- RELATED: Full steam ahead for Chloe Bibby
WARRACKNABEAL’S Chloe Bibby will move to the United State to play basketball with Mississippi State University next season.
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Bibby said she was ecstatic to be able to make the move and take the next step in her career.
“It’s just so exciting,” she said.
“I’m like, ‘holy moly, this is really happening’.
“I haven’t signed anything yet but it’s a verbal agreement that will see me playing there in 2017.”
The agreement was reached early on Wednesday.
“It was about 8am and I was face-timing with the head coach,” Bibby said.
“Then I literally called everyone in my family.
“I tried to call my dad first but he didn’t answer, he’d obviously left his phone in his truck and is harvesting at the moment.
“Then it was mum, my grandparent and everyone straight after.”
Bibby said Mississippi felt like a comfortable and obvious choice for her.
“I was looking at Fordham in New York as well,” she said.
“But for me Mississippi seemed the best fit by far.
“Just all the coaching staff and players there made me feel really comfortable.”
After talking to Mississippi and other colleges for about a year, Bibby said it was a weight off her mind to have a plan in place.
“I’ve kind of been off and on with my decision,” she said.
“‘Am I going? Where am I going?’ Now I’m just glad I made the decision and I think it’s the right one for my future.”
This year has been a big one for Bibby.
She re-signed with Dandenong Basketball and the SEABL Rangers in May, after playing as a scoring forward in the SEABL Rangers women’s team.
Next week, she will travel to Fiji with the Australian under-19 team to play in the Oceania qualifier for next year’s world championships in July.
The Mississippi deal has calmed her nerves ahead of the qualifier.
“I think the decision will help me next week,” she said.
“I’m more comfortable now and I can focus on these qualifiers before getting ready step in going to America.”
After her selection for Fiji in September, Bibby told the Mail-Times she had never imagined getting to that point.
“I’ve always wanted it but it’s pretty competitive,” she said.
“Once I decided basketball was what I wanted it was full steam ahead.
“The sky is the limit.
“Each step I’ve taken with the under-17s and the WNBL has helped me progress in women’s basketball.”
Bibby’s next step forward occurs in August next year, when she moves to the United States.
“It’s not for a while yet,” she said.
“I still get to finish out the season with Dandenong in the WNBL.”