Melva Claire Saunders (, 9 May 1931 – 29 May 2021) was an Australian women's
basketball player.
Biography
Hancock played for the
Australia women's national basketball team
The Australian women's national basketball team is nicknamed the Opals, after the brightly coloured gemstone common to the country. From 1994 onwards, the Opals have been consistently competitive and successful having won nine medals at offic ...
at the
1957 FIBA World Championship for Women
The 1957 FIBA World Championship for Women (Portuguese:Campeonato Mundial Feminino da Fiba de 1957) was the second FIBA World Championship for Women basketball championship held by FIBA. It was held in Brazil between 13 October and 26 October 195 ...
, hosted by Brazil. Hancock commenced playing basketball as a junior in 1949 and represented
New South Wales (NSW) at the Australian Championships in 1955, 1956, 1960 and 1962.
[Basketball NSW]
''Melva Hancock (nee Saunders)''
Retrieved 2017-11-15. She was a key member of the Newcastle team that won eight straight NSW Country and NSW State championships.
[Keeble, Brett (July 4, 2013)]
''Basketball stalwarts honoured''
Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
For her participation as a player, manager and administrator of the game from 1949 to 1978, Hancock was inducted into the Basketball NSW Hall of Fame in 2013.
[ Her married name is Melva Hancock.
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Melva
1931 births
2021 deaths
Australian women's basketball players
Sportspeople from Newcastle, New South Wales
Basketball players from New South Wales
Sportswomen from New South Wales