Ballarat Miners young gun Jeremiah McKenzie is bound for college.
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The 2019 Miners Youth most valuable player has signed with the University of Colorado.
He will depart Ballarat in August to join the Mountain Lions' program, where he will also study sports business management.
McKenzie said he was thrilled to be heading to Colorado.
"I'm real excited, it's been a dream of mine since I was young to play basketball over in the states, so to be able to do that at Colorado Springs is sick," he said.
McKenzie formed a key component of the Miners Youth squad which claimed the Big V youth league one competition championship in 2019.
He is the second member of the team to take up an overseas offer, with 2019 teammate Amos Brooks committing to Rend Lake Junior College in Illinois.
McKenzie said he was thankful for the support of everyone that had contributed to his pathway and encouraged those with similar dreams to chase it.
"Just work hard, listen to your coaches and do extra work that isn't scheduled practice so you're always getting better" McKenzie said.
Ballarat Miners Youth head coach Ryan McKew said he was delighted to see McKenzie earn this opportunity.
"Jezz has come a long way during his time in the Ballarat representative program, he has always had such a competitive nature and has never backed down from a challenge," he said.
"I'm so proud of Jezz, his work ethic and dedication has been outstanding and now he has this wonderful opportunity in front of him, and I know he will make the most of it"
