Olivia flourishing with family right behind her

Featured image: @DiscoveryOne_Photography, Greg Francis

Olivia Olechnowicz is now a regular wearing the green-and-gold, she's just wrapped a standout NBL1 East season at Centre of Excellence with the basketball world at her feet and she couldn’t have done it without her family including 'superwoman' mum Ola.

Olechnowicz was brought up in a sporting family with her dad Andrew having played state league basketball in both Victoria and Queensland while part of the Australian Defence Force while mum Ola might have not played basketball, but was a standout track and field athlete.

Now Olivia's brother is currently in college at Western New Mexico University but she is carving out her own path as one of the first selected in every Australian underage team and having shown what she can do with the Centre of Excellence.

And it has been a massive 12 months for the 17-year-old who first played with the Australian Sapphires at the U16 Asia Cup last year in Malaysia. Then recently at the World Cup in Czechia, she put up 12.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists where Australia won bronze.

Then with the CoE, Olechnowicz was part of the run to the Grand Final in 2025 and even top-scored for her team despite the loss to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. She went up another gear in 2026 delivering 10.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals a game.

While she now weighs up the next step in her basketball journey, Olivia is thankful to all her family including her dad and brother who share her basketball experience, her mum that she calls a superwoman and also her aunty Emilia Phillips who is a renowned powerlifter.

"My dad's always been a huge part of basketball, if not playing he's coaching," Olivia said.

"He coached me from when i was around four up until u14s and still gives me tips to this day.

"My brother and I would always verse in the yard and I definitely thank him for making me so tough and aggressive.

"My mum is definitely my biggest supporter she would do literally anything for me with a big smile on her face as well. I couldn't have had the opportunities I've been given if it wasn't for her being the superwoman she is.

"Another superwoman is Ciocia Emilia who has been my role model since i was a little girl."

Looking back on CoE season

On the back of the Centre of Excellence making the NBL1 East Grand Final in 2025, even with the comings and goings of their players throughout the season, and having a five-week break before the finals, they again finished fourth at 15-5 in 2026.

They reached the preliminary final again too after beating the Albury Wodonga Bandits in Canberra. Even though they lost on Saturday to the Bankstown Bruins, Olivia enjoyed the ride.

"The season with CoE was another amazing one," Olechnowicz said.

"Although we unfortunately lost the preliminary finals we were truly grateful to make it that far and the hard work and dedication we all put in really paid off. Even though we lost it felt like we won in a way, we played hard and stuck together.

"Making the grand final last year for CoE was amazing and although we didn't quite get the result we were after, it would've been such a great opportunity again getting the chance to verse the best of the best once more."

Playing against high-quality opponents

The great bonus of the CoE being part of the NBL1 East competition is the high-calibre talent that the teenagers get to test themselves against much earlier than they otherwise usually would had they stayed playing at their local associations.

And just in this recently completed finals series for Olechnowicz, that has meant playing against the likes of Jaz Shelley from the Norths Bears, Emily Lytle from the Albury Wodonga Bandits and Shyla Heal from the Bankstown Bandits.

She has no doubt that being challenged up against those sort of professional athletes will only hasten her rapid development and growth too.

"Playing against Shyla was a really great opportunity," Olechnowicz said.

"She challenged me a lot defensively making me think about guarding her in ways out of my usual comfort zone.

"I love the opportunity to verse such experienced players such as Shyla and Jaz Shelley as it helps elevate my game and expose gaps within it that I can continue to improve on."

The special bond at the AIS

Olechnowicz is now into her second year at the CoE and the bond that she has with all her teammates there is something special and it extends well beyond what they're able to do together on the basketball court.

That also included recently when Olivia was able to dive into her mother's Polish heritage by introducing all the other students to some delicacies.

"The bond with the girls at AIS is like a sisterhood and I have made lifelong friends I never expected to make," Olechnowicz said.

"We've started this tradition where you share your heritage with the CoE and cook something for everyone.

"We made some polish dumplings and a custard cake and everyone was making the dumplings and dough from scratch. It's a really cool tradition they started."

Recent World Cup experience

Not only has Olechnowicz just completed a standout NBL1 East season with the CoE, but she also was a star at the recent U17 World Cup in Czechia where she was a big reason why Australia ended up winning bronze.

That included 14 points, seven rebounds and three steals with 3/6 three-point shooting in the bronze medal winning game against Canada.

She loved everything about the experience and playing under coach Tom Garlepp.

"The World cup was incredible, every team was so physical and aggressive because we were all there to represent our countries and go as far as we could," Olechnowicz said.

"It was amazing to see all the talent in the world and come up against new players that made me better. It was also such a journey with the staff and girls and playing on such a big stage meant so much to us."

What might be next

Now that Olechnowicz is finishing up at school and her time at the AIS, there's going to be no shortage of option of the next step for her to take.

The majority of her CoE teammates are heading to college in the United States, but some like Aspen Crase are going straight into the WNBL.

Whatever path she chooses there will be no shortage of options, but college does look to be the most likely option right now.

"After CoE i definitely want to go overseas to college," Olechnowicz said.

"Ever since i found out about that pathway i haven't thought about any other option.

"The opportunities it has with it as well are endless and I can't wait to hopefully see some of them."