Natalie Burton

Education

She graduated in May 2012 with a degree in finance.

Career

She also represents the Australian national team in international competition. In her four-year career at West Virginia, Burton averaged 2.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 119 games. Her 52.8 career field goal percentage ranks her as the second best in West Virginia history.

Following her graduation from West Virginia University, Burton returned to her hometown of Perth and signed with the West Coast Waves for the 2012-2013 WNBL season.

After averaging 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 24 games over her rookie season, she recommitted to the Waves for the 2013-2014 season. In her second season, she averaged 6.8 points and 4.7 rebounds in 17 games.

In April 2014, Burton signed with the Melbourne Boomers for the 2014-2015 WNBL season. In 22 games for the Boomers, she averaged 7.0 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.

On 17 April 2015, Burton signed with the Perth Lynx, a day after the rebranding of her former team the West Coast Waves.

The Lynx went on to defeat the first-seeded Townsville Fire in the semi-finals, thus advancing to the WNBL grand final for the first time since 1999. Burton represented Australia at the XXVII Summer Universiade (2013 World University Games), held in the city of Kazan (Tatarstan, Russia). Then they faced the United States of America team in the semifinals.

Australia opened up strong, leading 20–13 at the end of the first quarter.

The United States of America came back and cut the lead to a single point at halftime. In the second half the United States of America took over the lead, and led by as many as 17 points, 71–54 with just over seven minutes to go.

The Australians mounted a furious comeback and took a one-point lead in the final minute. The United States of America responded with a basket but Australia was unable to score on the final possession.

Burton scored four points.

Burton scored two points in the bronze medal game. Burton"s younger sister, Emily, is also a basketball player. She currently plays in the State Basketball League for the Perry Lakes Hawks.

Achievements

• She appeared in all 24 games during the regular season, helping the Lynx finish second on the ladder with a 16–8 win/loss record. The team won each of the preliminary games in the quarterfinal match by double-digit margins. The United States of America won 79–78. The Australians played in the bronze medal game against Chinese Taipei and won easily 99–58. Later in 2013, Burton helped the Australian Opals win the gold medal at the International Basketball Federation Oceania Championship. In 2014, she won another bronze medal with the Opals, this time at the International Basketball Federation World Championship. She won another gold medal with the Opals at the 2015 International Basketball Federation Oceania Championship.