# 2015–16 WNBL season

The 2015–16 WNBL season is the 36th season of competition since its establishment in 1981. A total of 9 teams contested the league. The regular season was played between October 2015 and February 2016, followed by a post-season involving the top four on 28 February to 18 March 2016. The Townsville Fire were the defending champions and they would go on to repeat their run to the WNBL title, defeating the Perth Lynx 2–0 in the final.
Sponsorship included Wattle Valley, entering its third year as league naming rights sponsor. Spalding provided equipment including the official game ball, with Peak supplying team apparel. This season also saw the return of a team from South Queensland with the debut of the South East Queensland Stars.

## Team standings

| # | WNBL Championship Ladder | WNBL Championship Ladder | WNBL Championship Ladder | WNBL Championship Ladder | WNBL Championship Ladder |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GP |
| 1 | Townsville Fire | 17 | 7 | 70.83 | 24 |
| 2 | Perth Lynx | 16 | 8 | 66.67 | 24 |
| 3 | Dandenong Rangers | 15 | 9 | 62.50 | 24 |
| 4 | South East Queensland Stars | 15 | 9 | 62.50 | 24 |
| 5 | Sydney Uni Flames | 13 | 11 | 54.17 | 24 |
| 6 | Bendigo Spirit | 12 | 12 | 50.00 | 24 |
| 7 | Adelaide Lightning | 10 | 14 | 41.67 | 24 |
| 8 | Melbourne Boomers | 8 | 16 | 33.33 | 24 |
| 9 | University of Canberra Capitals | 2 | 22 | 8.33 | 24 |

## Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Grand final | Grand final | Grand final |
| 28 February – Townsville | 28 February – Townsville | 28 February – Townsville | | | | 12, 18 March – Perth / Townsville | 12, 18 March – Perth / Townsville | 12, 18 March – Perth / Townsville |
| Townsville Fire | Townsville Fire | 72 | | | | Perth Lynx | Perth Lynx | 0 |
| Perth Lynx | Perth Lynx | 91 | 5 March – Townsville | 5 March – Townsville | 5 March – Townsville | Townsville Fire | Townsville Fire | 2 |
| | | | Townsville Fire | Townsville Fire | 91 | | | |
| 27 February – Dandenong | 27 February – Dandenong | 27 February – Dandenong | South East Queensland Stars | South East Queensland Stars | 71 | | | |
| Dandenong Rangers | Dandenong Rangers | 82 | | | | | | |
| South East Queensland Stars | South East Queensland Stars | 86 | | | | | | |

## Statistics
### Individual statistic leaders

| Category | Player | Team | Statistic |
| Points per game | Suzy Batkovic | Townsville Fire | 20.8 PPG |
| Rebounds per game | Cayla George | Townsville Fire | 12.1 RPG |
| Assists per game | Kelly Wilson | Bendigo Spirit | 5.5 APG |
| Steals per game | Sami Whitcomb | Perth Lynx | 2.8 SPG |
| Blocks per game | Louella Tomlinson | Perth Lynx | 2.0 BPG |
| Three point percentage | Brittany Smart | Melbourne Boomers | 49.2% |
| Free throw percentage | Tahlia Tupaea | Sydney Uni Flames | 89.7% |

### Individual game highs

| Category | Player | Team | Statistic |
| Points | Sara Blicavs | Dandenong Rangers | 38 |
| Rebounds | Cayla George | Townsville Fire | 18 |
| Rebounds | Mikaela Ruef | Adelaide Lightning | 18 |
| Assists | Lauren Mansfield | South East Queensland Stars | 11 |
| Steals | Sami Whitcomb | Perth Lynx | 7 |
| Blocks | Elyse Penaluna | Melbourne Boomers | 7 |
| Blocks | Louella Tomlinson | Perth Lynx | 7 |
| Three pointers | Carley Mijovic | Perth Lynx | 9 |

## Season award winners
### Player of the Week Award

| Round # | Player | Team |
| Round 1 | Tess Madgen | Melbourne Boomers |
| Round 2 | Suzy Batkovic | Townsville Fire |
| Round 3 | Sami Whitcomb | Perth Lynx |
| Round 4 | Rachel Jarry | South East Queensland Stars |
| Round 5 | Gabrielle Richards | Bendigo Spirit |
| Round 6 | Tahlia Tupaea | Sydney Uni Flames |
| Round 7 | Suzy Batkovic (2) | Townsville Fire |
| Round 8 | Cayla George | Townsville Fire |
| Round 9 | Belinda Snell | Bendigo Spirit |
| Round 10 | Brittany Smart | Melbourne Boomers |
| Round 11 | Jordan Hooper | South East Queensland Stars |
| Round 12 | Kelsey Griffin | Bendigo Spirit |
| Round 13 | Gabrielle Richards (2) | Bendigo Spirit |
| Round 14 | Lauren Mansfield | South East Queensland Stars |
| Round 15 | Kayla Standish | Adelaide Lightning |
| Round 16 | Natalie Novosel | Townsville Fire |
| Round 17 | Leilani Mitchell | Adelaide Lightning |
| Round 18 | Abby Bishop | Canberra Capitals |

### Team of the Week Award

| Round # | Team | Team | Team | Team | Team |
| Round 1 | Tess Madgen Boomers | Sami Whitcomb Lynx | Kelsey Griffin Spirit | DeNesha Stallworth Stars | Elyse Penaluna Boomers |
| Round 2 | Katie-Rae Ebzery Flames | Belinda Snell Spirit | Kelsey Griffin (2) Spirit | Suzy Batkovic Fire | Louella Tomlinson Lynx |
| Round 3 | Tahlia Tupaea Flames | Sami Whitcomb (2) Lynx | Kelsey Griffin (3) Spirit | Sara Blicavs Rangers | Nadeen Payne Stars |
| Round 4 | Tess Madgen (2) Boomers | Leilani Mitchell Lightning | Madeleine Garrick Boomers | Rachel Jarry Stars | Suzy Batkovic (2) Fire |
| Round 5 | Katie-Rae Ebzery (2) Flames | Lauren Mansfield Stars | Betnijah Laney Lynx | Gabrielle Richards Spirit | Carolyn Swords Flames |
| Round 6 | Tahlia Tupaea (2) Flames | Sami Whitcomb (3) Lynx | Ify Ibekwe Stars | Suzy Batkovic (3) Fire | Louella Tomlinson (2) Lynx |
| Round 7 | Katie-Rae Ebzery (3) Flames | Sami Whitcomb (4) Lynx | Tamara Tatham Fire | Suzy Batkovic (4) Fire | Elyse Penaluna (2) Boomers |
| Round 8 | Tess Madgen (3) Boomers | Sami Whitcomb (5) Lynx | Stephanie Cumming Rangers | Belinda Snell (2) Spirit | Cayla George Fire |
| Round 9 | Tessa Lavey Lynx | Leilani Mitchell (2) Lightning | Belinda Snell (3) Spirit | Mikaela Ruef Lightning | Gabrielle Richards (2) Spirit |
| Round 10 | Brittany Smart Boomers | Madeleine Garrick (2) Boomers | Annalise Pickrel Rangers | Jordan Hooper Stars | Suzy Batkovic (5) Fire |
| Round 11 | Katie-Rae Ebzery (4) Flames | Lauren Mansfield (2) Stars | Sara Blicavs (2) Rangers | Jordan Hooper (2) Stars | Suzy Batkovic (6) Fire |
| Round 12 | Leilani Mitchell (3) Lightning | Stephanie Cumming (2) Rangers | Kelsey Griffin (4) Spirit | DeNesha Stallworth (2) Capitals | Cayla George (2) Fire |
| Round 13 | Lauren Mansfield (3) Stars | Sami Whitcomb (6) Lynx | Sara Blicavs (3) Rangers | Betnijah Laney (2) Lynx | Gabrielle Richards (3) Spirit |
| Round 14 | Lauren Mansfield (4) Stars | Rachel Jarry (2) Stars | Kelsey Griffin (5) Spirit | Betnijah Laney (3) Lynx | Suzy Batkovic (7) Fire |
| Round 15 | Lauren Mansfield (5) Stars | Sami Whitcomb (7) Lynx | Stephanie Cumming (3) Rangers | Kayla Standish Lightning | Cayla George (3) Fire |
| Round 16 | Lauren Mansfield (6) Stars | Renee Montgomery Capitals | Natalie Novosel Fire | Jordan Hooper (3) Stars | Carley Mijovic Lynx |
| Round 17 | Leilani Mitchell (4) Lightning | Carley Mijovic (2) Lynx | Ify Ibekwe (2) Stars | Abby Bishop Capitals | Suzy Batkovic (8) Fire |
| Round 18 | Katie-Rae Ebzery (5) Flames | Sami Whitcomb (8) Lynx | Jordan Hooper (4) Stars | Abby Bishop (2) Capitals | Cayla George (4) Fire |

### Player & Coach of the Month Awards

| For games played | Player of the Month | Player of the Month | Coach of the Month | Coach of the Month |
| For games played | Player | Team | Coach | Team |
| October 2015 | Suzy Batkovic | Townsville Fire | Shane Heal | South East Queensland Stars |
| November 2015 | Katie-Rae Ebzery | Sydney Uni Flames | Andy Stewart | Perth Lynx |
| December 2015 | Suzy Batkovic (2) | Townsville Fire | Larissa Anderson | Dandenong Rangers |
| January 2016 | Betnijah Laney | Perth Lynx | Larissa Anderson (2) | Dandenong Rangers |
| February 2016 | Jordan Hooper | South East Queensland Stars | Chris Lucas | Townsville Fire |

### Postseason Awards

| Award | Winner | Position | Team |
| Most Valuable Player Award | Suzy Batkovic | Centre | Townsville Fire |
| Grand Final MVP Award | Micaela Cocks | Guard | Townsville Fire |
| Rookie of the Year Award | Alex Ciabattoni | Forward | Adelaide Lightning |
| Defensive Player of the Year Award | Stephanie Cumming | Guard | Dandenong Rangers |
| Top Shooter Award | Suzy Batkovic | Centre | Townsville Fire |
| Coach of the Year Award | Andy Stewart | Coach | Perth Lynx |
| All-Star Five | Leilani Mitchell | Guard | Adelaide Lightning |
| All-Star Five | Sami Whitcomb | Guard | Perth Lynx |
| All-Star Five | Katie-Rae Ebzery | Guard | Sydney Uni Flames |
| All-Star Five | Kelsey Griffin | Forward | Bendigo Spirit |
| All-Star Five | Suzy Batkovic | Centre | Townsville Fire |

## Team Captains & Coaches

| Team | Captain | Coach |
| Adelaide Lightning | Kelly Bowen / Leilani Mitchell (co) | Tracy York |
| Bendigo Spirit | Kelly Wilson | Simon Pritchard |
| Dandenong Rangers | Aimie Clydesdale / Stephanie Cumming (co) | Larissa Anderson |
| Melbourne Boomers | Tess Madgen | Guy Molloy |
| Perth Lynx | Tessa Lavey | Andy Stewart |
| South East Queensland Stars | Rachel Jarry | Shane Heal |
| Sydney Uni Flames | Katie-Rae Ebzery | Shannon Seebohm |
| Townsville Fire | Suzy Batkovic | Chris Lucas |
| University of Canberra Capitals | Abby Bishop / Carly Wilson (co) | Carrie Graf |