Fresno State Athletics
Farley Finds New Life in Fresno
11/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 12, 2010
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - It was a late August night when Bree Farley stepped off the plane in California, a wide-eyed youngster in an unfamiliar land.
She'd just endured an arduous 14-hour flight from her native Australia and was eager to set foot on American soil when the cabin doors opened and greeted her with a rush of hot summer air.
"I just got hit in the face," Farley recalled with a smile.
In that instance, Farley knew her life was about to change. Gone were the wintery temperatures she'd been enjoying back home. Gone were the familiar settings she'd grown accustomed to at the Australian Institute of Sport. Indeed, she had just a few hours to get settled before beginning her first semester at Fresno State, her new home for the next four years.
It's been a whirlwind few months for Farley, a freshman guard on the Fresno State women's basketball team. But she's approaching her new surroundings and making her way with a confidence that bodes well for the Bulldogs.
"She has a great, great attitude," Fresno State coach Adrian Wiggins said. "She falls in line with some of the more mature freshmen we've had."
Chances are that maturity has everything to do with Farley's extensive basketball background. After all, she comes to the Central Valley with a wealth of international experience that belies her age. A 5-foot-10 combo guard, she has played at the Australian national level since 2005 when she competed on the under-16 national team at the National Championships. Farley even represented Australia at the World Championships in Thailand last year.
She's wasted little time making an impact at Fresno State. During last week's 98-44 exhibition victory over Fresno Pacific, Farley came off the bench and finished with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists in 17 minutes. She'll get the chance to do even more when the Bulldogs open the regular season tonight at Santa Clara, as Wiggins said he expects her to get "a lot" of playing time.
"Last weekend was just a taste of what's coming," Farley said. "I can't wait to see all of our hard work pay off."
Fresno State heads into the 2010-11 season looking to build on the banner year it enjoyed in 2009 when the team won 27 games, captured its third consecutive WAC title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. But the program's elevated stature was only part of what lured Farley to Fresno.
Her friends had their say, too.
Fresno State has become a surprising destination of sorts for Australian talent. In fact, there are five Aussies on this year's squad, including sophomore forward Rosie Moult, Farley's roommate and close friend.
According to Farley, it was Moult who encouraged her to give Fresno State a try.
"Rosie was the main reason," Farley said. "She's my best friend, so I really trusted her. If she says something is good, I know it's true."
Still, even Moult labored through a rough adjustment period that she couldn't keep under wraps.
"I told Bree, `Don't listen to what I say until January.' Once the season started, I loved it," Moult said. "Bree's doing quite nicely, actually. I think she's doing what a sophomore or a junior would be doing. She's just an all-around good player."
Wiggins said having that homegrown support system around her can only help Farley as she navigates through her freshman season.
"I think having other Australians on the team has helped educate her to the big stressors that come with being far from home," Wiggins said. "Things that could be a big deal are expected. It's pretty difficult going to live in another country."
That said, both Farley and Moult are currently receiving a well-deserved boost, as their mothers Julie and Sue have flown in for a special month-long visit. Both will be in the stands for tonight's game against the Broncos.
"They wanted to surprise us, but they couldn't keep the secret," Moult said with a laugh. "I think my mom kept it for like a day. My mom told me, but then asked me not to tell anyone. Bree's mom told her but then told her not to tell."
For Farley's part, having her mother around as she begins her collegiate career means everything. No doubt, seeing her in person will be a vast improvement from having to rely on their daily Skype sessions from the Henry Madden Library.
"I haven't told her what to expect because I know whatever I tell her will be completely wrong," Farley said. "But I'm so excited she's here."
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