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TESSA BOAGNI is set to carry on
the family tradition, afer she was
given a scholarship to play basketball
at California State University, North-
ridge.
Te 1.88m forward has been
awarded a four-year scholarship, and
will play for the Cal State Northridge
Matadors in the Big West conference
in the national division one competi-
tion.
Boagni said the basketball court
is a place she has always felt she be-
longed.
Im very tall, and so I dont es-
sentially t in in a lot of places, but
in basketball I feel real comfortable,
and I t in, and my heights seen as a
good thing, she said.
I love the game, its so physical
and aggressive and it lets you release
everything you feel.
She is excited to be heading to the
United States, to carry out a plan she
has had since she started playing the
game.
Basketball is very much a family
thing for her.
Her father, Kerry Boagni, was se-
lected by the Utah Jazz in the 1986
NBA draf.
He never played in the NBA, but
did play professionally in New Zea-
land in the 1990s, where he met Bo-
agnis mother, Jane McMeeken, who
is a former Tall Ferns captain.
Boagnis older sister, Kate Mc-
Meeken-Ruscoe, also captained the
Tall Ferns, and has played in Austral-
ia and Germany, while her brother,
Luke Ruscoe, played for New Zea-
land junior sides and the Canterbury
Rams.
Both of them spent time at colleg-
es in the US, and following in their
footsteps was always Boagnis plan.
Last year, she started to get serious
about it.
Afer winning the national cham-
pionship with her Christchurch
Girls High School side, she started
to advertise herself to potential col-
leges.
Mum and I printed out all of the
division one colleges, and highlight-
ed every single one that was in Cali-
fornia, because thats really where I
wanted to go, she said.
Her father currently lives in Los
Angeles, and she wanted to be close
to him.
Boagni then sent emails o to
those colleges, including a curricu-
lum vitae documenting her sporting
success, and video clips of her play-
ing.
Boagni is also a successful vol-
leyball player, having played for the
New Zealand under-19 team last
year, and she was oered a volleyball
scholarship as well, but it was hoops
that won out.
At the end of the day, my desire
for basketball is greater, and I can see
myself going further in basketball,
said Boagni.
Weve been talking to (Cal State
Northridge) for quite a while now,
and I just signed my letter of intent
and made everything ocial recent-
ly, she said.
Boagni will have four years of
eligibility at California State, and in-
tends to study journalism and thea-
tre when shes not busy on the court.
Boagni said she actually started
playing basketball quite late, com-
pared to what most people think.
It wasnt forced on me by my fam-
ily, it was a choice I made, she said.
She said around the time she start-
ed high school, all her friends were
playing, and so she decided to play
too.
Boagni said her mother and her
sister were her biggest inspirations.
I remember watching my sister
when I was really little and she was
playing for the Christchurch Sirens.
Id always watch her and aspire to be
like her, she said.
Now, its Boagnis turn to be an in-
spiration.
Before she heads to California in
July, Boagni will play for the Canter-
bury Wildcats in the New Zealand
Womens Basketball Championship.
Te rst round is in Christchurch
this weekend, and Boagni said she
is excited to have the tournament in
her hometown.
Its really good, now we have the
Rams back, and we have womens
basketball championship, and its a
good opportunity to get women in-
volved in the sport, said Boagni.
Hopefully young little girls can
come watch us play and get inspired
to play basketball, she said.
Womens basketball champion-
ship preview, page 26
Ram eyes Tall Blacks, p27
Off to pursue hoop dreams in States
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