Centre of Excellence honours six graduates
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CoE men’s head coach Robbie McKinlay identifies the importance of this celebration, “A big part of our charter at the CoE is to prepare these young players for their next steps.” “The exciting aspect for all five [men’s] players is they all have potential to play in the green and gold moving forward and we are happy to play a role in providing that foundation.” |
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| “What excites me most is seeing athletes like Zara step into the next phase with a far greater understanding of who they are—not just as basketball players, but as people.”
“Zara has laid foundations that will continue to serve her well, and I’m excited to see where her journey takes her and how she continues to grow within the game.” |
Five of the six graduates are set to embark on the United States for the 2026/27 NCAA season.
Zara Russell has committed to the University of California, Ajak Nyuon is heading to Arizona State, Alex Dickeson will join the University of Colorado, Flynn Pavely makes his way to Australian stronghold St Mary’s and Isaac Riddle will unite with fellow Australians at the University of Wisconsin.
Meanwhile, 7’6″ phenom Jongkuch Mach has stirred up speculation for the next step in his journey, with Mach undecided on his future.
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| “Our program has a holistic focus, so we see these young men grow athletically, on-court, in the classroom and just as young men. The daily training environment provides the opportunity for young players to develop the overall skills to be a pro and hopefully a future Boomer,” says McKinlay. | ||
| Basketball Australia Head of Athlete Wellbeing, Rhian Bird explains, “These athletes have demonstrated how committed they are to continuous learning and improvement and being better people as well as better performers.”
“I don’t just see a group of great athletes, I see a group of great humans. They have been a pleasure to be around, and watch develop,” says Bird. |
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