From Mackay to life membership: Tolo's incredible journey to 250 games

She’s established herself as one of the top Australian players of her generation, and now Marianna Tolo is set to chalk up another amazing milestone.

The centre will become just the 59th athlete to play 250 games in the WNBL on Sunday, during the Bendigo Spirit’s Round 6 clash with Perth.

“It [the milestone] is really special because I've got to have so many different experiences with different players, different teams, different coaches,” Tolo said.

“I've been able to learn so much and experience so much of Australia, and I wouldn't have done so otherwise.

“It's definitely about the journey and how many ups and downs are along the way.

“I appreciate the sport and all that’s involved in it.”

Born and raised in Mackay, Tolo went on to play for Queensland North and Queensland at numerous junior national titles and represent her country in numerous junior Australian teams.

Both led to her attending the Australian Institute of Sport from 2006 to 2008.

During that time, Tolo made her WNBL and Opals debut before shifting to crosstown rivals, the UC Capitals, ahead of the 2009 season.

During her first stint with the Caps, Tolo helped the club win back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, before being named in her first of two WNBL All-Star fives in 2011 (with the other being in 2017).

After four seasons with the Capitals, Tolo took her talents overseas, playing for Pays d'Aix Basket 13 (France), CJM Bourges Basket (France) and the Los Angeles Sparks (United States).

At the end of the latter's WNBA season, Tolo unfortunately suffered an ACL injury which forced her to come home and miss the entire WNBL16 season.

Once recovered, Tolo lined up up again for the Caps during the 2016-17 (a season in which she won Defensive Player of the Year), which was followed by a season in Turkey with AGU Spor.

Unfortunately, in February of that European season, Tolo suffered her second ACL injury.

Once again, Tolo returned to Australia to rehab, before re-joining the Caps for a third stint.

During this time, the Caps won back-to-back in 2019 and 2020 before losing in the semi-finals in the competition's hub season.

At the end of her third time in Canberra, another stint overseas ensued for Tolo, plying her trade in France with Basket Landes SASP and Spain with Spar Girona.

Ahead of the WNBL25 season, Tolo penned a deal to return to Australia and play with Bendigo, where she helped the club win their third title.

Among all these club accomplishments, Tolo has become a mainstay of the Opals program, appearing at three Olympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Paris - where she won bronze) and helping the team win two bronze medals at the FIBA world championships (2014 and 2022) and a silver medal at the 2017 Asia Cup.

Upon reflecting on her incredible career to date, Tolo outlined the memories that stick out to her.

“Obviously, winning those championships are very special and I’m lucky enough to have five of them,” Tolo said.

“All of them are so special in their own way and represent a different stage of my career.

“Moments like this are always great to look back on all I’ve achieved.

“This is another big moment for me, which has crept up quickly.

“As a player, you get into a rhythm of doing the same thing every day, with training and games, so it’s nice to reflect from time to time.

“Especially as this milestone was something I probably didn’t think was possible, as I played for so long overseas.

“To be able to have my name up there with some of the greats of our sport and competition is really special.

“Little 16-year-old had faith we could do something special with my career but wouldn’t have believed all this. This journey has fulfilled everything and more from what I wanted to.”

The occasion will be made even more memorable by the fact that long-time teammate and friend Kelsey Griffin will also chalk up her 250th on Sunday.

“It's very special to be able to share this moment with KG,” Tolo said.

“She is a phenomenal athlete and person and someone I've grown really close with over the last couple of years and I'm really lucky to call one of my best friends.

“KG and her wife Erin are definitely one of the reasons I'm in Bendigo.

“It's really nice to be able to have that moment together, even though I try to tell KG she should have her own moment, but she's not having it.”

Tolo and Griffin have played together at both Canberra and Bendigo in the WNBL, so it’s only suitable that they share this moment together, made possible by an ill-timed injury in WNBL26 when the Australian Opal broke the finger of her US teammate on a pass.

“It’s a pretty unbelievable story isn't it?” she said.

“Once KG returned, I believe it was her wife Erin that was looking at the numbers and how many games we both played and somehow it was like, oh wow, we've ended up on the same number magically.

“Then I was like, oh, that wouldn't have happened without me [breaking her finger]. I think it was meant to be, unfortunately for her.”

Looking at the game itself against the Lynx at the Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium.

“I think this WNBL season is going to be one of the closest yet in terms of all the teams and not knowing who's going to be in the finals,” she said.

“It's going to be really tough for every team and every game. So you have to come in prepared each game. You can't take any game easy because if you come in underprepared, you'll lose.

“[On Sunday] we've got to come in ready to go.

“Obviously we lost to Perth the last time we played them. They've been playing really well and have really picked things up this season and started the season phenomenally.

“It's going to be a challenge for us for sure but we'll have that extra fire in the belly knowing that we lost to them just two games ago.

“[Not to mention] we want to celebrate [these milestones] on a positive note.”

Sunday’s Round 6 fixture tips off at 12.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN and 9Now.

Tickets to the clash are still available here.