UWA Sport has announced the appointment of Charles Nix and Connor Richards as Head Coaches of the 2026 UWA Maali squads for the upcoming New Balance University Basketball League (UBL) season.
Charles Nix will lead the women’s program, bringing extensive coaching experience across the NBL1 West competition, including multiple Head Coach appointments and Grand Final appearances. Widely respected within the Western Australian basketball community, Nix is recognised for his leadership, athlete development and commitment to building strong team environments. His appointment marks an exciting step forward for the UWA Maali women’s program as the team continues to strengthen its competitive presence in the national university competition.
“I’m looking forward to contributing to building a competitive environment that players want to be part of, where they feel they can grow and improve,” Nix said.
“We will implement an exciting style of play that the community can get behind.”
Connor Richards has been appointed Head Coach of the men’s program after several years of involvement with the UWA Maali as both a student athlete and assistant coach. Richards has been involved in the university basketball pathway for more than a decade and brings a strong understanding of the UBL environment, combined with a passion for athlete development and team culture.
His appointment represents a full-circle moment, having previously been coached by Nix during the early stages of his basketball career. “I am extremely excited and grateful to be appointed Head Coach for this season,” Richards said.
“This program played a major role in my development as a player and leader, and to now be entrusted with guiding the group and program forward is something I take great pride in. I’m looking forward to working alongside Coach Nix and our student athletes to continue building on the strong foundations of the UWA Maali program.”
The University Basketball League is a national university basketball competition coordinated by UniSport Australia and endorsed by Basketball Australia. Established in 2021, the competition aims to strengthen basketball pathways for university students across Australia.
The 2026 UBL season will feature 14 universities competing across six states in home-and-away fixtures, with the season commencing in August. The top eight teams will progress to the finals series in October. Fixtures and competition information are available via UniSport Australia.