Create an experience with Marianna Tolo

My most recent achievement was being a part of the WNBL Championship-winning team, University of Canberra Capitals, at the start of 2020. It hasn't always been smooth sailing, I have faced long term injuries, non-selection and having to juggle sport, work and uni. All my experiences have shaped who I am today. I am proud to be a professional athlete, and my greatest pride comes when I get to wear the green and gold to represent Australia.

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I grew up in Mackay, North Queensland, and this is where I started my basketball journey. I developed my skills as a junior basketballer in Mackay. I took part in representative Mackay and QLD teams before being selected for an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship in 2006. I moved down to Canberra as a 16 year old and finished year 12 of schooling in the ACT. Here I trained at the AIS, competed in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) for the first time, was selected in the under 19 Australian Gems team and competed at the junior World championships. In 2007 was the first time I was selected as an Australian Opal (senior) squad member. I was 18 years old. 

After graduating the AIS I signed my first semi-professional contract to play with the Canberra Capitals in the WNBL. I played 4 consecutive years for the Capitals, and we were crowned WNBL champions in two of those years. All the while I managed to juggle a few different jobs in retail and my study of Sports, Coaching and Exercise Science. 

During the WNBL off seasons I also trained and competed in many Australian Opals camps and Oceania series. My first major Opals experience came in 2010 when I was selected to play in the World Championship team. Unfortunately in 2012 when the next major tournament came around I was unsuccessful in making the team. This was my first major setback. 

I decided to head overseas and gain experience playing in Europe. I played in the French league for 3 consecutive years. During the 2012/13 season in Aix-en-Provence and 2013-15 in Bourges. In 2014 we again had World Championships and fortunately I was successful in gaining a spot on that team. We went on to win a Bronze medal, which was the best basketballing experience of my career to date. From this experience I was fortunate to have garnered some interest from WNBA coaches and in 2015 I went to play in the WNBA for Los Angeles. Here is where I suffered my second major setback of my career. 

Before WNBA finals, in August 2015, I tore my left Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). What followed was a race against time to rehab and get myself back for the chance to go to Rio Olympics in July the next year. Fortunately, I was successful in earning a spot on the team to go to my first ever Olympics (realising a dream that I had since I was a child)! 

After Rio Olympics it was straight home to start WNBL for the University of Canberra Capitals. The next season I decided to try out somewhere else in Europe and so in 2017 I went to the team I was supposed to play for in 2015 (if not for my knee injury). This was a very turbulent season with lots of personnel changes and financial issues. During a season break in Feb 2018 we had an Opals camp scheduled in Europe. Unfortunately in my first session I sustained an injury to my right knee and I later found out it was a torn ACL... Again. This ruled me out for contention for the World Championships team that year. So I headed back to Canberra for another lot of rehab. Towards the end of the process I found out I had tore my meniscus and had to have surgery again. But I managed to make it back half way through a WNBL season and we (Capitals) won the championship once again!