captured a lot of attention over the past week after pictures of her playing were posted on social media. They've earned them the moniker "Caitlin Dark", riffing off WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark. It's nothing new for the 39-year-old, who's also a musician and personal trainer. "I found an old article from when I was 21, when I was signed to the Canberra Capitals, playing in the WNBL," she said. "The journalist touched on my black shoes, my black socks, my goth looks. So it's always been a thing for me." The look has evolved since then — there are more tattoos, two teeth have been turned into fangs and the now increasingly famous make-up. "It's all tied into music for me. When I was young, I would look up to these artists and be mesmerised by their self-expression and their art form," Cunningham said. "And if people are looking at me like I looked at those people … you have a role to play in these young people's journey of self-discovery and I do take it seriously. The intersection of sport, fashion, beauty and music is well-established — and there is power in athletes using their platform and profile to showcase the many dimensions of human expression. Serena Williams was a trailblazer throughout her career, showing that you can be stylish, fashion-forward and one of the greatest players of all time. Brazilian football legend Marta first sported her trademark red lipstick at the 2019 Women's World Cup, saying: "The colour is of blood because we had to leave blood on the pitch. Now I'm going to use it in every game." American rugby player Ilona Maher wears her red lipstick to show femininity can coexist with peak athletic performance, saying, "it doesn't take away from your athletic ability if you wear make-up". The WNBA and NBA tunnels have become high-end fashion runways with athletes trading basketball singlets for haute couture. What does it all mean? Well, in short — that athletes are people too, with complex identities, interests and forms of expression. But for athletes competing in women's sport, and women and gender-diverse people generally, it goes deeper. They have always been policed over their appearance and faced constant contradictions. Too masculine/too feminine. Too muscular/too thin. Too concerned with their looks/not concerned enough. Trying too hard to fit in or too hard to stand out. Praised for fighting for equity, or being told to be grateful for what they've got. It's an exhausting dance, essentially all an encapsulation of the now well-versed Barbie monologue. To blend in is an easier existence, but as Cunningham — and so many others — show, to embrace yourself is a much more fulfilling one. "I might look quite intimidating, but I am probably one of the most softest, most gentle people and everyone knows that," they said. "Don't judge a book by its cover. I am such a contradiction of what I am perceived as to who I am." And with sport a central part of so many people's lives, whether as participants or spectators, Cunningham knows the impact of its influence. "There's so many sports that really like to put people in a box of stereotypes," she said. "And it's unfair because I think that turns away people who feel a little bit different, and that puts them off wanting to be in a team sport environment.
The Advertiser
27-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Canberra back on NBL agenda with hosting of Blitz
Canberra will be thrust back into the NBL's spotlight as preseason tournament host nearly 40 years after the Cannons won the last of their three titles. The nation's capital will host the NBL Blitz next month, with 10 games across five nights at the renovated AIS Arena from August 27. The city is home to the Australian Institute of Sport's basketball program that has nurtured the country's swelling crop of NBA players and coaches, while the Capitals have been a WNBL mainstay since 1984. But there has been no NBL presence since the Cannons, one of the league's original 10 teams, were dissolved in 2003. The Cannons were runners-up in the inaugural competition and then won titles in 1983, 1984 and 1988 while finishing second in 1989. Expansion is on the radar of the NBL, which now also runs the WNBL and the city will get its chance to push its case. "Bringing the NBL Blitz back to Canberra is fantastic," NBL chief executive David Stevenson said. "We are grateful for the strong support from the ACT Government, our NBL Clubs, Basketball ACT and AIS Arena for making this event possible. "This event isn't just about elite basketball; it's also a wonderful opportunity for community engagement and to foster the NBL stars of the future, and we encourage everyone to get involved." The regular season begins on September 18 with Illawarra as defending champions. Canberra will be thrust back into the NBL's spotlight as preseason tournament host nearly 40 years after the Cannons won the last of their three titles. The nation's capital will host the NBL Blitz next month, with 10 games across five nights at the renovated AIS Arena from August 27. The city is home to the Australian Institute of Sport's basketball program that has nurtured the country's swelling crop of NBA players and coaches, while the Capitals have been a WNBL mainstay since 1984. But there has been no NBL presence since the Cannons, one of the league's original 10 teams, were dissolved in 2003. The Cannons were runners-up in the inaugural competition and then won titles in 1983, 1984 and 1988 while finishing second in 1989. Expansion is on the radar of the NBL, which now also runs the WNBL and the city will get its chance to push its case. "Bringing the NBL Blitz back to Canberra is fantastic," NBL chief executive David Stevenson said. "We are grateful for the strong support from the ACT Government, our NBL Clubs, Basketball ACT and AIS Arena for making this event possible. "This event isn't just about elite basketball; it's also a wonderful opportunity for community engagement and to foster the NBL stars of the future, and we encourage everyone to get involved." The regular season begins on September 18 with Illawarra as defending champions. Canberra will be thrust back into the NBL's spotlight as preseason tournament host nearly 40 years after the Cannons won the last of their three titles. The nation's capital will host the NBL Blitz next month, with 10 games across five nights at the renovated AIS Arena from August 27. The city is home to the Australian Institute of Sport's basketball program that has nurtured the country's swelling crop of NBA players and coaches, while the Capitals have been a WNBL mainstay since 1984. But there has been no NBL presence since the Cannons, one of the league's original 10 teams, were dissolved in 2003. The Cannons were runners-up in the inaugural competition and then won titles in 1983, 1984 and 1988 while finishing second in 1989. Expansion is on the radar of the NBL, which now also runs the WNBL and the city will get its chance to push its case. "Bringing the NBL Blitz back to Canberra is fantastic," NBL chief executive David Stevenson said. "We are grateful for the strong support from the ACT Government, our NBL Clubs, Basketball ACT and AIS Arena for making this event possible. "This event isn't just about elite basketball; it's also a wonderful opportunity for community engagement and to foster the NBL stars of the future, and we encourage everyone to get involved." The regular season begins on September 18 with Illawarra as defending champions.
