The seven-time WNBL champion agreed to the deal after the departure of Jenny Lonergan, who led the Nationals to the grand final earlier this year.

Lonergan stepped down last week, paving the way for Hurst to make her return.

Hurst, 36, has played around the world and won the Canberra most valuable player prize in her last season at the Capitals in 2017-18.

She has since played for Bendigo and Adelaide, but has maintained a Canberra base and will be an important recruit for the Nationals.

"I always wanted to get into coaching at some stage and this opportunity came up and I jumped at it," Hurst said.

"Being a Canberra kid it's great I get to start my coaching career basically where it all started for me. If not for this feeder program into the WNBL I may never have been able to have the career I have so I felt the need to give back.

"It's super exciting what the team did in last year's competition. It's very early days for me in this role so I'm not coming in just looking at getting wins there will be a lot more to it than just that for me.

"It's going to be a massive learning curve and I look forward to the challenge. What will I learn the most? That's a tough question because I have everything to learn as a coach.

"Coming straight out of playing to coaching I think will be a massive adjustment, but as I have said, I am looking forward to every challenge and learning the game from a different angle."