Courtney Woods Awarded the Rachael Sporn Medal for WNBL26 Championship Series MVP

The Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) wishes to advise Courtney Woods of the Townsville Fire has won the WNBL26 Rachael Sporn Medal after being judged the Most Valuable Player in the WNBL26 Championship Series. The Townsville Fire were crowned the WNBL26 Championship after defeating the Perth Lynx in Game two of the WNBL26 Championship Series 108-105.

A panel of five judges voted on a 3,2,1 basis across the two games.

Voting breakdown:

Courtney Woods (Townsville Fire) - 26 votes (3,3, 3, 1, 3, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2)

Alicia Froling (Townsville Fire) - 19 votes (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 3)

Anneli Maley (Perth Lynx) - 11 votes (1, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1)

Miela Sowah (Townsville Fire) - 4 votes (2, 2)

Alex Ciabattoni (Perth Lynx) - 1 vote (1)

The final votes from the panel were as follows:

Lauren Jackson

Game 1:

3 votes - Courtney Woods (TSV)

2 votes - Alicia Froling (TSV)

1 vote - Anneli Maley (PER)

Game 2:

3 votes - Courtney Woods (TSV)

2 votes - Alicia Froling (TSV)

1 vote - Alex Ciabattoni (PER)

Rachael Sporn

Game 1:

3 votes - Courtney Woods (TSV)

2 votes - Alicia Froling (TSV)

1 vote - Anneli Maley (PER)

Game 2:

3 votes - Anneli Maley (PER)

2 votes - Alicia Froling (TSV)

1 vote - Courtney Woods (TSV)

Bec Cole

Game 1:

3 votes - Courtney Woods (TSV)

2 votes - Miela Sowah (TSV)

1 vote - Anneli Maley (PER)

Game 2:

3 votes - Courtney Woods (TSV)

2 votes - Anneli Maley (PER)

1 vote - Alicia Froling (TSV)

Liam Ellison

Game 1:

3 votes - Courtney Woods

2 votes - Alicia Froling (TSV)

1 votes - Anneli Maley (PER)

Game 2:

3 votes - Alicia Froling (TSV)

2 votes - Courtney Woods (TSV)

1 vote - Anneli Maley (PER)

Michele Timms

Game 1:

3 votes - Courtney Woods (TSV)

2 votes - Miela Sowah (TSV)

1 vote - Alicia Froling (TSV)

Game 2:

3 votes - Alicia Froling (TSV)

2 votes - Corutney Woods (TSV)

1 vote - Anneli Maley (PER)

About the Rachael Sport Most Valuable Player Medal:

Named after one of Adelaide's most successful WNBL stars, Rachael Sporn was a cornerstone of the Adelaide Lightning success during her 12-year career at the club where she helped establish the club as a powerhouse in the WNBL.

Sporn won her first WNBL Championship with the North Adelaide Rockets in 1990 and was a four-time Championship winner with the Adelaide Lightning across the 1990's.

Sporn has also represented Australia at three Olympics and three FIBA World Championships and was inducted into the Basketball Australia Half of Fame in 2007.

Rachael Sport career highlights:

• 304 games for the Opals
• 377 WNBL games
• Olympic silver medallist (2000 and 2004)
• Olympic bronze medallist (1996)
• Five-time WNBL Champion (1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998)
• Two-time WNBL MVP (1996 and 1997)
• Seven-time WNBL All-Star Five (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998)
• Inducted into the Basketball Australia Hall of Fame as a player in 2007