UC Capitals and Paul Goriss agree to a two-year contract extension

The UC Capitals and Paul Goriss have agreed to a 2-year contract extension, locking in the team’s head coaching position through the 2027/28 WNBL season.

Since returning to the sidelines as the team’s head coach for the 24/25 season, Goriss has helped lead the Capitals to the brink of a finals berth, finishing 5th on the ladder and steadily improving the team’s win totals both years.

His return gives the club continuity in the team’s leadership position as the Capitals continue to build towards being a contender once again.

“We are excited to have Coach Goriss continue to be our coach for the next two seasons. We believe in his vision and leadership in our pursuit of our 10th WNBL championship,” said UC Capitals Executive General Manager Christy Collier-Hill.

“Goz has laid an incredible foundation for this club over the past two seasons, and we look forward to keep building on it as we head into this offseason and beyond.”

Goriss was initially appointed as the UC Capitals head coach for the 2016/17 season. He coached the team until 2022 before stepping down to pursue an assistant coaching role with the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA. He was re-appointed the Capitals’ head coach late in the 2024 off-season after then head coach Kristen Veal had to step down due to health issues.

University of Canberra Director of Sport Carrie Graf says the extension is a testament to the work that Goriss has done on and off the court.

“Goz is an important fabric not only of the UC Capitals, but also the Canberra community. His track record with the Capitals speaks for itself, but his work behind the scenes with our sponsors, stakeholders and the Canberra basketball community has been equally impactful as well,” she said.  

Over his 8-year head coaching career in the WNBL, Goriss has 94 career wins in over 160 games. He has coached the Capitals to two WNBL championships (2019 and 2020), and last year, was appointed as the Associate Head Coach of the Australian Opals.

“I’m excited and grateful to the club for the contract extension. This is the club and the city where I want to be coaching – this is home for me,” Goriss said.

“The goal is to be a Top 4 team every year and competing for a championship. That’s what I want, that’s what the players want, that's what our fans and sponsors want. Christy and I have a great working relationship, and we’ve spoken at length about how we’re going to achieve that, and we think continuity is a very important piece.”

“With Christy being here and with this extension, now we’ve got to work towards building continuity with our roster and find a way to keep improving at all levels as we strive for that championship.”