Australian · Victoria, Australia · Born 4 October 1965Australian wing defence who won World Championship gold in 1991 and 1995, Commonwealth Games gold in 1998, and later became a highly successful Melbourne Vixens coach.
Simone McKinnis was born on 4 October 1965 in Victoria, one of five sporting daughters, and came through Geelong's Herne Hill club before progressing to Melbourne's top-flight competition. During the Esso/Mobil Superleague era she played for Melbourne City (Victorian premiers in 1990), the Melbourne Pumas as vice-captain, and finally Melbourne Phoenix, whom she captained to the inaugural Commonwealth Bank Trophy title in 1997. McKinnis won 63 caps for Australia between 1986 and 1998 as a wing defence, regarded as one of the finest players ever to hold the position, winning World Championship gold in 1991 and 1995, World Games gold in 1993, and Commonwealth Games gold in 1998 before retiring from international netball that year. She moved into coaching soon after, taking roles in Singapore and Tanzania before returning to Australia with the Institute of Sport and Australia's under-21 side. Appointed head coach of the Melbourne Vixens in 2013, she went on to become one of the most successful coaches in the sport's history, winning the 2014 ANZ Championship and 2020 Suncorp Super Netball titles, being named Coach of the Year in 2017, and leading the Vixens to a further title in her farewell season in 2025 before stepping down after 13 years in charge. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1992 and inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Elite Australian wing defence and later premiership-winning Melbourne Vixens coach
Career Honours
- World Championships gold 1991, 1995
- Commonwealth Games gold 1998
- World Games gold 1993
- Melbourne Phoenix premiership 1997
- Australian Netball Hall of Fame 2010
- Melbourne Vixens premierships as head coach 2014, 2020, 2025
- Netball Australia Coach of the Year 2017
Australian Athletes