Hot on the heels of her impressive NBL1 season with the Powerade Frankston Blues, Steph Reid has been selected to represent Australia at the 2019 World Universaide in Naples, Italy from July 3-14.
Also known as the World University Games, the tournament is the largest multi-sport event apart from the Olympic Games and features almost 10,000 athletes who are currently completing university studies competing across 18 disciplines.
Reid who is currently studying primary school teaching at Curtin University, has been one of the most dominant guards in the 2019 NBL1 season. The dynamic floor general is averaging an impressive 21.3 points, 3,3 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, leading the Blues to a 6-8 record and on the cusp of a playoff berth. She is shooting the ball at 49% from the field, 40% from the three-point arc, and 84% from the free throw line, while ranked second in the league in assists and seventh in scoring production.
“This NBL1 season has challenged me a lot and motivated me to work on my game to a whole different level. I was given a lot of freedom in the offense and defense and with this came responsibility and expectations. Having this forced me to develop my game in areas I prior to this had not even recognised and this itself has grown me as a player on the court but also as a leader off the court as well.” said Reid
In Naples, the Emerging Opals will be looking to defend their gold medal won in 2017, with four other current NBL1 players joining Reid on the roster headlined by 2019 WNBA Draftee Ezi Magbegor (Geelong). Knox Raiders duo Lauren Scherf (Knox) and Abbey Wehrung and Diamond Valley’s Anneli Maley will all feature alongside Reid.
16 teams will battle for the gold medal in the men’s and women’s competitions with the Emerging Opals drawn into Group D alongside China, Finland and Canada . The Australians must finish in the top two from their group to advance to the finals but classification games are played through to the last day to determine final standings.
“I am honoured to represent my country as this has been a goal for me since I was 6 years old. Obviously when you represent your country you come up against the best competition in the world. It will be challenging, it will be a new set of expectations on a level I have not seen and I am excited for this challenge and can’t wait to play alongside the rest of the team who are so talented and bring so much experience, skill and knowledge to the table.”
While it is an exciting development for Reid, the Blues will be short-handed while they lose her talents, she will be expected back in the Blues lineup for their final round game against the Southern Sabres at Sandringham on Sunday, 21 July.
Emerging Opals Squad for 2019 World Universiade
| NAME | STATE | EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE |
| Alicia Froling | QLD | Southern Methodist University |
| Keely Froling | QLD | University of Canberra |
| Lara McSpadden | NSW | University of Sydney |
| Ezi Magbegor | VIC | Deakin University |
| Anneli Maley | VIC | LCI Melbourne |
| Stephanie Reid | VIC | Curtin University |
| Maddison Rocci | VIC | Swinburne/Victoria University |
| Lauren Scherf | VIC | Victoria University |
| Alex Sharp | VIC | Wake Forest |
| Jasmine Simmons | NSW | Oregon State University |
| Abbey Wehrung | VIC | University of Canberra |
| STAFF | ROLE | |
| Shannon Seebohm | Head Coach | |
| Mark Wrobel | Coach | |
| Cherie Cordoba | Coach | |
| Trudy Pearce | Team Manager | |
| Casey Abblitt | Physiotherapist |
Emerging Opals Schedule
July 3: Women vs. Finland at 10:00pm
July 5: Women vs. Canada at 2:30am
July 5: Women vs. China at 7:30pm
July 8: Women’s Quarter-Finals at 2:30am or 5:00am
July 9: Women’s Semi-Finals at 2:30am or 5:00am
July 11: Women’s medal games at 2:30am and 5:00am