Petra Hule, Jacob Rigoni, Oscar Chapman among SA athletes making it big in US college sport
A top-ranked rising tennis star, a lethal three-point shooter and an all-star punter are among the SA athletes making waves in US college sport. See the full list.
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The world of US college sport is miles away from Australia – not only in distance but also in its widespread interest and grandeur.
So it’s no wonder there is a long list of South Australian athletes who have travelled to America in pursuit of their sporting dreams while also gaining an education.
With help from local sporting organisations including Tennis SA, Basketball SA, the South Australian Sports Institute, Gridiron SA and Baseball SA, The Advertiser has identified some of the top young sports stars from our state making a name for themselves in the States.
They include a top-ranked rising tennis star, a lethal three-point shooter and an all-star punter just to name a few.
PETRA HULE
TENNIS – FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
When Petra Hule packed her bags and left Adelaide for Tallahassee, Florida five years ago she had little idea how much the US college town would change her life.
Fast forward to 2022 and the 23-year-old South Australian is the No. 6 ranked women’s tennis player in the nation and nearing the completion of a remarkable college career at Florida State University.
Hule has graduated and will sign off with the Seminoles at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Women’s Tennis Championships next month.
The Henley High School product is already the third winningest player in FSU history and is just 10 overall victories away from becoming the college’s all-time winningest.
But Hule told The Advertiser her decision to move to the US was a late one.
“College tennis wasn’t really in my plans initially,” Hule said.
“When I graduated from Henley, my sister Chloe was already one year deep into college in America and it wasn’t until very late that I committed.
“I turned 18 and thought I had a lot to learn and improve on in my game on and off the court.”
A visit to Tallahassee and FSU quickly had Hule swept up in the prospect of US college life, playing the sport she loves at a high level while also gaining an education.
But the redshirt senior’s rapid rise up the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings to her current lofty position took longer to come to fruition.
“I think at the beginning I was a bit clueless as to the whole system,” she said.
“Even in the fall I started out last on the rankings, so I was 125th and kept playing tournaments and then by the end of the fall I was ranked 22nd.”
Now the No. 6 ranked Hule will take part in team and individual tournaments to finish her time with the ‘Noles before embarking on a journey to make the professional circuit, likely across the pond in Europe.
“My highlights have definitely been with my team, my past teammates and my coaches here … a lot of great experiences, some of which I probably can’t share,” she said.
“FSU will always have a special place in my heart but I’m looking forward what’s next.”
JACOB RIGONI
BASKETBALL – QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY
Jacob Rigoni admits shooting from range wasn’t his greatest skill growing up.
But last month the Adelaide basketballer finished his time at NCAA Division 1 college Quinnipiac University as the school’s all-time leader in three-point field goals.
Rigoni, 23, came through the ranks at Sturt Sabres and was MVP at the under-18 national championships before earning a scholarship to Quinnipiac – located in Hamden, Connecticut – for the 2017-18 season.
The former Mercedes College student said the shooting record – he made 319 three-pointers across his five seasons with the Bobcats – was just one of many things he will remember.
He said the opportunity to play, improve and repay the faith shown by his coaches would be the biggest highlights of his time at Quinnipiac, sharing the experience with people he now considers family.
“In the moment you don’t realise what you’re doing and you’re just trying to focus on each day and getting better,” Rigoni, a small forward, said.
“But looking back, coming in to college I wasn’t a big three-point shooter, I was more known for my inside and mid-range game.
“I think it’s a reflection of my hard work and I knew it was a big thing coming into college that I would have to improve on.
“To get a record like that at a college you have to have the opportunity to play, so I’m thankful for the people who believed in me because not everyone gets that.”
Rigoni’s three-point record ranked him fifth all-time in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference history and also earnt him the nickname ‘Three-goni’.
He said while others may have been drawn to play at “big name” colleges, he believed his decision to join the supportive environment at Quinnipiac was the best he could have made.
“I’m really happy the 18-year-old version of me was able to see that and also believe I was good enough to play at that level,” he said.
Rigoni is now back in Adelaide and will look to make an impact in NBL1 for junior club Sturt, which will be coached by his father Paul, when the Sabres tip off their season this Saturday. He has ambitions of making it to the NBL.
OSCAR CHAPMAN
AMERICAN FOOTBALL – AUBURN UNIVERSITY
An Aussie rules draft prospect turned American football punter, Oscar Chapman is “living the dream” at power college Auburn.
The Prince Alfred College graduate and former North Adelaide Football Club product received a scholarship in 2020 and has gone on to become the Tigers’ starting punter.
Last season he earnt All-SEC honours on special teams.
“I never thought I would leave Adelaide but I flew 20 hours across the other side of the world to play football in Alabama,” Chapman told The Advertiser last year.
“It’s crazy over here, playing in front of 80 to 100,000 people with everyone just screaming.”
Chapman is not the only SA product to have made it big in US college football.
Matt Leo was working as a plumber on Adelaide construction sites before heading to Iowa State at the age of 26 to play as a defensive end.
In 2020, Leo was signed by NFL team the Philadelphia Eagles.
KY HAMPTON
BASEBALL – EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
Plying his trade in NCAA Division 1 – the highest level of college baseball – is Sturt Baseball Club product Ky Hampton.
The Mount Barker-born pitcher is a senior at Eastern Illinois University after working his way to the D1 school from Southeastern Community College.
Hampton has yet to appear in a game this year for Eastern Illinois but in 2021 he made 11 appearances on the season all as a starting pitcher.
He posted a 5-2 record with a 5.68 ERA in 69.2 innings of work.
The former St Francis de Sales College student has previously played for the Adelaide Bite, now Giants, in the Australian Baseball League and represented Australia at the Under-18 Baseball World Cup.
In his debut Hampton pitched a complete-game shutout – one of only two players in the tournament to do so – against Chinese Taipei in Canada.
NOAH MILES
ATHLETICS – HARVARD UNIVERSITY
A sophomore at the prestigious Ivy League school Harvard University, Noah Miles is making great leaps in the world of athletics.
The long and triple jumper has been representing the Crimson in division one competition after cutting his teeth in Adelaide at Prince Alfred College and Western Districts Athletics Club.
Miles has recorded personal bests of 6.44m in the long jump and 13.10m in the triple durig his time at the famous college located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Prior to moving to the US, he was a three-time medalist at the Australian National Championships in the triple jump.
OTHERS
TENNIS
JJ Chen (Montana State University), Juliette Robinson (Missouri State University), Selina Turulja (University of Nevada, Reno), Jasmine Adams (North Texas University), Nikki Milner (Milwaukee University), Tully Richter (Lipscombe University), Skye Vandeleur (Davenport University), Yasmin Glazbrook (Oakland University), Benjamin Cahill (Furman University), Josh Laka (Stetson University), Connor Gibson (Lenoir Rhyne University), Noah Koeroessy (Ottawa University Arizona), Dale Nixon (Hope University), Callum Gale (University of Tulsa)
BASKETBALL
Chloe Hodges (Drexel University), Gabi Vidmar (California State University, Fullerton), Ambah Kowcun (North Dakota State College of Science), Seb Griffin (Mayville State University), Taine Mitchell (Mayville State University), Tyson Dyer (Ridgewater College), Joel Dyer (Huntington University), Ben Griscti (University of the Incarnate Word), Ella Sawyer (Austin Peay State University), Kelsey Rees (University of Utah), Taylah Levy (Cleveland State University), Cameron Huefner (Pittsburg State University)
BASEBALL
Sean Maple (Hesston Community College), Liam Scott (Clarendon College), Sam Eades (Missouri Valley), Mason Pickard (Queens University of Charlotte), Austin McClure (Lake Region State College), Lachlan Rees (Cazenoiva College), Josh Ledgard (Ancilla College), Kyal Williams (Mayville State University), Darcy Barry (Northern Iowa Community College), Ethan Badcock (Cook Community College)
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Dominic Panazzolo (Texas Tech, recently graduated), Moritz Hiendleder (Tyler Apaches Junior College)
GYMNASTICS
Clay Stephens (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
SOCCER
Caitlin Le Roux (Louisiana Tech University), Lara Kirkby (University of Oregon)
ROWING
Angus Dawson (University of California)
CYCLING
Staci McCudden (Lindenwood University)
RUGBY UNION
Claire Ferguson (Lindenwood University)
SOFTBALL
Zali Adams (Quinnipiac University)
GOLF
Shakira Kuys (South Dakota State)
Know of any other South Australian athletes currently at US colleges? Email patrick.keam@news.com.au
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