Sunshine Coast Lightning are a professional Australian netball team based at the University of the Sunshine Coast. The team was formed in 2016 as a joint venture between the university and Melbourne Storm. Since 2017 they have played in Super Netball. Lightning have played in three grand finals, winning the premierships in 2017 and 2018.
History New franchise
In May 2016, Netball Australia and Netball New Zealand announced that the ANZ Championship would be discontinued after the 2016 season. In Australia it was replaced by Super Netball. The founding members of Super Netball included the five former Australian ANZ Championship teams – Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Vixens, New South Wales Swifts, Queensland Firebirds and West Coast Fever; plus three brand new franchises: Collingwood Magpies, Giants Netball and the Lightning.
In August 2016, Sunshine Coast Lightning was officially launched. The team was formed as a joint venture by Melbourne Storm and the University of the Sunshine Coast with the support of Sunshine Coast Council. The colours of the team - navy blue, purple and yellow - are the same as the Storm's. The logo features a bolt of lightning.
Noeline Taurua era
Before the official launch of Sunshine Coast Lightning, Noeline Taurua had already been announced as the inaugural head coach of the new franchise. In September 2016, Caitlin Bassett and Stephanie Wood became the first two Lightning players. Geva Mentor also subsequently signed for Lightning. In February 2017, Mentor was named captain of the new franchise. In 2017, Lightning finished the season as inaugural champions after defeating Giants Netball 65–48 in the grand final. In 2018 they retained the title after defeating West Coast Fever 62–59 in the grand final. In 2019, Lightning finished the regular season as minor premiers. They also played in their third successive grand final but this time, they were defeated by New South Wales Swifts. After three seasons as head coach at Lightning, Taurua resigned and was replaced by her assistant at the club, Kylee Byrne.
+ Regular season statistics Season Position Won Drawn Lost2nd1112 4th815 1st1202 2nd9054th8068th4010 5th608 4th608 5th707 6th509
Grand finals Season Winners Score Runners up Venue2017Sunshine Coast Lightning65–48Giants NetballBrisbane Entertainment Centre2018Sunshine Coast Lightning62–59West Coast FeverPerth Arena2019New South Wales Swifts64–47Sunshine Coast LightningBrisbane Entertainment Centre
Home venues Lightning now play all of their home matches at UniSC Arena in Sippy Downs. The venue is also the club's administrative and training base.
They have also previously played occasional home matches at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.
Notable players 2026 squad
Internationals
Caitlin Bassett Kelsey Browne Courtney Bruce Tara Hinchliffe Cara Koenen Kristiana Manu'a Laura Scherian Donnell Wallam Liz Watson Stephanie Wood
Geva Mentor Kate Shimmin
Kadie-Ann Dehaney
Karin Burger Laura Langman Erena Mikaere
Phumza Maweni Karla Pretorius
Peace Proscovia
Captains Name YearsGeva Mentor2017–2018Laura Langman2019–2020Karla Pretorius2021Stephanie Wood2022–2025Liz Watson2026-present
Club Award winners Steph Fretwell Medal The club's Player of the Year was renamed to the Steph Fretwell Medal in 2026. Season Winner2017Geva Mentor2018Stephanie WoodKarla Pretorius2019Karla Pretorius (2)2020Karla Pretorius (3)2021Stephanie Wood (2)2022Mahalia Cassidy2023Stephanie Wood (3)2024Liz Watson2025Stephanie Fretwell (4)Cara Koenen2026Liz Watson (2) Players' Player Season Player2017Geva Mentor2018Karla Pretorius2019Karla Pretorius2020Karla Pretorius2021Cara Koenen2022Mahalia Cassidy2023Stephanie Wood2024Stephanie Fretwell2025Tara Hinchliffe2026Donnell Wallam Members' Player Season Player2017Laura Langman2018Stephanie Wood2019Karla Pretorius2020Cara Koenen2021Cara Koenen2022Laura Scherian2023Stephanie Wood2024Ashleigh Ervin2025Mahalia Cassidy2026not awarded Team Spirit Award Season Player2017Laura Scherian2018Jacqui Russell2019Jacqui Russell2020Madeline McAuliffe2021Kate Shimmin2022Tara Hinchliffe2023Karla Pretorius2024Leesa Mi Mi2025Tara Hinchliffe2026not awarded
Competition Award winners Super Netball Player of the Year Season Player2017Geva Mentor Super Netball Grand Final MVP Season Player2017Karla Pretorius2018Caitlin Bassett Super Netball Team of the Year Season PlayerPosition2017Laura LangmanC2017Geva MentorGK2018Karla PretoriusGD2018Geva MentorGK2019Karla PretoriusGD2020Karla PretoriusGD2020Cara KoenenReserve2023Stephanie FretwellReserve2024Liz WatsonReserve2024Ashleigh ErvinReserve2025Liz WatsonReserve Head coaches Coach YearsNoeline Taurua2016–2019Kylee Byrne2019–2022Belinda Reynolds2023–present
Sunshine Coast Lightning Bolts
The reserve team of the Sunshine Coast Lightning is known as the Sunshine Coast Lightning Bolts. This team currently plays in the Super Netball Reserves competition, which began in 2024, after rebranding from the Australian Netball Championships and prior to that, the Australian Netball League. The Lightning Bolts played in their first grand final in the 2026 season, losing 69-55 to the QBE Swifts Academy.
Lightning's previous reserve team was the Territory Storm, as a result of a partnership between the club and Netball NT lasting from 2017 to 2019. The club had also formed a partnership with Netball ACT in 2020 for the Capital Darters to serve as the reserve team, however the ANL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The club also founded the USC Thunder playing in Netball Queensland's HART Premier Netball League Sapphire Division.
Premierships
Super Netball Winners: 2017, 2018 Runners Up: 2019 Minor Premierships: 2019 Super Netball Reserves / Australian Netball Championships / Australian Netball League Runners Up: 2026
References
External links Official website Instagram TikTok