Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham women's basketball freshman guard
Zara Jillings has been called up to the New Zealand national team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, which begin on April 5 against Malaysia in Cairns, Australia.
"It is exciting for Zara to be invited to compete with her national team," Head coach
Stephanie Gaitley said, "As one of the youngest players on the team, she will also pair up with Fordham alum Erin Rooney. This will be a great jump start for her confident going into her sophomore year."
The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations, an intergovernmental organization of 53 member states, including New Zealand, Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, however 71 teams participate as a number of dependent territories compete under their own flags. The event began in 1930 and, aside from a 12-year break between 1938 and 1950, has been played every four years. New Zealand is one of six countries to have attended every Commonwealth Games.
Jillings wrapped up her freshman campaign at Fordham with averages of 2.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per contest across 19.2 minutes per game. One of four players to appear in all 34 contests, Jillings made six starts and finished with 52 assists, fifth-most on the team. Once conference season began, Jillings' 32 dimes were fourth-most. Jillings finished the year with a 52/37 assist/turnover ratio, as well, and notched seven blocks and nine steals, the former ranking third on the team. Of Jillings' 80 rebounds on the year, 32 came on the offensive glass (40%).
This will be Jillings' second call-up with the national team, having previously competed with the Tall Ferns this past summer during the FIBA Women's Asia Cup and, prior to that, the William Jones Cup in Taiwan. Jillings has long represented her country at the junior levels.
"I am particularly excited, however, by the emergence of two very young Tall Ferns in Charlisse Leger-Walker and
Zara Jillings," New Zealand head coach Guy Molloy said recently, "Zara is only 19 and is a freshman at Fordham University and really impressed during the Asia Cup campaign last year."
Erin Rooney, the last Ram prior to
G'mrice Davis to earn back-to-back First Team All-Conference honors, graduated in 2014 and currently plays professional in Switzerland with Troistorrents. Rooney has been limited to eight games due to injury this season but is averaging 10.9 points and 4.8 assists when healthy. Troistorrents sit second in the Swiss Basketball League with a 14-5 record.
New Zealand has been drawn into Pool B alongside India, Jamaica, and Malaysia. The top two teams in each pool advance to the quarterfinals. The Tall Ferns open play against Malaysia on April 5 and then have a doubleheader against Jamaica and India two days later, all at the Cairns Convention Centre.
Pool A consists of the hosts, Australia, along with Canada, England, and Mozambique.
Alongside Jillings and Rooney on the roster are Jessica Bygate, Micaela Cocks, Antonia Farnworth, Deena Franklin, Jordan Hunter, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Chevannah Paalvast, Kalani Purcell, Josie Stockill, and Natalie Taylor.
