The Rookie Me Melbourne Tigers are excited to welcome back Taylor Ortlepp, who rejoins the NBL1 Women’s squad for the remainder of the 2025 NBL1 South season.
A familiar face in Tigers colours, Ortlepp returns to the club after playing during the 2023 NBL1 South season. With elite experience in the WNBL with the Melbourne Boomers and Adelaide Lighting, Taylor is a fierce competitor and is set to provide a timely boost to the Tigers’ lineup. Taylor has proudly represented Australia at the FIBA Oceania U16 and FIBA U17 World Championships. Ortlepp played four years at Boston College in the NCAA Division I ACC conference, where she developed into a strong, disciplined guard. In 2022, she was drafted by Carlton in the AFLW, proving her athleticism across multiple elite sports, now making her return to the basketball court.
Head Coach Kaleb Sclater is thrilled to welcome Taylor back to the Tigers. “I’ve been lucky enough to coach Taylor in the past before her AFLW career, she is a great teammate and an ultimate competitor, if you look at the way she played for Adelaide and Boomers, she played super hard, stuck the 3 and kept people organised. She trained with us in the preseason before footy commitments took over and she always said when she could, she would and with a couple of girls leaving for international duties she became available to help out and I’m pumped to see her back on a court.”
Taylor has expressed excitement to rejoin the Tigers. “I’m excited to finish off the season with the Tigers, I last played for them a couple of seasons ago before my AFLW commitments took over. I trained with Tigers over the preseason and when Kaleb called, I couldn’t say no, he’d be the best coach I’ve played under by just the way he builds rapport and builds a great environment so I’m excited to get back with him and the team.”
Taylor’s return couldn’t come at a better time, with several Tigers players set to miss games due to international duties. Her on-court leadership, defensive grit, and experience will be vital as the team pushes toward finals contention.
Catch Ortlepp back in Tigers colours this weekend, as the Tigers take on the Knox Raiders on Saturday and Hobart Chargers at home on Sunday!
Welcome back, Taylor! 🐯
