Carrie Graf AM

One of Australia’s finest basketball coaches, Carrie Graf reached great heights on the national and international stage.

In 1983 at just 15 years of age, Graf commenced playing in the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) with the Nunawading Spectres.

Following her playing career Carrie Graf transitioned to coaching, leading the new-look Sydney Flames to their first ever Championship in 1993.

Arriving to the Canberra Capitals in 1999, Graf bought a winning culture and guided an exciting squad, headlined by a young stars Lauren Jackson and Kristen Veal, to the 1999/2000 Championship.  The Caps would claim the title again two years later.

Graf won further Championships with Canberra in 2006, ’07, ’09 and 2010, named WNBL Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

Juggling commitments in Canberra with those in the USA, Graf also coached the Phoenix Mercury in the Women’s National Basketball Association. She was assistant in 1998, ’99, ’01 and 2003 before taking on the head coaching role from 2004-05. In doing so, Graf became the first Australian woman to head coach in the WNBA.

On the international scene, Carrie Graf was assistant Australian Opals coach for 156 internationals, including when the Opals broke through for their first Olympic medal at Atlanta in 1996, a bronze. This was followed by further bronze at the 1998 World Championships in Germany and a silver at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

In 2010, Graf was appointed Opals Head Coach. In 56 games at the helm she took the team to fifth at the 2010 World Championships before winning bronze at the 2012 Olympics in London.

After two decades, Graf called time on her coaching career at the conclusion of the Capitals 2015/16 WNBL season. She finished as the League’s all-time leader in wins for coaches.

While an exceptional coach, Carrie Graf was also tireless in her efforts to elevate the status of women in sport: as athletes, coaches and leaders. She received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, gained WNBL Life Membership in 2005/06, was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2015 and included in the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame in 2017.