Australian teen big US colleges are fighting over

• Sitaya Fagan has 18 NCAA Division 1 college scholarship offers
• She helped lead Vic Metro to the U18 National Championship in Brisbane earlier this month
• Fagan averaged 13.4 points, six rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game at nationals

Anybody who has watched Sitaya Fagan play the game of basketball knows the 17-year-old Australian is the closest thing to a defensive cheat code that any coach could wish for.

The 6'4" (1.93m)wing uses her length and athleticism to deadly effect and currently has powerhouse NCAA Division 1 programs clamouring for her commitment, and as arguably Australia’s brightest young prospect, it’s little wonder why.

With class of 2026 scholarship offers from South Carolina, LSU, Texas and UCLA among the 18 Division 1 offers she has in front of her, Fagan has the women’s college basketball world in the palm of her hand.

In the midst of a huge life decision, Fagan reflected on the past year that has led her to a position where she can choose between the best of the best colleges when it comes to both basketball and education.

“Even mid last year, I'd just be like no way [is this possible], because I idolise the other girls around me and I’m seeing them get this offer and that offer, and I’m thinking there's no way I'd get that,” Fagan told Basketball.com.au.

“Louisville was my first official offer, and I was almost screaming. I was like no freaking way and then they just kept coming.

“My mum is a teacher, so I'm big on 50/50 with basketball and education. Having offers from those top programs that are also top in education, it’s just really good.”

Whilst she hasn’t been on any official college visits yet, Fagan travelled to the USA for the first time late last year on a Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence (CoE) tour and has had phone calls with some of the best coaches in the world.

“You watch all the games on TV and you watch the head coaches, then all of a sudden you're on a call with them, it's surreal,” she said.

“It’s going to be a big decision and because I've been at the CoE, which is basically a college environment, that has made me more excited.

“If you asked me five years ago if I go [to college], I'd probably have said no. After these past couple of years, especially with big names like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, it's just crazy. All the opportunities you get, how big women's basketball is now, I couldn't miss that opportunity.”

Speaking of opportunities that can’t be missed, Fagan never passes up a chance to cause havoc on the defensive end, whether that’s by rising up and blocking opponents or jumping in passing lanes for deflections or steals.

She takes pride in that area of her game and knows that's where big games are won and lost.

“I actually prefer playing defence than offense sometimes,” Fagan said.

“In my earliest stages, I was like ‘no, I want to score, I want to drop 20’, but moving on, you learn that defence wins games.”

It was defence that stood tall when Fagan and her Victoria Metro teammates needed it most during the Under-18 National Championships earlier this month in Brisbane. Finding themselves in a 13-point hole against Queensland North at the start of the fourth quarter in their final pool game, Vic Metro put the clamps on.

They simply wouldn’t be denied and their incredible comeback was powered by Fagan, who scored 10 of their final 14 points to complete the most extraordinary 67-63 win. Holding Queensland North to just six points in the fourth quarter was a sight to behold as Vic Metro turned up the heat and Fagan grabbed three steals in the final 1:30 of the game to halt any chance of an upset.

Fagan finished the game with 16 points, eight steals, six rebounds and two blocks.

“Leading into that fourth, once it got to within nine points, we just knew that we had them,” Fagan said.

“It was more my teammates that pushed me instead of me. They were telling me on the sideline, ‘you've got this’, and the coaches were backing me up, and I was like, ‘alright, I'll give it a crack’.

“It was just a crazy feeling.”

After pulling off a comeback for the ages, Vic Metro continued on their merry way and claimed an unbeaten gold medal, defeating South Australia Metro in the grand final, 111-79.

“It was beautiful bringing home the gold,” Fagan said.

“I’ve got a second and third, so I needed that gold. We lost to that team the last time we played them in the grand final, but I unfortunately couldn't go because I was at an Australian competition.

“Watching that, I was like, ‘no, we're getting you guys next time’.”

She definitely made sure of that, leading the Vic Metro in scoring (13.4 points per game) and second in rebounds (six per game) and steals (2.8 per game) across the tournament.

Fagan’s rapid rise up the ranks really kicked into overdrive at last year’s FIBA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Mexico. She pinpoints that tournament as the moment she realised what was going to be possible for her through the game of basketball.

“After that tournament I really did realise that I could make a future with my basketball,” she said.

“Especially because I wasn't even expecting to make that team, let alone start and be one of the key players. It was just crazy.”

I remember being absolutely blown away by Fagan’s defensive instincts at that tournament and without her, Australia would’ve finished much lower than fifth. Her presence in the paint didn’t just alter shots, at times it completely changed the way teams were looking to score because they had to think twice about driving to the bucket.  

She led Australia in rebounding (6.4 per game) and was third in the tournament for blocks (two per game), and from there, the college offers came rolling in.

“It all blew up after Mexico really, because that's when schools could contact me.” Fagan said.

A year later, Fagan is now in the initial 24-player roster for Australian Gems squad ahead of the 2025 FIBA Under-19 Women’s World Cup in July.

Having played basketball since the age of six, Fagan – who credits her mum as being her "backbone through everything" – progressed through the junior pathway at her local Frankston Blues to now being at the CoE, living and breathing basketball.

“It was a bit scary to be honest at first because I got offered a scholarship so young,” she said.

“I was up there when I was 16 and obviously there were a lot of 17 and 18-year-old girls around me. It's just a crazy experience; you play basketball and live with girls that all have the same passion as you do.”

Sitaya Fagan’s silky-smooth game is a joy to watch, and an absolute nightmare to play against. Luckily for Australian basketball fans, we just get to enjoy the show.

About the Author

Hayley Wildes is passionate about all things Australian women’s basketball and loves to highlight the stories of players from all levels and competitions across the globe. From our own backyard in the WNBL, to the WNBA and the Opals, and everything in between, Hayley has you covered.