MORAGA, Calif. — The Australian pipeline for head coach Randy Bennett and Saint Mary's Men's Basketball continues to grow stronger. Just announced by the team, Rory Hawke has joined the Gaels following his graduation and will be on the bench with the team for the remainder of the season.
 
Hawke stands at 6-5 and is a highly touted Australian from Townsville who graduated in December, the end of the school year for Australia. Like the three current Australians on the SMC roster, Hawke prepped at the Centre of Excellence, and his stock has been on the rise ever since. Hawke played on the U20 Australian Championship team for Queensland, and he caught the eyes of selectors for the Boomers, who added him to the roster. Hawke made his national team debut in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, much like current Gael, Alex Ducas.
 
Hawke put up some very strong numbers with the Centre of Excellence during the 2022 Australian State League season, averaging 16.1 points per game, accounting for nearly 20% of the team's scoring. He shot 53.8% from the floor and 34.5% from beyond the arc, while grabbing 5.6 rebounds per game and dishing out 2.8 assists per game. His eight-game performance at the U20 Championship saw him average 15.5 points with 7.9 rebounds per game.
 
With the addition of Hawke, the Gaels now feature four Aussies on the current roster, with 23 total Australians having been in the program since Randy Bennett took over during the 2001-02 season. Jensen Bradtke, who signed with the Gaels earlier in the fall, will make it 24 Aussie Gaels next year.