The combination of a lack of collegiate sports scholarships available in Australia and connections to coaches and players in Louisiana has resulted in the considerably high number of Australians that have competed at Nicholls in recent years.
Three Australians have been added to the Nicholls State basketball roster this year, bringing the total to five members on the team from the Land Down Under. Liam Thomas, Cade Towers and Alex Overs join returnering players Piers Carroll and Sam McBeath for the upcoming season.
McBeath became a resident of Thibodaux in the spring of 2011 after two frustrating years of attempting to find a university that offered a full scholarship to play basketball. The opportunity to compete at Nicholls presented itself while McBeath was training with the Sydney Kings alongside former Nicholls standout, Anatoly Bose. Bose used his connections with Nicholls to facilitate a relationship between McBeath and head coach J.P. Piper that resulted in a full scholarship and opportunity to play on the collegiate level.
McBeath describes basketball in America as being more aggressive compared to the way it is played in Australia. “If you’re a freshman coming in from Australia, you spend the first two to three weeks of practice getting mauled because it’s so physical. It’s not just contact; it’s mean contact,” he said.   
Piers Carroll is returning to Thibodaux this year as a sophomore in the classroom and freshman on the court. Carroll moved from Chatswood, Australia to Central, Louisiana at the age of 17 to play basketball for Central Private High School. His coach in Chatswood, a former student at Central Private, was able to present Carroll with the opportunity to play in the States with the end goal of playing on the collegiate level. Carroll’s initial experience in Louisiana was not a positive one. “I couldn’t understand anyone my first week of school. It was very upsetting.” Once the accent barrier was broken, he was able to appreciate the unique culture, music and food his new home had to offer. Carroll is not a fan of the attention his height conjures in the states. “The worst thing about America is everyone asking ‘How tall are you?'” he admitted.
Liam Thomas comes to Nicholls from Sydney, Australia. He moved from his homeland to play basketball at Central Private High School alongside Carroll for a year before moving to Thibodaux to begin his collegiate career. Thomas enjoys the Southern hospitality that Louisiana is known for. “There are different types of people here. They’re nicer than in Australia,” he said. Though he misses his friends and family across the globe, he enjoys being close to Carroll and immersing himself in the college life.
The newest international additions will join their teammates in showcasing their talents at the season opener on Nov. 2 at home against Mobile.