The Launceston Tornadoes have addressed their front court issues that dogged last year's lamentable season.
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The club has announced that 192cm power forward Megan McKay is set to make a NBL1 debut straight after her current stint in Germany.
The recruitment of the 23-year-old West Australian has bolstered the Tornadoes' height under the boards.
McKay's arrival comes on the back of 188cm Keely Froling and 182cm Ellie Collins joining the playing roster.
Brittany Hodges, standing at just 185cms, spent most of last campaign sidelined with a persistent hamstring injury that left a shorter Stella Beck to play out of position.
Two of last year's forwards will no longer take part in the new Tornadoes program under coach Sarah Veale that leaves McKay to be the tallest player signed since Mikaela Ruef took the court in 2016.
McKay, speaking amid her first professional contract, is keen to lead from the front.
"I will be striving my best to bring talk and energy to the team along with a strong inside presence," she said.
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The rookie has impressed for first division Bundesliga club Wasserburg, averaging 15.1 points and 8.2 rebounds.
It adds to a bulging resume that includes a role in the winning Australian under-17 FIBA Oceania championship team in 2013 and the gold medal four years later at the World University Games.
McKay has also completed a distinguished US collegiate career for St Mary's Gaels.
Not only did she average 12.6 points and 7.8 rebounds in her senior year, the 2019 graduate made the NCAA conference championship all-tournament team, earned the all-conference first team honours and was the first woman ever to lead the West Coast conference in field goal percentages all four years.
St Mary's has proved to be a fertile recruiting ground for Tornadoes and McKay is well aware of the reputation that Lauren Nicholson in 2017-18 and Beck the next year have carved out in Launceston.
"I am excited to head down to Tassie and to play for the Torns this NBL1 season," she said.
"I'm looking forward to working with Sarah Veale and my other teammates to help develop Launceston's basketball culture and to bring back a championship."
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Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
