POCATELLO, Idaho- On the banks of the River Wear, just a few miles inland from Great Britain's North Sea coast lies the town of Durham. The village was settled over a thousand years ago and is home to two world heritage sites, a castle and a cathedral that were built over 900 years ago.
From the all accounts Durham has nothing in common with Pocatello, Idaho, but that will change this year when former Idaho State Bengal
Ashleigh Vella takes the court for the Durham University club basketball team while earning her master's degree.
"It is a huge opportunity for me," Vella said. "Academically it is one of the top 100 schools in the world. In terms of basketball it is a different environment and it will take me out of my comfort zone but they have signed some great players and I am excited for the opportunity to play with them."
Vella grew up in Australia but just finished a successful career at ISU where she also earned her bachelor's degree in sports management.
She racked up honors both on and off the court including a second-team Big Sky All-Conference second team nod in 2013 and a spot on the 2010 Big Sky All-Academic team.
Immediately after graduation she represented the island country of Malta in the Games of the Small States of Europe. The games are a biennial, Olympic style competition between nine small countries in Europe, the 2013 games were held in Luxembourg.
The Maltese team lost all three of their games but for Vella it drove home the idea that her basketball career might not be over. It is also where her conversation with the coaches and administration at Durham started moving at a rapid pace.
"I contacted the administration at Durham about the position but it was while I was in Europe that they contacted me," Vella said. "It was a little hectic because my phone didn't work so it was a lot of emails, they wanted film and they asked me questions about my education. The whole process took less than three weeks, I got home and they called with an offer and I accepted."
Vella is excited about the opportunity to continue her basketball career but she isn't taking for granted the opportunity to be on scholarship at one of the world's top universities.
"First and foremost I am there to continue my education," Vella said. "I am excited for basketball but the caliber of school that I am attending it will be important for me to concentrate on getting my master's degree."
Vella is also excited to build relationships in coaching which is a career she is interested in pursuing.
"My coach at Durham, Lee Davie, has told me there are a lot of coaching opportunities in Great Britain," Vella said. "He is the Under-18 national coach so he has a lot of great connections around the country which is great for me in terms of networking.
Transition is one thing that Vella is very familiar with. It will be the second time that she moves thousands of miles to continue her education and shoot a ball through a hoop.
"My experience at ISU really helped me prepare to go to England," Vella said. "When I came to Pocatello I didn't know anyone and I wasn't familiar with the area, it really gave me the opportunity to jump in and focus on basketball and school. I think it will be a very similar experience when I get to Durham."
Vella's goals might have shifted during her basketball career but she has embraced the interesting turns that life has held for her. Who knows what lies over the horizon for the globetrotting Aussie.
"My goal when I was young was to play for the Australian National team," Vella said. "That hasn't worked out but basketball has given me so many great opportunities to travel all over the world, learn from different cultures and study at different schools. Never in a million years did I think I would be able to do what I have done."
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