Jessica Bygate

Jess Bygate Norths

Jess Bygate

No. 2–Melbourne Boomers
Position	Forward
League	WNBL
Personal information
Born	(1992-01-10) 10 January 1992 (age 33) Pahiatua, New Zealand
Nationality	New Zealand
Listed height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Career information
College	Dickinson State (2012–2014)
Playing career	2011–present
Career history
2015–2016	Adelaide Lightning (Australia)
2016	Melbourne Boomers (Australia)
Career highlights
New Zealand WBC Champion (2012)
Medals Representing   New Zealand Women's Basketball Commonwealth Games 2018 Gold Coast Team competition FIBA Oceania Championships 2013 Australia / New Zealand Team 2015 Australia / New Zealand Team

Jessica Rose Bygate ^[1] (born 10 January 1992) is a former professional basketball player from New Zealand. She has played for the Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL and now lives is New South Wales. She now works in the sports management and operations industry.

Early life

Bygate grew up in Nelson and received her secondary education at Nelson College for Girls. After school, she attended Lincoln University for a year. ^[2]

Professional career

WBC

Bygate began her career in New Zealand, playing for the Nelson Sparks, and later the Canterbury Wildcats in the WBC. She won her first WBC championship and MVP. She then spent a season for the Junior Tall Ferns, before moving to the Australian leagues. ^[2]

College

Bygate began her college career in 2011 at Moberly Area Community College in Moberly, Missouri. Impressive showings earned her a transfer to Dickinson State University in Dickinson, North Dakota where she would play for the Dickinson State Blue Hawks. ^[2]

Australia

After a season with the Gladstone Power in the Queensland Basketball League, Bygate was signed by WNBL side, Adelaide Lightning for the 2015–16 season. Bygate was then signed for the 2016–17 season by the Melbourne Boomers. ^[3]

She played multiple seasons in the NBL1, most recently for Norths. Winning the NBL1 East championship in 2023, the team was also runners up at the NBL1 Nationals in 2023.

National team

At the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship for Women Bygate made her international debut where she won a silver medal as part of the Tall Ferns New Zealand women's basketball team. ^[4]

References

1. "Jessica Rose Bygate (New Zealand) - Basketball Stats, Height, Age". FIBA Basketball. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
2. McNae, Pete (21 June 2012). "Bygate adds a spark". The Nelson Mail . Retrieved 29 October 2016.
3. "Boomers Sign NZ International Jess Bygate". wnbl.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016.
4. "Jess Bygate". Basketball.org.nz.