{{short description|Australian women's basketball player|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Caitlin Cunningham | image = | league = | team = | number = | position = Centre | height_cm = 192 | weight_kg = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1986|1|17}} | birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | high_school = | career_start = 2003 | career_end = | years1 = 2003–2005 | team1 = Australian Institute of Sport | years2 = 2005–2006 | team2 = Bulleen Boomers (WNBL) | years3 = 2006–2007 | team3 = Canberra Capitals | years4 = 2007–2008 | team4 = Nunawading Spectres | years5 = 2008–2009 | team5 = Dandenong Rangers | years6 = 2009 | team6 = Knox Raiders | years7 = 2010–2011 | team7 = Nunawading Spectres | years8 = 2010–2011 | team8 = Adelaide Lightning | years9 = 2011–2012 | team9 = Bulleen Boomers (WNBL) | years10 = 2012 | team10 = Melbourne Tigers | years11 = 2015 | team11 = Waverley Falcons | years12 = 2018 | team12 = Bulleen Boomers (Big V) | years13 = 2019 | team13 = McKinnon Cougars | years14 = 2019 | team14 = Rockhampton Cyclones | years15 = 2021 | team15 = Gold Coast Rollers | years16 = 2022 | team16 = Northside Wizards | years17 = 2023 | team17 = RedCity Roar | years18 = 2023 | team18 = Casey Cavaliers | years19 = 2024 | team19 = Kilsyth Cobras | years20 = 2025 | team20 = Rockhampton Cyclones | highlights = * WNBL champion (2007) * All-SEABL Team (2007) }} '''Caitlin Mary Cunningham''' (born 17 January 1986) is an Australian basketball player. They{{efn|Cunningham uses the pronouns ''they''/''them'' and ''she''.<ref name="goth" /> This article uses ''they''/''them'' for consistency.|name=pronouns|group=lower-alpha}} played in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) between 2003 and 2012. They have also played in multiple Australian state leagues.
==Early life== Cunningham was born in Melbourne, Victoria,<ref>{{cite web |title=Bulleen Melbourne Boomers 2005/06 |url=http://www.wnbl.com.au/powered_by_INTERFUSE/FS_extra.asp?id=12&OrgID=2 |website=WNBL.com.au |access-date=12 July 2025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819170840/http://www.wnbl.com.au/powered_by_INTERFUSE/FS_extra.asp?id=12&OrgID=2 |archive-date=19 August 2006}}</ref> in the suburb of Fitzroy.<ref name=fiba>{{cite web|url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/52795/sid/3233/tid/239/tid2//_/2005_FIBA_Women_s_U19_World_Championship/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151115033554/http://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/52795/sid/3233/tid/239/tid2//_/2005_FIBA_Women_s_U19_World_Championship/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 November 2015|title=Caitlin Mary Cunningham|work=fiba.com|access-date=3 April 2024}}</ref>
==Playing career== ===WNBL=== Cunningham debuted in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in the 2003–04 with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). They played a second season with the AIS in 2004–05. For the 2005–06 WNBL season, they joined the Bulleen Boomers,<ref name=australiabasket>{{cite web|url=https://basketball.australiabasket.com/player/Caitlin-Cunningham/89167?Women=1|title=Caitlin Cunningham|work=australiabasket.com|access-date=3 April 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref> where they played five games.<ref name=time-out>{{cite web|last=Whyte|first=Julia|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/basketball/cunningham-takes-time-out-to-find-her-focus/673428.aspx|title=Cunningham takes time out to find her focus|work=canberratimes.com.au|date=29 November 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815091420/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/sport/basketball/cunningham-takes-time-out-to-find-her-focus/673428.aspx|archive-date=15 August 2008}}</ref>
For the 2006–07 WNBL season, Cunningham joined the Canberra Capitals.<ref name="australiabasket" /> They returned to the Capitals for the 2007–08 season but left in November 2007 after seven games.<ref name="australiabasket" /><ref name="time-out" />
For the 2008–09 WNBL season, Cunningham joined Dandenong Rangers.<ref name="australiabasket" /> They returned to the Rangers for the 2009–10 season but left after one game.<ref name="australiabasket" />
Cunningham played for the Adelaide Lightning in 2010–11 before returning to the Bulleen Boomers for the 2011–12 season.<ref name="australiabasket" />
===State Leagues=== Cunningham played in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) for the Nunawading Spectres in 2007 and 2008, earning All-SEABL Team honours in 2007.<ref name=knox09>{{cite web|last=Oakford|first=Greg|url=http://starnewsgroup.com.au/story/70236|title=Cunningham signs with Knox|work=starnewsgroup.com.au|date=17 February 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220190718/http://starnewsgroup.com.au/story/70236|archive-date=20 February 2009}}</ref> They joined the Knox Raiders for the 2009 SEABL season.<ref name="knox09" /> They returned to the Spectres for the 2010 and 2011 SEABL seasons.<ref name="australiabasket" />
In 2012, Cunningham played for the Melbourne Tigers in the Big V. In 17 games, they averaged 15.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=206431721&client=0-913-181308-446727-25934020|title=Player statistics for Caitlin Cunningham – 2012|work=Big V|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403095435/https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=206431721&client=0-913-181308-446727-25934020|archive-date=3 April 2024}}</ref>
In 2015, Cunningham played for the Waverley Falcons in the Big V.<ref name="australiabasket" /> They returned to the Big V in 2018 with the Bulleen Boomers.<ref name="australiabasket" /> They played one game for the McKinnon Cougars in the 2019 Big V season before joining the Rockhampton Cyclones for the rest of the 2019 Queensland Basketball League (QBL) season.<ref name="australiabasket" />
In 2021, Cunningham played for the Gold Coast Rollers in the NBL1 North.<ref name="australiabasket" /> They joined the Northside Wizards for the 2022 NBL1 North season.<ref name="australiabasket" /> After starting the 2023 NBL1 North season with the RedCity Roar, they joined the Casey Cavaliers for the rest of the NBL1 South season.<ref name="australiabasket" />
Cunningham joined the Kilsyth Cobras for the 2024 NBL1 South season.<ref>{{cite web|last=May|first=Brayden|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/sport/clubbyclub-nbl1-south-womens-2024-season-preview/news-story/5248ea9b3e635bdd61b7017422aa56d6?amp|title=Club-by-club NBL1 South women's 2024 season preview|work=heraldsun.com.au|date=27 March 2024|access-date=3 April 2024}}</ref>
Cunningham joined the Rockhampton Cyclones for the 2025 NBL1 North season.<ref name="australiabasket" /> In June 2025, they were dubbed "Caitlin Dark", riffing off WNBA player Caitlin Clark, after they attracted global attention for their gothic look while playing for the Cyclones.<ref name=goth>{{cite news |last1=Shalala |first1=Amanda |title=Basketballer Caitlin Cunningham is a 'health goth' and wants to show sport is for all |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-01/caitlin-cunningham-health-goth-basketball-caitlin-dark/105477712 |access-date=2 July 2025 |work=ABC News |date=1 July 2025 |language=en-AU}}</ref>
===National team=== Cunningham played for Australia at the 2005 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.<ref name="fiba" />
==Personal life== Cunningham's sister is dual football and basketball player, Tegan Cunningham.<ref>{{cite web|last=Nagy|first=Boti|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/sister-act-picture-perfect/story-e6frect3-1225952039273|title=Sister act picture perfect|work=adelaidenow.com.au|date=11 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204010927/http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/basketball/sister-act-picture-perfect/story-e6frect3-1225952039273|archive-date=4 December 2010}}</ref>
Off the court, Cunningham is a musician and personal trainer.<ref name="goth" /> Cunningham uses they/them/she pronouns.<ref name="goth" />
Cunningham is an early adopter of the Health Goth style.<ref name="goth" /> They were listed as one of Out's Most Eligible Bachelorexes in 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rude |first=Mey |title=Meet Out's Most Eligible Bachelorexes of 2025 |url=https://www.out.com/celebs/nonbinary-celebrities |website=Out |access-date=15 July 2025 |date=3 July 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==External links== *[https://nbl1.com.au/player-listing/caitlin-cunningham-cf3cdc3a-b305-11eb-9723-226cd10403de NBL1 profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060821222536/http://www.wnbl.com.au/powered_by_INTERFUSE/FS_Player_Detail.asp?id=40&OrgID=2 WNBL profile (2006)] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20150518083623/http://bigv.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/Documents/2012/Overtime/JuneOTFinal4_01.pdf "Caitlin Cunningham: Girl on Top"] at bigv.com.au
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cunningham, Caitlin}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Adelaide Lightning players Category:Australian Institute of Sport basketball (WNBL) players Category:Australian women's basketball players Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen Category:Canberra Capitals players Category:Dandenong Rangers players Category:Melbourne Boomers players