WNBL star Marianna Tolo leaves Capitals to sign French deal

The Tokyo Olympic Games hopeful is the second championship winner to leave Canberra this month, forcing coach Paul Goriss to scour the market for new stars.

Tolo was a the centrepiece of Canberra's back to back championship wins in 2019 and 2020, but now joins Keely Froling in leaving the Capitals.

The two-time WNBL All Star is set to join Basket Landes and will make her return to the French competition for the first time in six years.

Goriss is searching for replacements and hopes to announce major signings in the coming weeks, but the absence of Tolo and Froling will leave giant holes in his WNBL roster.

"Next season I'll be putting on a blue jersey of a different kind," Tolo said on Tuesday morning.

"It's been a long time since I played [in France] ... A lot has happened in that time, but I'm so excited to be heading back.

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"Sorry to the [Capitals fans, I won't be in the Can this year but I'm sure I'll be back."

Tolo is hoping to be included in the Australian Opals' Olympic squad, which will be finalised next month.

Goriss used Tolo as a key selling point in recruitment in his inital rebuild of the Capitals three years ago.

The 31-year-old's presence helped lure Kelsey Griffin, Leilani Mitchell and Kia Nurse to Canberra, with the quartet leading Canberra to a drought-breaking title in 2018-19.

Tolo, Mitchell and Nurse have moved on, while Griffin is yet to reveal her plans for the future.