Wangaratta's Chloe Storer enjoys success with UIW Cardinals in the US

The 20-year-old former Bandit helped the UIW Cardinals win its first Southland Conference title this season, coming from fifth spot to reach the feat and qualify for the 'March Madness' tournament.

Storer and the Cardinals needed to win four games in the knock-out style event, claiming the championship game by four-points in overtime against Southeastern Louisiana.

"For UIW women's basketball, no team in school history had ever even made it past the first game of the Southland Conference Tournament, so for us to completely blow past that milestone was such a massive achievement," Storer said.

"It was clear that the whole UIW community was so proud of us and the support was amazing.

"We were certainly not expected to come out and win the tournament, especially since we had never beaten teams before such as HBU or McNeese, and to blow them out by such impressive margins was just awesome.

"It shows that whoever decides to show up and play their hardest on the day will overcome any odds."

The Cardinals were then deemed to be in the top 68 college teams in the United States.

However, they faced a hard task at the March Madness tournament, bowing out in the first game to Howard University.

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"But the whole experience was something that I will never forget," Storer said.

Currently in her sophomore year studying biology, Storer admitted she never imagined herself at college in the US initially.

"I think seeing my sister Olivia enjoy herself so much in her four years in the US really inspired me to do it myself," she said.

"If I'm honest, I didn't really know if I was good enough to get a scholarship, but one day I just decided that I'd go for it.

"Being able to get a scholarship to study, play basketball and live in a completely different country is something that I feel so grateful for and I remember thinking to myself that if I didn't take the opportunity and give it a go, I would definitely regret it."

However, Storer admitted it hasn't come without homesickness, especially in the midst of the pandemic.

"The whole experience has also made me feel so grateful for the support system that I have back home, and it makes the time that we spend together much more special," she said.

Storer also looks back fondly at her time with the Bandits in 2019.

"Being coached by Lauren Jackson and captained by Nat Hurst was just incredible, and it showed me what being a real competitor looks like," she said.

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