Auburn, ME – The Central Maine Community College athletic department in conjunction with the University of St Francis men's basketball program, is pleased to announce Matt Attard, a 6'2" sharpshooter from Melbourne, Australia, and a graduating senior at Central Maine, has committed to St Francis for the 2020-21 academic year.
Attard is finishing his second year at CM graduating from the Life Sciences program and will transfer his credits to USF. Matt will be studying Biology at St Francis.
Matt reflects on the opportunity: "First, I would like to thank coach Ryan Marks and his coaching staff for believing in me and giving me this opportunity to continue my basketball and academic career in the US. I would also like to thank Coach Gonyea and the Mustang family for an amazing two years of growth both on the court and off the court. Central Maine will always be like a second home to me. Last but not least, I would like to thank my family and friends back home in Australia. From the day I started this journey, they have always believed in me and supported me even when I am on the other side of the world."
Coach Marks and Gonyea have worked closely for years.
Attard follows in a line of former CM greats to attend USF. Fellow Aussie Pietro Badalassi graduated from CM in 2016 and finished his last two years at USF, graduating last year with his Bachelor's degree.
Josh Chery graduated from CM in 2019 and finished up his first year at USF. Josh will return next year for his senior year. According to Josh, "I am really looking forward to playing with Matt next year. We were not only team mates at CM but both roommates and best friends. I am so excited he will be coming. I can't wait to show him around and be together again. "
The financial package Matt received was very generous.
Coach Gonyea comments, "All of us at CM are very proud of Matty. He is the total package: a great student in the classroom, a hard-working player on the court and the weight room, and a solid student socially. We are especially thrilled he will be joining Josh at USF. Coach Marks is solid and Pietro and Josh speak highly of him. Matty will be in good hands."
Gonyea continues, "personally, I loved Matt like a son and will miss him dearly. He comes from great stock with a wonderful mum and dad and lovely sister. However, Matt is a total family man and always speaks about extended family and how important they are. He will always be part of our extended family at CM and always have a home here. We will be following closely and assist him in any way we can."
Future Coach Ryan Marks adds, "It's with great enthusiasm that we received the news of Matt Attard's decision to be part of our men's basketball team and the University of St. Francis community. He's a proven winner, teammate, and strong shooting threat on the court. Matt's leadership resulted in his selection as a team captain at Central Maine College, and he was playing his best basketball at the end of the season after working through some early injuries. We are also proud to continue our relationship with Coach Gonyea and the Mustangs program which produced former Fighting Saints player Pietro Badalassi and current team member Josh Chery. Both Pietro and Josh were well-prepared academically and athletically upon their arrivals in Joliet, and we know that Matt will continue that pattern. He also extends the tradition of Aussies on the hardwood in our program, being the fourth player from "Down Under" to join us over the last seven years, including Pietro, Lewis Holey, and Iain Morison."
