The public have spoken and the votes are all in. Mackay Basketball is proud to announce its Global Product Search Mackay Meteorettes ‘TEAM OF THE DECADE’ for 2010 to 2019.
STARTING FIVE
Backcourt – Jillian Haughton – 2012 to 2017
Mackay-born Haughton made an immediate impact after joining the Meteorettes from northern rivals the Townsville Flames in 2012. The then 20-year old lead the side to its first women’s QBL championship in 25 years, while also taking home the club Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the same year.
Haughton was also the starting point guard in the Meteorettes 2013 & 2014 championship winning campaigns.
As one of the premier floor generals in the competition, Haughton won numerous awards across the decade, including Meteorettes club MVP (2012 & 2014), Best Defensive Player (2013) and Players’ Player (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 & 2017). Haughton was also recognised as the QBL Youth Player of the Year in 2014.
Haughton may be best known for her heroic performance in the 2012 QBL finals, where playing with 3 broken ribs, she scored 37-points to lead the Meteorettes to victory against Bundaberg. The next night Haughton would help Mackay overcome Gladstone 78 – 71, ending their 3-year reign as QBL champions.
Backcourt – Heidi Freeburn – 2011, 2018 & 2019
‘H’ joined the Meteorettes back in 2011 where she had a stellar first season in the black & red, helping pilot the side to the QBL semi-finals.
After successful stints at other QBL clubs, Freeburn would make her way back to the Mack in 2018, taking home club MVP honours, after averaging 14ppg, 3rpg and 3apg. The sharpshooter would increase her output for the Meteorettes in 2019, claiming her second straight club MVP award after averaging close to 16ppg, 5rpg & 4apg, while converting an impressive 40% from behind the 3-point arc.
Frontcourt – Rachel Gange (Nèe Allison) – 2010 to 2016
Fresh from Baylor University in Texas, Mackay would be the first stop on Gange’s professional basketball journey that started in 2010.
In her first overseas campaign, Gange flat-out dominated opposition squads as the Meteorettes inside-outside threat, being named to the QBL All League team. Gange would again receive All League honours in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
A 3-time QBL championship winner with the Meteorettes, Rachel shone brightest on the biggest stage and when it mattered the most, claiming the QBL Grand Final MVP award in 2012, 2013 & 2014.
A relentless competitor, Gange would also be honoured with Meteorettes club MVP honours in 2011 & 2013, while also earning the Best Defensive Player achievement in 2014 & 2015.
Frontcourt – Kayla Steindl (Nèe Standish) – 2013 to 2015
Deriving from Ellensburg in the state of Washington USA, Steindl joined the Meteorettes in 2013, after the 187cm tall power forward had a highly impressive debut international season with the Townsville Fire in the WNBL.
The silent assassin was also unstoppable in her time with Mackay, consistently posting 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per contest, while starting on the 2013 & 2014 QBL championship winning Mackay squads.
Steindl would be named Meteorettes club co-MVP in 2013, the same season she was named to the QBL All-League team. Steindl would also earn All-League recognition in 2014 & 2015, while also being club MVP again in 2015.
Frontcourt – Tami Willey – 2011, 2014 to 2017
Like a fine wine, Tami Willey seemed to keep getting better with age.
Willey started her decade of dominance in 2011, where she came out of retirement to earn the club Players’ Player and Coaches Awards, taking the team one game short of a QBL grand final appearance.
After sitting out the 2012 & 2013 seasons, Willey would return to the red and black in 2014, earning a QBL championship ring alongside her sister Kayla Steindl (nèe Standish).
2015 would see Willey claim a second Players’ Player award, before she was named club MVP and a member of the All-League team in 2016.
Astonishingly, Willey would take home Meteorettes club co-MVP silverware in 2017 as a 37-year old, after she averaged 15ppg and 8rpg, leading her side to a QBL grand final berth.
Meteorettes Coach of the Decade – Mick Virgo – 2013 to 2016
After being Assistant Coach in the Meteorettes 2012 championship winning season, Mick Virgo took the head coach reigns at the beginning of 2013 and stayed in the top job for the next 4-years.
In that time Virgo mentored his side to back-to-back QBL championships (2013 & 2014), a quarterfinal appearance in 2015 and another grand final appearance in 2016.
Virgo was named QBL Coach of the Year in 2014, with a record of 18 wins and just 1 loss.
Virgo would complete his 4-year Meteorettes tenure with a remarkable 62-wins & 14 losses.
BENCH FIVE
o Backcourt – Rachael McCully (Nèe Flanagan) – 2010
o Backcourt – Micaela Cocks – 2017
o Frontcourt – Fiona McGrath – 2011 to 2015
o Frontcourt – Jacqui Zelenka – 2010 to 2019
o Frontcourt – Louella Tomlinson – 2012 & 2013
