Leicester Riders (women)

The Leicester Riders are an English women's basketball team based in Loughborough, that compete in the WBBL, the top league of British women's basketball.

Leicester Riders
LeagueWBBL
Founded2011; 13 years ago (2011)
HistoryLoughborough Riders
2011-2014
Leicester Riders
2014-present
ArenaLoughborough University
LocationLoughborough, England
WebsiteOfficial website

History edit

The Riders' programme was founded in 2011 at Loughborough University, and entered the National Basketball League Division Two in its first season. In that inaugural season, the Riders finished second in the league and won the post-season playoffs, earning promotion to Division One which at the time was the highest level of women's basketball in the United Kingdom.[1]

In 2014, the Riders were founder members of the newly established Women's British Basketball League and the programme became known as the Leicester Riders, in closer partnership with the club. The Riders won their first WBBL title in 2018, winning the first of three consecutive WBBL Trophy titles. The Riders won their first WBBL Cup in 2021, defeating the Sevenoaks Suns in the final in Manchester.[2]

Honours edit

  • WBBL Trophy (3): 2017-18, 2018–19, 2019–20
  • WBBL Cup (1): 2020-21
  • NBL Division One Playoffs (1): 2013-14
  • NBL Division Two Playoffs (1): 2011-12

Season-by-season records edit

Season Division Tier Regular Season Post-Season WBBL Trophy WBBL Cup Head coach
Finish Played Wins Losses Points Win %
Loughborough Riders
2011-12 NBL D2 2 2nd 16 15 1 30 0.938 Winners, beating Newham Matt Harber
2012-13 NBL D1 1 4th 18 12 6 24 0.667 Semi-finals Matt Harber
2013-14 NBL D1 1 4th 14 9 5 18 0.643 Winners, beating Sheffield Matt Harber
Leicester Riders
2014-15 WBBL 1 4th 18 11 7 22 0.611 Semi-finals Semi-finals Matt Harber
2015-16 WBBL 1 6th 16 6 10 12 0.375 Quarter-finals Quarter-finals Matt Harber
2016-17 WBBL 1 2nd 18 13 5 26 0.722 Semi-finals Runners-Up Semi-finals Krumesh Patel
2017-18 WBBL 1 2nd 20 19 1 38 0.950 Runners-Up Winners, beating Sevenoaks Semi-finals Krumesh Patel
2018-19 WBBL 1 2nd 22 18 4 36 0.818 Runners-Up Winners, beating Durham Semi-finals Jesper Sundberg
2019-20 WBBL 1 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic Winners, beating Durham Quarter-finals Jesper Sundberg
2020-21 WBBL 1 2nd 20 18 2 36 0.900 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Winners, beating Sevenoaks Jesper Sundberg
2021-22 WBBL 1 4th 24 14 10 28 0.583 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Semi-finals Marg Jones

Players edit

Current roster edit

Note: Flags indicate national team, as has been defined under FIBA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIBA nationality.

No. Position Player
3   GBR G Katie Januszewska
4   GBR G Erin Hikin
6   GBR G Robyn Ainge
8   USA G Chelsea Jennings
9   SCO G Hannah Robb
10   CAN PG Brooklyn McAlear-Fanus
11   MLT SG Sasha Lecuyer
12   GER G Anna Lappenkupper
16   GBR F Louise Rouse
23   USA F Makana Stone
25   IRL Eimhear Morris
34   GBR C Oceana Hamilton

References edit

  1. ^ "About the WBBL - Leicester Riders Women". riders.basketball. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  2. ^ "WBBL Cup Final: Leicester Riders beat Sevenoaks Suns". bbc.com/sport. Retrieved 12 February 2021.

See also edit