A former college player with Furman University, the 25-year-old played with the South West Slammers in the WA League in 2017 before playing in Europe last year.

Hodges, from Greenville, South Carolina, averaged 13.2 points and 8 rebounds per game in her senior year at Furman, shooting at 58 per cent from the field.

The 185cm forward describes herself as as “an athletic, aggressive player who works hard at both ends of the court”.

“I spoke directly with coach [Derrick] Washington about his coaching style and the team’s playing style, and it just seemed like a great fit,” she said.

“I was looking for another opportunity to play at a high level, in a great environment. I’m very optimistic about this upcoming season, and am looking forward to continuing developing as a teammate and player, on and off the court.

“I had a blast last time I played in Australia, so of course that made the decision even easier to sign with the Tornadoes.” 

Washington expects Hodges to bring much needed rebounding skills.

“We have a number of local guards who can shoot the ball well. But what we don’t have is experienced big players who can control the boards, and I am I expecting Brittany to bring some much needed height and strength under the basket,” he said.

Washington will return to Launceston in early February to start working with the local players until the three imports begin to arrive in March.

The season is scheduled to begin on Saturday, March 30, with the full schedule set to be released by the Victorian elite league in the coming weeks.