The UC Capitals and Basketball ACT are strengthening the ACT’s pathway to elite women’s basketball with the refresh of the Caps Academy.
The new-look Academy will provide selected emerging athletes with an opportunity to experience the standards, environment and expectations of a professional basketball program, while continuing their development within the ACT pathway.
Led by UC Capitals Head Coach Paul Goriss and Lead Assistant Coach Nat Hurst, the Caps Academy will connect local athletes directly with the UC Capitals playing group, coaching staff and high-performance team.
For Goriss, the program is an important opportunity to give local athletes a first-hand understanding of what it takes to play at the WNBL level.
“The Caps Academy provides local Canberra players the experience of seeing up close what it is like to be a pro in the WNBL and the high-performance environment of the Caps both on and off court.
“They will get to practice in selected sessions on court, individual and small group workouts, game day experience, and a behind-the-scenes look at our specialist sessions in nutrition, sports psychology, goal setting, team culture, strength and conditioning, with our other high-performance staff.
“This great initiative and opportunity allows us to monitor and evaluate players as future players for the UC Capitals.”
The Academy represents an additional link in the ACT development pathway, complementing existing programs and providing athletes with greater exposure to the next level of the game.
BACT Performance Pathway & Coach Manager Leonard King said the program would help create a stronger connection between the ACT basketball system and the UC Capitals.
“This is an exciting new link in the basketball pathway in the ACT, and we really like the direction of this new-look Caps Academy. We believe it provides a fantastic opportunity to create a stronger connection between the UC Capitals, Basketball ACT and our emerging athletes.
“It also gives our players an opportunity to experience the standards, expectations, and professionalism of a WNBL environment while continuing their development. It's a pathway step that hasn't always been there, and one that I hope can remain in place for years to come.”
BACT Chief Executive Officer Nicole Bowles highlighted the long-standing relationship between the two organisations and the importance of continuing to build opportunities for the next generation of female athletes.
“The links between Basketball ACT and the Capitals has lasted for generations, and it's been really exciting to see our organisations come together more concertedly and more effectively in recent years.
“The Caps Academy is just another example of this strengthened partnership between BACT and the UC Caps, and it's wonderful to see our talented young female athletes being recognised for an opportunity along the pathway like this.”
For UC Capitals Executive General Manager Christy Collier-Hill, the Academy is another step in creating a clear and connected pathway for athletes within the ACT.
“We know there is incredible talent across our local basketball community, and the Caps Academy gives us an opportunity to invest in that talent and help athletes understand what their next step could look like.
“This is about creating genuine connection between the athletes coming through Basketball ACT and the UC Capitals, while giving them access to the people, knowledge and environment that can help them continue to grow.
“We want our athletes to see a future for themselves in the ACT, and we see the Caps Academy as an important part of building that future.”
Throughout the program, athletes will also experience the professional game-day environment, sitting directly behind the UC Capitals team at home games and gaining an insight into the preparation and professionalism required at WNBL level.
The program will also provide the UC Capitals coaching and high-performance staff with an opportunity to work closely with emerging athletes and identify potential future Development Players and rostered players.
For the inaugural 2026/27 Caps Academy athletes, the program is an opportunity to step inside the UC Capitals environment, learn from those already competing at the highest level and take another step towards their basketball ambitions.
2026/27 athletes:
Ava Tawake
Awour Deng
Jorja Langi
Katiah-Ann Tait
Millah Sullivan
Molly Lacey
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