10th September 2026
Author: Maree DeGeorge
The competition honoured its 2026 champions and award winners last Saturday 5th September before opening an exciting new chapter with the unveiling of the Victorian Basketball League.
Melbourne, VICTORIA – The final chapter of the 2026 Big V season was written on Saturday night, as the Big V community came together to The Pullman Melbourne Albert Park to celebrate the players, coaches, officials, volunteers and clubs who made the year one to remember.
After more than 1,500 games across 13 divisions, the 2026 Big V Awards Night recognised the competition's leading performers and the people whose work, passion and commitment continue to make senior representative basketball thrive across Victoria.
The season delivered no shortage of memorable moments. Melbourne University's Division One Women completed an undefeated campaign and finished it as champions, Rachael Wansbrough reached an incredible 400 Big V games, Ivan Platenik announced his retirement, and Big V veteran Troyce Manassa returned to claim another championship ring and Grand Final MVP honours.
Thirteen championship teams were celebrated on the night, alongside the statistical leaders, Defensive Players of the Year, Youth Players of the Year, Coaches of the Year, All Star Five selections and Most Valuable Players from every division.
"The 2026 season was a fitting celebration of what makes Big V so special - strong competition, passionate clubs and an incredible network of people who give so much to the game," League Manager Andrew West said.
"As we close this chapter, we are proud of everything the Big V community has achieved and excited to carry that same spirit into the Victorian Basketball League."
Celebrating the people behind the competition
Western Port Steelers were named the 2026 Club of the Year, recognising excellence on and off the court, from the performance of their teams to the administration, communication and game-day experience that supports their Big V program.
Darebin received the Chairman's Award for the energy, engagement and connection it created across its community, while Kerri Fielding from Casey was named Volunteer of the Year for the time, care and commitment she gives to helping her club's program run each week.
The Awards Night also recognised the referees and technical officials whose professionalism, decision-making and work behind the scenes made more than 1,500 games possible throughout the season.
Honouring the past and looking ahead
The evening closed by celebrating 25 years of Big V and the four senior leagues that came together to form it, recognising the generations of players, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators and clubs who helped build the competition.
Basketball Victoria then unveiled the next chapter: from the 2027 season, Big V will become the Victorian Basketball League (VBL).
The new identity strengthens the competition's connection within the Basketball Victoria pathway alongside the Victorian Junior Basketball League and NBL1 South, while supporting the broader vision of Many Channels. One Basketball Victoria.
The name and look will evolve, but the heart of the competition will remain the same - the clubs, rivalries, communities and people who have made Big V such an important part of Victorian basketball. The VBL will carry that proud history forward and create a stronger platform for the future of senior representative basketball across the state.
Thank You Big V
Basketball Victoria congratulates every award recipient and championship team, and thanks every player, coach, official, volunteer, administrator, partner, supporter, club and association that contributed to the 2026 season.
The final Big V season has come to an end, but the people, passion and community that built the competition will continue into 2027 and the beginning of the Victorian Basketball League.
-ENDS-
Full List of 2026 Big V Award Winners Below:
2026 Big V champions
|
Division |
Champion |
|
Youth League Three Men |
Bellarine |
|
Youth League Two Women |
Surfcoast |
|
Youth League Two Men |
Darebin |
|
Youth League One Women |
Bellarine |
|
Youth League One Men |
Camberwell |
|
Victorian Youth Championship Women |
Keilor |
|
Victorian Youth Championship Men |
Kilsyth |
|
Division Two Women |
Wallan |
|
Division Two Men |
Mildura |
|
Division One Women |
Melbourne University |
|
Division One Men |
Chelsea |
|
Championship Women |
McKinnon |
|
Championship Men |
McKinnon |
Major Awards:
|
Award |
Winner |
|
Club of the Year |
Western Port Steelers |
|
Chairman's Award |
Darebin |
|
Volunteer of the Year |
Kerri Fielding - Casey |
Statistical Awards
|
Division |
Golden Hands |
Leading Rebounder |
Leading Scorer |
|
YL3M |
Cawuop Makuac - Melton |
Harry Moran - Surfcoast |
Jared Gansky - Maccabi |
|
YL2W |
Brooke Mudge - Blackburn |
Alana Poulton - Wyndham |
Isabella Schultz - Westgate |
|
YL2M |
Jacob Bourke-Doggett - Darebin |
Emmett Kelly-Vaccero - RMIT University |
Rhylee Leighton - Wallan |
|
YL1W |
Alexya Charalambous - Bulleen |
Paige Jones - Coburg |
Maddison Crotty - Hume City |
|
YL1W |
David Angove - Sunbury |
Zachary Thomas - Coburg |
Mitchell Turner - Blackburn |
|
VYCW |
Tahlee Farrell - Knox |
Lillian Trimble - Pakenham |
Arden Bailey - McKinnon |
|
VYCM |
Wyatt Stewart - Kilsyth |
Daniel Mazur - Knox |
Austin Kirikiri - Dandenong |
|
D2W |
Carley Cranston - Wallan |
Emmie Gardiner - Wallan |
Ranika Guyton - Wallan |
|
D2M |
Elijah Davy - Melton |
Daniel Salvatore - Melton |
Charles Elzie III - Southern Peninsula |
|
D1W |
Ai Yamada - Melbourne University |
Vivien Saad - Craigieburn |
Maleia Bracone - Mildura |
|
D1M |
Cohen Blythe - Surfcoast |
Brendan Young - Whittlesea |
Brendan Young - Whittlesea |
|
CW |
Amy Baum - McKinnon |
Hailey Merrigan - Bulleen |
Oliana Squires - Sherbrooke |
|
CM |
Stephen Coffey - RMIT University |
Jackson Meshanic - Camberwell |
Lanyc Shuler - Warrandyte |
Defensive Player of the Year
|
Division |
Winner |
|
YL3M |
Kade McKenzie - Bellarine |
|
YL2W |
Sienna McCumber - Surfcoast |
|
YL2M |
Kohilan Balanathan - Sherbrooke |
|
YL1W |
Summer Field - Bellarine |
|
YL1M |
Zachary Thomas - Coburg |
|
VYCW |
Krystal Arnason - Kilsyth |
|
VYCM |
Heath Tenner - Frankston |
|
D2W |
Rebecca Cunningham - Blackburn |
|
D2M |
Charles Elzie III - Southern Peninsula |
|
D1W |
Ai Yamada - Melbourne University |
|
D1M |
Joseph Allen - Shepparton |
|
CW |
Amy Baum - McKinnon |
|
CM |
Ryan Batte - Pakenham |
Youth Player of the Year
|
Division |
Winner |
|
D2W |
Kendra Reukers - Wallan |
|
D2M |
Nicholas Hooper - Melton |
|
D1W |
Trinity Hawea - Altona |
|
D1M |
Max Morgan - Blackburn |
|
CW |
Hailey Merrigan - Bulleen |
|
CM |
Lanyc Shuler - Warrandyte |
Coach of the Year
|
Division |
Winner |
|
YL3M |
Daniel Coles - Bellarine |
|
YL2W |
Chris Clark - Surfcoast |
|
YL2M |
Jess May - Darebin |
|
YL1W |
Brad Keighran - Hume City |
|
YL1M |
Will Scatchard - Sunbury |
|
VYCW |
Michael Fortune - Diamond Valley |
|
VYCM |
Gerard Leonard - Knox |
|
D2W |
Chris Petalas - Blackburn |
|
D2M |
Mahaela Jackson - Mildura |
|
D1W |
Josiah Smith - Melbourne University |
|
D1M |
Shaun Coghlan - Blackburn |
|
CW |
Mason Rogers - McKinnon |
|
CM |
Joshua Turton - Melbourne University |
All Star Five & MVP
NB: The MVP in each division is automatically included in the All Star Five.
|
Division |
All Star Five |
MVP |
|
YL3M |
Hunter Salmons - Melton |
Leeroy Cocco - Collingwood |
|
YL2W |
Chloe Dimkopoulos - Craigieburn |
Imogen Eckman - Southern Peninsula |
|
YL2M |
Daniel Sacca - RMIT University |
Mitchell Smits - Sherbrooke |
|
YL1W |
Jada Button - Bellarine |
Maddison Crotty - Hume City |
|
YL1M |
Alex Gray - Sunbury |
Oliver Mann - McKinnon |
|
VYCW |
Arden Bailey - McKinnon |
Krystal Arnason - Kilsyth |
|
VYCM |
Austin Kirikiri - Dandenong |
Daniel Mazur - Knox |
|
D2W |
Ashleigh Udesike - Chelsea |
Stephanie Pal - Chelsea |
|
D2M |
Anthony Taylor - Mildura |
Charles Elzie III - Southern Peninsula |
|
D1W |
Ai Yamada - Melbourne University |
Maleia Bracone - Mildura |
|
D1M |
Anthony Williams - Chelsea |
Brendan Young - Whittlesea |
|
CW |
Amy Baum - McKinnon |
Oliana Squires - Sherbrooke |
|
CM |
Devon Vanderheydt - RMIT University |
Lanyc Shuler - Warrandyte |
