On Friday night, the Newcastle Eagles storied franchise added another exciting string to their bow with a first ever joint live announcement of their Men’s and Women’s Super League Basketball rosters for 2024/25.

In front of a packed Vertu Motors Arena, game commentator Howard Leighton introduced each player from each team onto court on a sparkling night hosted by former-Eagle and basketball TV pundit Drew Lasker.

The excited fans in attendance were also served up one or two real surprises as they were made aware that women’s head coach Matt Newby had swooped to make a stellar signing to add to his already exciting looking 2024/25 roster.


Hatch brings international experience to the Eagles roster having played with the Swiss national team for a number of years. (Photo: FIBA)

Returning to the UK, to line-up as an Eagle, is Swiss international forward Shannon Hatch, who previously played at Cardiff.

Hatch was a double-figure scorer in all three of her seasons in what was the WBBL from 2020 to 2023 including being second in scoring in 21/22 with 19.4 points per game and third in scoring with 18.6 points a game in her last season with the Archers in 22/23.

In addition, in those last two seasons she also showed her rebounding prowess at both ends of the court averaging 9 rebounds per game in 21/22 and 8.4 rebounds in 22/23.


Both of those high scoring seasons she played alongside current Eagles point guard Lauren Saiki whom she’ll be looking forward to linking up with again and reigniting their devastating combination play.

Last season Hatch started in Italy’s Serie A2 division with Rovigo until January of this year when she switched to her homeland signing for Nyon Basker. Hatch helped them to second place in the regular season and runners-up spot in the playoff final.

She first played for the Switzerland national senior side in 2018 and actually played alongside former Eagles stand-out Giulia Simioni in the FIBA EuroBasket Qualifiers. Her last appearance for the Swiss being in 2023.

There’s no doubting Hatch’s pedigree and all-round scoring and rebounding abilities and bringing her back to the UK and the Vertu Motors Arena with Newcastle has to be seen as a major coup and great work from the Eagles coaching staff.


“Shannon’s a high calibre and high output player whose experience, IQ and decision making ensure players around her maximise their strengths”, said Newby.

“Her skill set affords her to slide from position 2 to 4 with the ability to truly stretch the floor with consistency from behind the arc amongst her valuable assets.

“She has a selfless attitude and I feel she will fit perfectly as a positive cultural architect in the locker room and on the court.

“I look forward to her impact and input.”

For Hatch herself this is a move to a franchise she knows well and one where she knows she can make a difference as she commented on her signing.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to play for the Eagles this season,” the forward added.

“The atmosphere in the Vertu Motors Arena is like no other around the league and I can hardly wait to experience it as an Eagle!

“What the team was able to do last year was so special and I hope that this new group can keep building on what has already been established.

“I am really excited to work with coach Matt Newby and the team and look forward to getting started.”

Hatch will suit up with the rest of her teammates this Sunday 15 September as the new-look Newcastle Eagles face the Sheffield Hatters.

Tickets for the much-anticipated women’s pre-season tip-off, which is followed by the men’s 5:30pm game against Surrey as part the double-header, are still available from the box office.