Personal information | |
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Born | Noarlunga, South Australia | 13 December 1958
Sport | |
Country | Australia |
Sport | Basketball |
Julie Dawn Nykiel OAM (born 13 December 1958) is a former Australian women's basketball player. [1]
Nykiel played for the national team between 1979 and 1990, competing at two Olympic Games; 1984 and 1988. [2] Nykiel also represented Australia at three World Championships - 1979, 1983 and 1986. [3]
In the domestic competition, Nykiel was the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) Most Valuable Player in 1984 and 1988. [1] [4] Her single-game record of 53 points (set in 1982) stood for over 20 years and was achieved without the benefit of a three-point line. [1] [5] Nykiel led the WNBL in points scored on 5 occasions; 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985 & 1988. [6] In 2006, Nykiel polled as the 7th greatest Australian female basketball player in the 25-year team. [7] Nykiel is also recognised as one of the leading players in WNBL history. [8]
Nykiel also played netball for Contax. Together with Kathryn Harby, she was a member of the Contax teams that won the 1990 and 1991 South Australia state league titles. [9] [10]
In the 1997 Australia Day Honours Nykiel was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). [11] In 2000 she was awarded the Australian Sports Medal [12] and in 2001 the Centenary Medal. [13]
Nykiel was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004. [1]