Lauren Nicholson (basketball)

Lauren Nicholson

No. 1–Townsville Fire
Position	Guard
League	WNBL
Personal information
Born	(1993-03-26) 26 March 1993 (age 32) Campbelltown, New South Wales
Nationality	Australian
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Career information
High school	Woolooware (Woolooware, New South Wales)
College	Saint Mary's (2012–2016)
WNBA draft	2016: undrafted
Playing career	2009–present
Career history
2009–2011	Sydney Uni Flames
2016–2017	Sydney Uni Flames
2017–2020	Adelaide Lightning
2020–2023	Townsville Fire
2023-present	Sydney Flames
Career highlights
2x WNBL champion (2017, 2023) 2x WNBL Defensive Player of the Year (2019, 2024) All-WNBL Second Team (2020)
Medals Representing   Australia Women's basketball FIBA Asia Cup 2019 Bangalore 2021 Jordan 2023 Australia

Lauren Nicholson (born 26 March 1993) is an Australian professional basketball player.

College

Nicholson played college basketball at Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, California for the Saint Mary's Gaels. ^[1]

Statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2012–13	Saint Mary's	31	0	13.9	31.6%	28.6%	76.7%	1.6	0.3	0.1	0.3	0.6	3.0
2013–14	Saint Mary's	18	16	29.7	49.4%	48.0%	80.0%	2.7	1.3	0.0	0.7	1.8	12.4
2014–15	Saint Mary's	33	33	33.1	47.0%	33.6%	81.7%	3.5	1.8	0.2	1.1	3.2	17.6
2015–16	Saint Mary's	28	25	31.6	45.4%	30.1%	89.0%	3.9	2.1	0.1	0.6	2.3	17.0
Career		110	74	26.7	45.4%	36.0%	84.3%	2.9	1.4	0.1	0.7	2.0	12.5

Career

WNBL

Nicholson would begin her WNBL career in her home town, as a development player, with the Sydney Uni Flames. Nicholson remained a member of the Flames squad through to 2011. She then departed to begin her college career in the United States. After the conclusion of her college career, Nicholson returned to Australia and she was signed by the Sydney Uni Flames for 2016–17. ^[2]

During her second season with the Adelaide Lightning, Nicholson was recognised as the WNBL Defensive Player of the Year for the 2018–19 season. ^[3]

In 2020, Nicholson would head North and sign with the Townsville Fire for the 2020–21 WNBL season. ^[4]

NBL1

Nicholson joined the Sutherland Sharks of the NBL1 East for the 2025 season. On 18 July 2025, she recorded 51 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals in a 110–102 overtime win over the Inner West Bulls. ^[5]

National Team

Youth Level

Nicholson first played for Australia at the 2009 FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championship for Women where she took home Gold in Brisbane, Australia. She would then go on to participate in the inaugural Under-17 world championship in France where Australia placed seventh.

Senior Level

In January 2019, Nicholson was named to her first Opals squad, earning her a place in the first camp as preparations for this years upcoming tournaments got underway. ^[6] After taking part in the Opals team camps, Nicholson was named to the final roster for the 2019 FIBA Asia Cup where she would make her Opals debut. ^[7]

References

1. "SMC Bio – Lauren Nicholson – SMC California Athletics". smcgaels.com. 22 August 2012.
2. "Nicholson Returns Home to the Flames". wnbl.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 August 2016.
3. "WNBL MVP 2018/19 votes and awards: Kelsey Griffin named MVP". Fox Sports. Australia. 18 February 2019.
4. Townsville (17 June 2020). "NICHOLSON HEADING NORTH". Townsville Fire. wnbl.basketball.
5. Pike, Chris (18 July 2025). "East Recap | Round 15 Friday". nbl1.com.au. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
6. "2019 CHEMIST WAREHOUSE AUSTRALIAN OPALS SQUAD ANNOUNCED". australia.basketball.
7. "CHEMIST WAREHOUSE AUSTRALIAN OPALS ANNOUNCE TEAM FOR FIBA WOMEN'S ASIA CUP". australia.basketball.