Chris Davis
3 November 2014: New captain of the University of Canberra Capitals Abby Bishop, has wowed audiences with her stellar performances during the opening matches of the WNBL season.
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Bishop led the team to a 101-72 victory over the Dandenong Rangers at the AIS on Saturday, scoring 20 points in the first quarter to finish with a top score of 28 points and 12 rebounds.
With four matches under her belt, the 25-year-old has already racked up 76 points and is averaging 13 rebounds a game.
Bishop, who first played in Canberra in 2006 and represented the Opals the following year, is in her sixth season with the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Capitals, following an international career that includes an Olympic bronze medal from London in 2012, and a year with the Seattle Storm in the WNBA.
A single mum to one-year-old Zala, and crowd favourite at the AIS Arena, Bishop says it was a huge honour to be asked to captain a team so rich in history and success.
"I first played for the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Capitals as a 17-year-old straight out of the AIS program and to be asked to captain this team is such a big honour and is a bit overwhelming to be honest," Bishop said, with the announcement made at the club's season launch last month.
"We obviously have such a proud history of success on and off the court, and there is a new feeling in the group this year and hopefully we can harness that and build on what is a great opportunity for the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Capitals this season."
For head coach Carrie Graf, Bishop signifies a new era for the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Capitals, as a player who can lead on and off the court, with the help of some experienced players by her side.
"To have three players like Lauren Jackson, Kristen Veal and Carly Wilson to be able to assist Abby in this leadership role is such a huge asset for the team as a whole," Graf said.
"Abby has already shown some great leadership during the pre-season campaign, and in fact all of our senior players have really stepped up to ensure we are instilling the right standards on and off the court."
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Capitals will be looking for back to back wins when they take on the West Coast Waves at home on Sunday. Tickets are available from Ticketek.