LACEY LOWDOWN

It’s difficult to keep tabs on all the Kiwis attending college in the States and those we pay closest attention to are invariably the NCAA Division I players.

However with the ever-growing number of New Zealand players heading to Division Two schools interest in that level of the college game is bound to increase.

The announcement this week that Tom Higgins, who has been training with the Mainland Eagles Academy since leaving Auckland Grammar School last year, is headed to Texas A&M International next month the interest in the Heartland Conference which will feature four Kiwis next college season has been heightened.

In addition to Higgins two other freshmen, Will Heather and Oscar Oswald, will be playing in the Heartland Conference as will Nikau McCullough.

Higgins will head to Texas to play for the Dustdevils following the Fiba U18 Asia Cup in Thailand early next month. Also on international duty is former Palmerston North Boys High standout Oscar Oswald who will head to St Edwards University, Austin in August.

The third freshman is William Heather – the former Rosmini College forward will suit up for Dallas Baptist University Patriots the reigning Heartland Conference regular season champions. Heather and Higgins will come face to face early in the conference season, the Patriots entertaining the Dustdevils at the Burg Centre in their conference home opener on December 1^st.

Waikato guard McCullough is about to embark on his third year at St Mary’s University, Texas. McCullough was a member of the New Zealand 3×3 team that won gold at the 2015 Fiba U18 World Cup in Hungary. In addition to the former St John’s College star that team comprised of Tai Wynyard, Sam Timmins and Matt Freeman.

Kiwi men attending NCAA Division II Universities for the 2018-2019 collegiate season: