BA ANNOUNCEMENT - 2013 National Centre of Excellence Scholarship Recipients
MEDIA RELEASE
31 January 2013
BASKETBALL AUSTRALIA AND THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT ANNOUNCE 2013 NATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Basketball Australia has awarded 22 outstanding young players Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarships to its National Centre of Excellence for 2013.
The Centre of Excellence basketball program is a key part of the Basketball Australia national player pathway, with the primary objective of developing potential international athletes to represent the Boomers and Opals.
Starting this month and housed at the AIS, 10 females and 12 males aged between 15-20 years will tip-off their journey to follow in the foot-steps of many notable Australian basketballers who have represented the country on the world stage.
Famous names including four time Olympian Lauren Jackson, Australia’s first ever No.1 NBA draft pick Andrew Bogut, three time NBA Champion Luc Longley, Australian Boomers Patrick Mills and Nathan Jawai and WNBA star Penny Taylor have all progressed from the AIS basketball program to be standouts world-wide.
Basketball Australia Chief Executive Officer Kristina Keneally said the National Centre of Excellence program continued to go from strength to strength, with the current class of players having earned their place among some rigid competition.
“The AIS basketball program, established in 1981, is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading development programs,” Ms Keneally said.
“On behalf of the basketball community, I’d like to congratulate the 22 young men and women selected for this year’s program, who undertook a long process of observation and evaluation.
“All of these 22 players were identified with having the potential to one day proudly represent Australia at the senior national and international level.
“I have no doubt this is the start of an amazing year for them to live and breathe the game they love and prepare them for the rigours of competition mentally, physically and emotionally.
“We wish them all the very best of luck for the year ahead and are excited about what talents we will uncover.”
AIS Director Matt Favier is confident that the program will continue to achieve excellent results in high performance development.
“When we announced Australia’s Winning Edge late last year we set some ambitious but achievable targets for Australia’s international performance in world championships, Olympics, Paralympics, and Commonwealth Games.
“I have no doubt that, in partnership with Basketball Australia, we can continue to produce young basketabllers capable of succeeding on the world stage, Mr Favier said.
The Australian Government contributes more than $5.7 million in annual funding to support the development of basketball at both the elite and grassroots level. This includes $5 million per year in high performance support
The Basketball Australia AIS 2013 National Centre of Excellence scholarship recipients are:
WOMEN
- Louise Brown Victoria
- Stephanie Collins Victoria
- Alicia Froling Queensland
- Keely Froling Queensland
- Darcee Garbin Western Australia
- Tiana Mangakahia Queensland
- Maddison Penn New South Wales
- Stephanie Talbot South Australia
- Abigail Wehrung Victoria
- Alex Wilson South Australia
MEN
- Abiola Akintola Victoria
- Madol Chol New South Wales
- Mirko Djeric New South Wales
- Adrija Dumovic New South Wales
- Nicholas Duncan New South Wales
- Dante Exum Victoria
- Felix von Hofe Victoria
- Jack McVeigh Queensland
- Gerard Martin New South Wales
- Emmett Naar New South Wales
- Jock Perry Victoria
- Dane Pineau Victoria
For more information:
Jude Coen
Media & Communications Manager, Basketball Australia
Street: Level 2, 191 Botany Road, Waterloo NSW 2017
Postal: PO Box 7141 Alexandria NSW 2015
P 02 8396 5525 | M 0419 425 406
jude.coen@basketball.net.au • www.basketball.net.au • www.wnbl.com.au • Twitter: @WNBL
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