Champion NBL1 coach leaps onto international stage

Image credit: Rob Sheeley @robshots

After a successful coaching campaign leading the Norths Bears to an NBL1 East championship, Tom Garlepp will be starting a new chapter on the international stage.

The 2026 Australian Sapphires coach has signed a three-year deal with Ireland, to spearhead the senior women’s program.

The 40-year-old’s first game in charge will be at the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifying game against Iceland at the National Basketball Arena on November 11 this year.

This will start a short string of matches for Garlepp, playing against Azerbaijan and Switzerland on November 14 and 17 respectively.

“I feel very grateful and fortunate for the opportunity to take over as Ireland senior women’s Head Coach,” Garlepp said to Basketball Ireland.

“I am very excited about the squad and the potential of the players coming through the international pathway program.

“I’m looking forward to working with the players and staff to be the best we can be, while building on the strong foundations already in place.”

With Garlepp leading Norths to an NBL1 East equal-best 16-4 record in 2026, Deirdre Brennan, the Chair of Ireland’s Elite Performance Committee (EPC), was delighted to secure Garlepp’s services.

“Tom brings an exceptional blend of international coaching success, high-performance leadership, and athlete-centred development experience that aligns strongly with our vision for the future of Irish women’s basketball,” she said.

“His record of developing athletes, winning at the highest junior international levels, and building positive high-performance environments made him a standout candidate. We believe he has the expertise, leadership, and vision to build on our success to date and elevate our women’s program on the international stage.”

Garlepp has been an integral part of Basketball Australia’s junior women’s setup and successes for close to five years, and played professionally for 14 years, with 11 of those spent in the NBL.