Caledonia Gladiators (women)

Caledonia Gladiators
Caledonia Gladiators logo
LeagueSLB
Founded2016; 8 years ago (2016)
HistoryCaledonia Pride
2016-2022
Caledonia Gladiators
2022-present
ArenaPlaysport Arena[1]
LocationEast Kilbride, Scotland
Head coachMiguel Ángel Ortega Marco
OwnershipSteve and Alison Timoney
WebsiteOfficial website

The Caledonia Gladiators are a professional women's basketball team based in East Kilbride, Scotland. Formerly known as Caledonia Pride, they are the first and currently only women's professional basketball team in Scotland, competing in the Super League Basketball.

History

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Caledonia Pride (2016-2022)
In May 2016, the Women's British Basketball League awarded a franchise to basketballscotland, seeking to establish a franchise to help better prepare the Scottish national team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.[2][3] In August 2016, the name Caledonia Pride was chosen and the team's coach was announced to be Edinburgh University women's head coach Bart Sengers, who would coach Pride for the next six seasons.[4][5] After a 6 year run as Caledonia Pride and a disappointing 31 wins from 104 league games it was time for Scotland’s only professional female basketball team to look at a new way forward in respect of playing personnel and proper funding.

Caledonia Gladiators (2022-present)
In June 2022, basketballscotland announced the transfer of the professional franchise to the Lady Rocks basketball club.[6][7] The new team was named Caledonia Gladiators, referencing the original name of the Lady Rocks club formed in 2006, with plans for their own custom-built facility in Lanarkshire. [8][9] The 2022-23 season saw the newly formed club finish 2nd in the WBBL, a highest ever finish for any Scottish team. The 2023-24 season saw the Gladiators enter the FIBA EuroCup Women in a first ever foray into European competition. This was a successful run to the knockout stages of the competition.

Home Venue

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  • Oriam National Performance Centre (2016-2019)
  • University of Edinburgh Pleasance Sports Complex (2019–2021)
  • The Crags Centre (2021-2022)
  • Lagoon Centre (2022-2023)
  • Playsport Arena (2023-present)[1]

A purpose built 6000 seater arena is currently under construction in East Kilbride. Due for completion in 2024 this will be the home venue for the Caledonia Gladiators franchise.

Home games have also been played at the Grangemouth Sports Complex, Falkirk; Emirates Arena, Glasgow and The Peak, Stirling.

Season-by-season records

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Season Division Tier Regular Season Post-Season WBBL Trophy WBBL Cup Head Coach
Finish Played Wins Losses Points Win %
Caledonia Pride
2016-17 WBBL 1 9th 18 5 13 10 0.278 Did not qualify Pool Stage 1st round Bart Sengers
2017-18 WBBL 1 7th 20 7 13 14 0.350 Quarter-finals Pool Stage Runners Up Bart Sengers
2018-19 WBBL 1 11th 22 4 18 8 0.182 Did not qualify Pool Stage Quarter-finals Bart Sengers
2019-20 WBBL 1 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic Pool Stage 1st round Bart Sengers
2020-21 WBBL 1 11th 20 3 17 6 0.150 Did not qualify 1st round Did not compete Bart Sengers
2021-22 WBBL 1 6th 24 12 12 24 0.500 Semi-finals 1st round Group Stage Bart Sengers
Caledonia Gladiators
2022-23 WBBL 1 2nd 22 17 5 34 0.773 Semi-finals Quarter-finals Quarter-finals Miguel Ángel Ortega Marco
2023-24 WBBL 1 2nd 20 16 4 32 0.800 Semi-finals Quarter-finals Chantelle Handy

Players

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Current roster

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

No. Pos. Nat. Player
4 PG Scotland SCO Robyn Lewis
5 F Australia AUS Samantha Roscoe
9 G Scotland SCO Hannah Robb
11 G Spain ESP Ariadna Pujol Lluch
12 F Ukraine UKR Yevheniia Putra
15 C Senegal SEN Sokhna Bintou Lo
22 F England ENG Chantelle Handy
23 G United States USA Laken James
25 F Scotland SCO Kirsty Brown
50 G Mali MLI Djenaba N’Diaye

Honours

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WBBL Cup

References

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  1. ^ a b Caledonia Gladiators win on British Basketball League debut in new East Kilbride home, BBC Sport, 6 October 2023
  2. ^ Woods, Mark (13 May 2016). "Basketball: Capital side added to league". The National. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  3. ^ Egelstaff, Susan (16 September 2016). "Basketball: Wood full of pride as she fulfils her dream calling". The National. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  4. ^ Sutherland, Sandy (2 August 2016). "Scotland's new women's basketball team named Caledonia Pride". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  5. ^ Sutherland, Sandy (2 June 2016). "Bart Sengers sets out holy trinity for basketball". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  6. ^ "A statement on the future of Caledonia Pride". 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  7. ^ Woods, Mark (13 June 2022). "PRIDE TO MOVE WEST, BECOME ROCKS". MVP247.com. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  8. ^ Tiwari, Vidushi (13 July 2022). "Women's basketball takes a leap in Scotland with new pro team". STV. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Creation of new pro basketball team plus major investment will promote Scotland as a serious player in the UK basketball arena". WBBL. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
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