9 June 2016: The University of Canberra Capitals have signed former Australian junior Keely Froling for the next two seasons.
The 187cm forward recently returned to Australia after playing college basketball for the Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas for two seasons along with her twin sister Alicia.
The Townsville-born player joined the Bendigo Lady Braves for this year's SEABL competition, where she is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds a game.
University of Canberra Capitals head coach Paul Goriss said Froling's versatility on the court and her strong work ethic makes her a valuable signing.
"Keely brings junior international experience to our team along with a competitive drive and hunger to win. I coached Keely at the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (BA CoE) and I cannot speak highly enough of her drive to become a great player and her focus on continuing to improve her game," he said.
"She's taking a lot of responsibility on the court for Bendigo, making tough shots and creating opportunities. Her game has really grown these past seasons and challenging herself defensively in the SEABL competition stands her in good stead for the upcoming WNBL season," he added.
Froling said she is looking forward to returning to the nation's capital.
"I consider Canberra my second home and I'm really excited to join the University of Canberra Capitals and play under Goriss again. The way he coaches and his style of basketball really suits me," Froling said.
The move back to Canberra will also see the 20-year-old follow another passion of hers, enrolling in a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University.
"Having the opportunity to study while playing in the WNBL makes joining the UC Capitals a perfect fit for me and I can't wait to join the team," she said.
Froling was a development player with the Townsville Fire from 2011-2013, and played for Canberra in 2013 and BA CoE in 2014 in the SEABL. She represented Australia in the 2012 FIBA U17 world championships, but a knee injury saw her unavailable for the U19 campaign last year.
- Paul Goriss and Keely Froling are available for interview
Contact the University of Canberra media team:
Amanda Jones: 0409 140 415
Claudia Doman: 0408 826 362