Photo by: SMC Athletics / Piper Westrom
MBB | Five Former Gaels to Represent Australia in Paris 2024 Olympics
7/9/2024 1:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball
VICTORIA, Australia — In less than three weeks, the world's focus will turn to Paris, France, as the Games of the 23rd Olympiad will take place, starting July 26. For the second consecutive games, a trio of Saint Mary's alumni will have the chance to represent Australia in the sport of basketball, as Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Jock Landale have all officially been named to the Boomers' 12-man roster. Mills, named the Captain of the Boomers, will be appearing in his fifth Olympic games, while Dellavedova will be appearing in his fourth and Landale will be appearing in his second. Heading into the 2024 Paris Games, there have been only seven five time men's basketball Olympians. Mills will join that distinguished group making him the second ever Australian men's basketball player to appear in five Olympic games (Andrew Gaze). Mills also has the distinction of being one of seven men's basketball players to score 500 points in his Olympic career. He needs just 23 points to surpass Manu Ginobili to crack the top-five for scoring in Olympic basketball history.
"The most important thing I can say is how proud we are at Saint Mary's, as a school, as a community and as a basketball program to be able to claim these three players as guys who played for us, are a big part of our program and have given back to us in many ways." stated Saint Mary's Men's Basketball Head Coach Randy Bennett
While Mills, Dellavedova and Landale will all be on the court for the Boomers another pair of former Gaels will be on the bench for the Boomers as Assistant Coaches, as former Gael student-athlete and Assistant Coach Adam Caporn will be back on the sideline for his second consecutive Olympics, as will former Saint Mary's Assistant Coach David Patrick. About Coach Caporn and Coach Patrick being added to the Boomer's staff, Coach Bennett reminisced:
"Adam was our first Australian player, and started it all, and is now an Assistant Coach on the Olympic Team. David worked for us here at Saint Mary's and was part of some great teams, including our Sweet 16 team."
While not all Olympic rosters have been announced yet, Saint Mary's is one of only three schools to have three alumni represent the same nation, with the other two being Kentucky (USA and Canada) and Louisville (South Sudan). Saint Mary's also joins Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, and Nebraska as schools with 3 or more men's basketball players on Olympic rosters.
"To have five guys in our program involved in the Olympics period, but also to have them all part of Australia is a little surreal." noted Coach Bennett, "We just want to recognize them and tell them how proud we are of them. I'm super proud to have been able to have coached and worked with these guys, and wish them the best. I'll be wearing green and gold at these Olympics and will be rooting for them. I'm glad they're able to call Saint Mary's College home!"
The Boomers will play a pair of tune-up games in Abu Dhabi against the USA and Serbia on July 15 and 16 before beginning their quest for their second ever Olympic medal on July 27 with a matchup against Spain. The team will be in Group A of the tournament, along with Greece, Canada, and Spain. Australia is coming off of their first ever Olympic medal in the Tokyo games a little less than four years ago. They were the first ever team outside of Europe and the Americas to win an Olympic medal.
#GaelsRise
"The most important thing I can say is how proud we are at Saint Mary's, as a school, as a community and as a basketball program to be able to claim these three players as guys who played for us, are a big part of our program and have given back to us in many ways." stated Saint Mary's Men's Basketball Head Coach Randy Bennett
While Mills, Dellavedova and Landale will all be on the court for the Boomers another pair of former Gaels will be on the bench for the Boomers as Assistant Coaches, as former Gael student-athlete and Assistant Coach Adam Caporn will be back on the sideline for his second consecutive Olympics, as will former Saint Mary's Assistant Coach David Patrick. About Coach Caporn and Coach Patrick being added to the Boomer's staff, Coach Bennett reminisced:
"Adam was our first Australian player, and started it all, and is now an Assistant Coach on the Olympic Team. David worked for us here at Saint Mary's and was part of some great teams, including our Sweet 16 team."
While not all Olympic rosters have been announced yet, Saint Mary's is one of only three schools to have three alumni represent the same nation, with the other two being Kentucky (USA and Canada) and Louisville (South Sudan). Saint Mary's also joins Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, and Nebraska as schools with 3 or more men's basketball players on Olympic rosters.
"To have five guys in our program involved in the Olympics period, but also to have them all part of Australia is a little surreal." noted Coach Bennett, "We just want to recognize them and tell them how proud we are of them. I'm super proud to have been able to have coached and worked with these guys, and wish them the best. I'll be wearing green and gold at these Olympics and will be rooting for them. I'm glad they're able to call Saint Mary's College home!"
The Boomers will play a pair of tune-up games in Abu Dhabi against the USA and Serbia on July 15 and 16 before beginning their quest for their second ever Olympic medal on July 27 with a matchup against Spain. The team will be in Group A of the tournament, along with Greece, Canada, and Spain. Australia is coming off of their first ever Olympic medal in the Tokyo games a little less than four years ago. They were the first ever team outside of Europe and the Americas to win an Olympic medal.
#GaelsRise
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