Natalie Avellino

Natalie Avellino (born 15 December 1970) is a former Australian netball international and current netball coach.

Between 1989 and 1991, Avellino played for the Australian Institute of Sport in the Esso/Mobil Superleague.

She was a member of the 1989 AIS team that finished as runners up to Sydney Tigers.

In 1993, she was a member of the Garville team that were Australian netball premiers.

Between 1993 and 1996, Avellino played for Adelaide Garville in the Mobil Superleague.

In 1993 and 1994, she helped Garville reach two grand finals.

In 1993, a Garville team featuring Avellino, Jenny Borlase and Michelle den Dekker and coached by Patricia Mickan, defeated Sydney Electricity and finished as premiers.

Between 1994 and 2006 she made 20 senior appearances for Australia.

However, in 1994 Garville lost to their main rivals, Contax, in controversial circumstances.

A closely fought match finished level at full time.

However Garville claimed they had actually won the match 48–46.

It was alleged that during the third quarter, the official scorer accidentally gave one of Garville's goals to Contax.

Despite protests from Garville, extra time was played and resulted in a 61–58 win for Contax.

Avellino scored 23 from 31 for Garville in the final.

Avellino was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medal at the 1995 World Netball Championships and the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

During the Esso/Mobil Superleague era, Avellino played for the Australian Institute of Sport and Adelaide Garville.

Between 1997 and 2006, during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era, she played for Sydney Sandpipers, Melbourne Phoenix, Adelaide Thunderbirds and AIS Canberra Darters.

She made 100 Commonwealth Bank Trophy appearances.

Between 1997 and 2006, during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era, Avellino made 100 senior appearances.

She played most notably for Sydney Sandpipers and Adelaide Thunderbirds, but also had spells with Melbourne Phoenix and AIS Canberra Darters.

Between 1997 and 2002, Avellino made 71 senior appearances for Sydney Sandpipers in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league.

She made more appearances for Sandpipers than any other player.

After spending the 1999 season with Melbourne Phoenix, Avellino returned to Sandpipers in 2000 and helped them achieve their best performance in the league.

They finished third in the regular season, above their neighbours, Sydney Swifts.

In 2001 and 2002, together with Joanne Morgan, Avellino co-captained Sandpipers.

Ahead of the 2003 season, Avellino was dropped from the Sandpipers squad due to an osteitis pubis injury.

After been let go by Sydney Sandpipers, Avellino was signed by Adelaide Thunderbirds.

However, the move proved controversial.

Avellino subsequently missed most of the 2003 season after Netball Australia declared she could not play for Thunderbirds because she was not registered as a resident of South Australia in time.

The case went all the way to the Supreme Court of South Australia which ruled in Avellino's favour.

Between 2004 and 2007, Avellino also played for Southern Sting in Netball New Zealand's National Bank Cup league.

She was a prominent member of Sting teams that won league titles in 2004 and 2007.

Avellino began her netball career with the Model Farms Netball Club in Sydney's north-west.

In her junior years, she also played for netball associations representing Baulkham Hills Shire and Parramatta/Auburn.

Avellino represented New South Wales in the Australian National Netball Championships at under-19, under-21 and Open levels.

Between 2004 and 2007, Avellino played for Southern Sting in the National Bank Cup league.

She was initially signed as cover for Donna Loffhagen.

However, after Tania Dalton suffered a season ending injury, Avellino became a prominent member of Sting team that won the league title in 2004.

In 2005, Avellino had a second spell playing for Thunderbirds.

In 2006 she played in her 100th Commonwealth Bank Trophy match while playing for Darters.