Ballarat’s own Millie Cracknell is set to light up the court once again, re-signing for the 2025 Mitsubishi NBL1 South season, her 6th with the Ballarat Miners Senior Program.
A product of the Celtic Tigers junior domestic program, Cracknell progressed through the Ballarat Miners representative pathway, excelling at the youth league level before making her mark in NBL1.
Last season, she showcased her versatility and two-way play, proving herself as a key piece off the bench for the Miners’ lineup.
Head Coach Kennedy Kereama had this to say about Cracknell’s re-signing, “We are excited to welcome Millie Cracknell back after her time studying in Canada. She has returned in excellent physical condition and with impressive levels of motivation, which have been evident in her performance on the court. Millie made some strides and inroads with her role last season, and with the solid preseason she has had, she has set the stage to have a significant impact for us in 2025.”
Cracknell expressed her excitement to return to the Miners for another season, stating, “I’m thrilled to be returning to the Miners for my sixth season! We’re incredibly fortunate to have the best women’s coach in the country right now, coming off a WNBL championship, Kennedy continues to deepen my understanding of the game in new ways. With Josiah’s expertise and the wealth of experience across our coaching staff, I’m confident we can build on last year and make a strong push for the championship! The girls are more than teammates for me, they’ve become family and I think that shows what the Ballarat Miners represent as a club and a community.”
Ballarat Basketball CEO Nev Ivey emphasized the significance of retaining homegrown talent, saying, “Millie embodies the pathway we strive to create for our local athletes, starting in domestic basketball, progressing through the representative ranks, and ultimately competing at the NBL1 level. She played an important role for us last season, and we know she’ll continue to be a key contributor in 2025.”
Cracknell becomes the 7th member of our Miners Women’s squad that currently has returning members Abbey Wehrung, Ella Gordon & Micah Simpson, returning local Laura Taylor, and new recruits Ally Knights & Opal Bird, and with more final key signings to come in the coming weeks. The Ballarat Miners kick off their season at home against arch-rival Bendigo on March 29th.