In our fourth edition of ‘Eagles Abroad’ we were able to get the opportunity to chat with sharpshooter Dejan Vasiljevic after just finishing his first year at the University of Miami. Not only has he finished his first year with Miami but he has been selected to represent Australia in the 2017 Emerging Boomers Team, who will be playing in the World University Games which will be held in Taiwan.

1. How did you go in your first season? And did your team perform well?

I thought we grew as a team throughout the season, which culminated with huge wins against Virginia and Duke and securing a NCAA berth. Our team unfortunately had a very tough loss in the first round against Michigan State. We all felt disappointed once it all came to an end, however we were very proud of how far we had come and how we represented our school "The U".

2. How are you going with managing your workload of both basketball and school? What does your weekly schedule look like in regards to the amount of time you put into basketball?

I was fortunate enough to decide to join the program early, so enrolled into a summer session in my freshman year. Getting to school early and having no one on campus besides my teammates and footballers helped me adjust to the workload, which in brief involved waking up early and working out then going to two to three classes a day then straight back to the gym for additional workouts. Our weekly schedule from Monday to Friday is fairly consistent, 6:30 gym sessions, I'll have an individual workout from 8-9:15, class from 11-3 then another team workout from 4-6 to end the day. The weekends are more relaxed, however I usually find time to include extra gym sessions and on court workouts in.

3. What are the facilities like at your college? How do they compare to back home in Australia?

The facilities at the U are in one word exceptional. Multiple courts, multiple gyms and we have access to these at any time. We even have access to the offices if we need a quiet place to study. The main difference between the facilities here and at home is in the range of equipment, accessibility and support. While I had something similar at my disposal at the AIS, I don’t have to worry about court availability or designing a core strength program. We are supported by a large number of people including player managers, sport scientists and physios who would assist us in aspects of basketball. While we may be amateurs, we are treated and expected to behave as professionals.

4. What have you missed the most while you were at college?

I've definitely missed my family and friends back home. My parents and little sister especially because they love watching me play and love having me around; however to pursue my academic and basketball careers I've had to make sacrifices and one of them was to see my family less. I've also been missing my coaches Al and Nick, alongside my close friends at Diamond Valley since they guided and supported me in preparation for college and I can't thank them enough for what they have done! I really believe that they all play a huge part in my accomplishments, on and off the court.

5. What is the atmosphere like during games? The crowd? The stadiums?

The atmosphere is simply crazy and walking through the gate and entering the gym gives you goose bumps. Our stadium is not as big as many of the other colleges but it has been sold out for the past few years. The fans in attendance, all 8,000 of them, love it all – the team, the coaching staff, the atmosphere. Just to give you an idea, the stadium at Syracuse has a seating allocation of 30,000. Their stadium was almost full when we played there. The craziest place is at Duke with all their fans getting into our faces all the time. They are really a big part of their game, usually pulled them out of the trouble. Our campus is in Coral Gables, about 20 minutes outside of Miami, and is an important part of the community. It is very interesting to be greeted by the locals whenever we go out to dine or buy groceries. They talk to us as if we are their best friend, sign autographs and even take pictures. They really appreciate the vibe the program has brought to their community.

6. Have you got any advice for young players who dream to go to college?

I always like visiting the foundation of my basketball – order, hard work, discipline. Definitely keep working hard on the game, keep improving but never forget it is a game so make sure you are having fun. I really don’t believe I would have been here today if I didnt have fun along the way. There were ups and downs, but the love of the game and fun have kept me in it. Another piece of advice would be work ethic, both on and off the court, this includes school. Everyone has a dream of going to a preferred college but the options quickly disappear if the high school standing, in other words the grades, do not meet the entry requirements. Remember, we are STUDENT ATHLETES, the word ‘student’ comes first. So the first obstacle is to get in but then the next one is to stay in. Regardless of athletic ability and performance, if the grades are not above a certain level, which is usually higher than the one prescribed by NCAA, no one can stay in the program. Personally I am really proud of my academic accomplishments. Although I may not have had the highest grades, I had to really work hard to meet all requirements. Not an easy task to make up for missed classes here or even at the AIS as I had to go away for a few months sometimes on national duties.

7. What was the best game you were part of this season?

Many games come to mind, but the best game where I  really played a huge part in was against Virginia on the road. Very low scoring game, and I hit a three which tied  the game and sent it to overtime. We eventually ended up winning and that also sealed our NCAA appearance. Also beating Duke at home was something since our students stormed the court which was just an unbelievable experience. Simply the whole experience has been surreal, the magnitude of that conference is just unbelievable.

8. What plans have you got for the offseason? Are you coming home?

Unfortunately our season ended early so when we came back to our campus, we went back to work. I started lifting and working out like I was preseason. I did get time to come home for two weeks in early May and spend some time with my family and friends. Now I'm back at the U taking summer classes, working out every day in preparation for the season.

Keep up the great work DJ and good luck in the World University Games!

Stay tuned to see who will be the next college athlete we will be talking to....