2023–24 Úrvalsdeild Kvenna (basketball)
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The 2023–24 Úrvalsdeild kvenna is the 67th season of the Úrvalsdeild kvenna, the top tier women's basketball league on
Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
. The season started on 27 September 2023 and concluded on 22 May 2024 with
Keflavík Keflavík (pronounced , meaning ''Driftwood Bay'') is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland. It is included in the municipality of Reykjanesbær whose population as of 2016 is 15,129. In 1995, Keflavík merged with nearby Njar ...
winning the national championship after beating
Njarðvík Njarðvík () is a town in southwestern Iceland, on the peninsula of Reykjanes. As of 2009, its population was 4,400. History In 1995 it merged with the town of Keflavík and the village of Hafnir to form the new municipality of Reykjanesbær. ...
in the Úrvalsdeild finals, 3–0. Sara Rún Hinriksdóttir of Keflavík was named the Finals MVP.


Competition format

Prior to the season the number of teams in the league were increased from 8 to 10 with a 8 team playoff tournament. The bottom team will be relegated to the 1. deild kvenna while the team in 9th place will face the teams in 2-4 place in the 1. deild in a playoff for a spot in the Úrvalsdeild. Rules regarding foreign players were also changed, allowing free flow of players from within the
European Economic Area The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the ''Agreement on the European Economic Area'', an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Asso ...
. Previously, only three players from each team without Icelandic citizenship were allowed on the court at the same time.


Teams


Managerial changes


Notable occurrences

*On 17 April,
Helena Sverrisdóttir Helena Sverrisdóttir (born 11 March 1988) is an Icelandic former basketball player. Generally considered the greatest Icelandic female basketball player of all time, she was named the Icelandic Women's Basketball Player of the Year 12 times. Du ...
announced that she would play for
Haukar Knattspyrnufélagið Haukar (, ) is an Icelandic multi-sport club from Hafnarfjörður with divisions in Association football, Football, Haukar Handball, Handball, Basketball, Haukar RC, Rugby union, Karate, Skiing & Chess. Club history The clu ...
after missing most of the 2022–23 season due to injuries. *On 21 May,
Thelma Dís Ágústsdóttir Thelma Dís Ágústsdóttir (born 30 September 1998) is an Icelandic basketball player for Keflavík of the Úrvalsdeild kvenna (basketball), Úrvalsdeild kvenna. She played college basketball for Ball State Cardinals women's basketball, Ball St ...
signed with
Keflavík Keflavík (pronounced , meaning ''Driftwood Bay'') is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland. It is included in the municipality of Reykjanesbær whose population as of 2016 is 15,129. In 1995, Keflavík merged with nearby Njar ...
after having played for
Ball State Ball State University (Ball State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana, United States. The university has three off-campus centers in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Fort Wayne, and Fishers, Indiana. T ...
since 2018. *On 31 May, it was announced that ÍR had withdrew its team from the league and Snæfell would take its place. *On 13 June, Valur's player and three-time national champion, Hallveig Jónsdóttir, announced her retirement from basketball. *On 5 July,
Þóra Kristín Jónsdóttir Þóra Kristín Jónsdóttir (born 30 March 1997) is an Icelandic basketball player who plays the point guard position for Haukar in the Úrvalsdeild kvenna and the Icelandic national basketball team. She won the Icelandic championship with Ha ...
returned to the Úrvalsdeild after two years with AKS Falcon and signed with Haukar. *On 19 July,
Fjölnir Fjölnir ( ) is a List of legendary kings of Sweden, legendary king in Norse mythology said to have been the son of Freyr (Frey) and his consort Gerðr (Gertha). The name appears in a variety of forms, including Fiolnir, Fjölner, Fjolner, and F ...
signed Portuguese national team member
Raquel Laneiro Raquel Laneiro (born 10 November 2000) is a Portuguese basketball player and a member of the Portugal national team. She was the top scorer and assist leader in the Icelandic top-tier Úrvalsdeild kvenna during the 2023–2024 season. Professi ...
who played for
Njarðvík Njarðvík () is a town in southwestern Iceland, on the peninsula of Reykjanes. As of 2009, its population was 4,400. History In 1995 it merged with the town of Keflavík and the village of Hafnir to form the new municipality of Reykjanesbær. ...
the previous season, averaging 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. *On 2 August,
Njarðvík Njarðvík () is a town in southwestern Iceland, on the peninsula of Reykjanes. As of 2009, its population was 4,400. History In 1995 it merged with the town of Keflavík and the village of Hafnir to form the new municipality of Reykjanesbær. ...
signed Denmark national team player
Emilie Hesseldal Emilie Sofie Hesseldal (born 21 December 1990) is a Danish professional basketball player and a member of the Danish national basketball team. She won the Danish championship in 2021 as a member of BMS Herlev Wolfpack and in 2022 as a member ...
who led the Úrvalsdeild in rebounds during the 2019–20 season. *On 9 September,
Stjarnan Ungmennafélagið Stjarnan (, ), commonly known as Stjarnan (), is an Icelandic multi-sports club specialising in handball, football, basketball, volleyball and gymnastics located in Garðabær. Basketball Men's basketball As of the 2017–2 ...
signed Poland national team member Katarzyna Trzeciak. *On 10 September, former Iceland national team member Unnur Tara Jónsdóttir returned from a two year absence and signed with
Stjarnan Ungmennafélagið Stjarnan (, ), commonly known as Stjarnan (), is an Icelandic multi-sports club specialising in handball, football, basketball, volleyball and gymnastics located in Garðabær. Basketball Men's basketball As of the 2017–2 ...
after sitting out the previous two seasons. *On 7 October,
Kolbrún María Ármannsdóttir Kolbrún María Ármannsdóttir is an Icelandic basketball player for Stjarnan of the Úrvalsdeild kvenna. Playing career After spending her junior career with KFÍ and Stjarnan, she started her senior team career with Stjarnan in the Icelandic ...
became the youngest player to score 31 or more points in an Úrvalsdeild game at the age of 15 years, 9 months and 9 days, breaking
Helena Sverrisdóttir Helena Sverrisdóttir (born 11 March 1988) is an Icelandic former basketball player. Generally considered the greatest Icelandic female basketball player of all time, she was named the Icelandic Women's Basketball Player of the Year 12 times. Du ...
's record from 2004. *On 19 November,
Helena Sverrisdóttir Helena Sverrisdóttir (born 11 March 1988) is an Icelandic former basketball player. Generally considered the greatest Icelandic female basketball player of all time, she was named the Icelandic Women's Basketball Player of the Year 12 times. Du ...
announced her retirement from basketball. *On 15 December, Breiðablik withdrew its team from the league after several players terminated their contract and left the team. At the time of its withdrawal, the team had lost 12 of its 13 games. *On 2 January, Grindavík signed Denmark national team member Sarah Mortensen. *On 16 January,
Grindavík Grindavík () is a fishing town in the Southern Peninsula district of Iceland, not far from Þorbjörn, a tuya (a type of flat-topped, steep-sided volcano). It is one of the few towns with a harbour on this coast. Most of the inhabitants work ...
signed Dagný Lísa Davíðsdóttir who had been without a team for the first half of the season. *On 17 January, Keflavík signed five-time Icelandic Female Basketball Player of the Year and Iceland national team member Sara Rún Hinriksdóttir. *On 24 January, three-time Icelandic Female Basketball Player of the Year,
Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir Hildur Björg Kjartansdóttir (born 18 November 1994) is an Icelandic former basketball player. She was named the Icelandic Women's Basketball Player of the Year twice, in 2017 and 2018, and was a four time selection to the Úrvalsdeild Domest ...
, announced her retirement from basketball. *On 7 February,
Keflavík Keflavík (pronounced , meaning ''Driftwood Bay'') is a town in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland. It is included in the municipality of Reykjanesbær whose population as of 2016 is 15,129. In 1995, Keflavík merged with nearby Njar ...
sent a formal complaint to the
Icelandic Basketball Association The Icelandic Basketball Association (''Icelandic:Körfuknattleikssamband Íslands - KKÍ'') is the national governing body of basketball in Iceland and is a member of the continental association FIBA Europe and the global International Basketbal ...
, stating that a representative of
Njarðvík Njarðvík () is a town in southwestern Iceland, on the peninsula of Reykjanes. As of 2009, its population was 4,400. History In 1995 it merged with the town of Keflavík and the village of Hafnir to form the new municipality of Reykjanesbær. ...
forged the signature of the vice president of Keflavík on transfer papers for Irena Sól Jónsdóttir, a Keflavík player. The Association rescinded the transfer and Njarðvík later apologised for its actions. The 26 year old Irena Sól, who had resumed her basketball career after pregnancy during the season and averaged 7 minutes in 9 games for Keflavík, announced that since the transfer was denied that she would be retiring from playing basketball.


References


External links


Official Icelandic Basketball Federation website
{{DEFAULTSORT:2023-24 Iceland Icelandic Lea Úrvalsdeild kvenna (basketball) seasons