Established in 1981, the WNBL will celebrate its 30^th* incarnation this season with the ten teams from the 2008/09 WNBL season returning for 2009/10.

The competing teams will be (in order of 2008/09 results): Canberra Capitals, Bulleen Boomers, Townsville Fire, Adelaide Lightning, Bendigo Spirit, Sydney Uni Flames, Dandenong Rangers, Logan Thunder, Perth Lynx, Australian Institute of Sport.

A Victorian derby between the Dandenong Rangers and Bendigo Spirit will open the season, with reigning champions Canberra Capitals back in action on Saturday October 3 when they host Bulleen at the AIS Arena in a 2008/09 Grand Final re-match.

Basketball Australia Chief Executive Larry Sengstock said the longevity of the women’s league demonstrated the quality of Australian women’s basketball.

“The WNBL has long been one of the premier women’s leagues in Australia, and that tradition continues this season,” Sengstock said.

“With ten teams from across Australia and games being played in the Northern Territory and Tasmania, the WNBL is a truly national league that has produced World Champions and Olympic Silver medallists.”

In a similar format to the 2008/09 season, each team will play 22 games in the regular season (11 home and 11 away) across 18 rounds.

The top five teams at the end of the regular season will contest the Finals Series starting with a playoff between the fourth and fifth placed teams on Wednesday 17 February 2010.

The Semi Finals will be contested from February 19-21 before the Preliminary Final on the weekend of February 26-28. The Grand Final is scheduled for the weekend of 5-7 March 2010.

Click here to see the full schedule

Schedule/Results

* Due to a change in season timing, the WNBL enjoyed two seasons in 1998.