Wilderness School graduates Brooke Rischbieth and Rebecca Putna earn US college sport scholarships

LIFE as a full-time athlete and the chance to travel - as well as study - has lured two North Adelaide Year 12 graduates to college in the US.

LIFE as a full-time athlete and the chance to travel - as well as study - has lured two North Adelaide Year 12 graduates to college in the US.

Tennis star Brooke Rischbieth and lacrosse player Rebecca Putna will leave for America this month after landing scholarships to combine their sporting endeavours with tertiary education.

Brooke, 18, is a junior Fed Cup champion who went to the US in 2010 to play professional tennis tournaments.

After finishing Year 12 at Wilderness School last year, she enlisted the help of the Aussie Athletes Agency run by former world No.2 doubles player Sandon Stolle to find a college in the US.

Brooke was offered six tennis scholarships and eventually decided on Northwestern University in Chicago.

"When I went there it was the first time I saw snow so it was completely different and that's what I wanted," Brooke said.

"I want to be challenged and meet new people and it's a good opportunity to be in a training environment with eight girls, trainers, physios and dieticians which will be a wonderful stepping stone (to professional tournaments)."

Rebecca, 19, has been playing lacrosse since she was five and last month represented the Australian under-23 team in China and Japan.

She will now continue her lacrosse career while studying engineering at Marquette University in Wisconsin.

"I'm excited to be able to train a couple of hours every day and play every weekend, so will see a lot of America," Rebecca said.

"It will be completely different to here where I'm training and playing once a week."