| Team: | SA Suns |
| Colour: |
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| Colour Text: |
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| City: | Adelaide |
| League: | Australian Hockey League |
| Arena: | State Hockey Centre |
| Colours: | Yellow, Dark Blue, Red |
| Coach: | Mark Dedman |
| Captain: | Jane Claxton, Karri McMahon |
| Website: | SA Suns |
The SA Suns (formerly Southern Suns prior to 2015)[1] are a women's field hockey team based in South Australia that competes in the Australian Hockey League (AHL).[2] The SA Suns won national championships in 1995 and 2011.
The following is the SA Suns team roster for the 2018 AHL:[3]
Head coaches: Mark Dedman
| 2015 SA Suns hockey team | |||
| width=300 bgcolor=gainsboro | Players | width=250 bgcolor=gainsboro | Coaching staff |
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Since the founding of the Women's Australian Hockey League, the SA Suns have competed under five different names.
| Name Changes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Name | ||
| 1 | 1993–1996 | Diet Coke Adelaide Suns | |
| 2 | 1997–1998, 2001–2007 | Adelaide Suns | |
| 3 | 1999–2000 | Adelaide Bank Suns | |
| 4 | 2008–2014 | Southern Suns | |
| 5 | 2015–present | SA Suns | |
At the 2011 AHL, the SA Suns won the Australian Hockey League for the second time.
This was the first time the SA Suns had won in 16 years, defeating the NSW Arrows 1–0 in the final.[5] [6]
The SA Suns lineup included Hockeyroo members Holly Evans, Bianca Greenshields, Georgie Parker and Elise Stacy. The team was also aided by New Zealand imports Melody Cooper, Clarissa Eshuis and Kayla Sharland.[7] The team was coached by former Kookaburra, Craig Victory.[8]
The team concluded the tournament with 7 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses, scoring 29 goals and conceding 14.
| 2011 SA Suns Lineup | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach | |||
| Craig Victory | |||
| Players | |||
| · Casey Bell · Brooklyn Buchecker · Jessica Cibich · Jane Claxton · Catherine Connolly · Melody Cooper · Clarissa Eshuis · Holly Evans | · Laura Germein · DeAnne Gilbert · Bianca Greenshields · Sarah Harrison · Georgie Kiel · Leesa McDonald · Anna McGregor · Karri McMahon | · Airlie Ogilvie · Georgie Parker · Janelle Pisani · Tess Reynolds · Kayla Sharland · Elise Stacy · Amy Watters | |
The SA Suns won their maiden Australian Hockey League title in 1995.[6] [9]
The team included 1992 Olympians and Hockeyroo members, Juliet Haslam OAM, Kate Allen OAM and Alison Peek OAM.[10] [11]
1984 Olympian Tricia Heberle was head coach of the team.
The following table shows the SA Suns' final placings at the AHL since its founding.[12]
| SA Suns – Tournament History | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Position | Year | Position | |
| 1993 | · | 2006 | · 5th | |
| 1994 | · 5th | 2007 | · 8th | |
| 1995 | · 1st | 2008 | · 5th | |
| 1996 | · | 2009 | · 6th | |
| 1997 | · 3rd | 2010 | · 5th | |
| 1998 | · | 2011 | · 1st | |
| 1999 | · 7th | 2012 | · 6th | |
| 2000 | · 4th | 2013 | · 6th | |
| 2001 | · 7th | 2014 | · 6th | |
| 2002 | · 4th | 2015 | · 6th | |
| 2003 | · 6th | 2016 | · 9th | |
| 2004 | · 6th | 2017 | · 7th | |
| 2005 | · 4th | 2018 | · 6th | |
Notable players who have played for the SA Suns include:
Previous Head Coaches of the SA Suns have been:
The team's home stadium is the State Hockey Centre (South Australia) (also known as the Pines Stadium) which is located north of the Adelaide CBD in Gepps Cross. The stadium has a capacity of about 4,000 with 330 permanent seats. The stadium was used for the 1997 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy.
| AHL Championships: | 1995, 2011 |
| AHL Finals Appearances: | 1995, 2011 |
| AHL Podium Finishes: | 1995 (1st), 1996 (3rd), 2011 (1st) |
| AHL Player of the Tournament: | Karri McMahon (2013), Jane Claxton (2015) |
| AHL Player of the Final: | Kayla Sharland (2011) |