From Australia to new program record setter at Quinnipiac
HAMDEN, Conn. (BVM) — Australian native Jacob Rigoni will be leaving Quinnipiac University as the new 3-point field goal record holder.”
Rigoni surpassed Rob Monroe with 259 3-point field goals during the Bobcats loss against Marist College on Feb. 28 . This accolade was only a month after he reached 1,000-points, only the 17th player to do so in Quinnipiac’s Division I history.
“I’m very honoured and grateful to have achieved this type of individual success at Quinnipiac,” Rigoni said. “Throughout my Quinnipiac career I wanted to show my teammates, coaching staff and the fans, how hard I work for the team.”
Rigoni grew up in Adelaide, Australia, with his parents Sharon and Paul, as well as his sister, Jasmine. The family all had one thing in common, their love for basketball.
Before Quinnipiac, Rigoni played for the Sturts Sabres which was coached by his father. He played with the team for two years, making the championship in both seasons. Rigoni would go on to commit to Quinnipiac shortly after his final season.
The Australian native was selected for the U20 South Australian State team in 2017. For which he captained the team to their first ever Championship since 1993. Rigoni earned the MVP award, which caught the eye of many US colleges.
Rigoni then represented Australia in the FIBA competition at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament and Oceania Championships. Prior to the tournament, newly selected Head Coach Baker Dunleavy found interest in the Forward.
“After playing well at the National Titles, Coach Dunleavy reached out after just getting the job at Quinnipiac,” Rigoni said. “He was really impressed with my skills, work rate, and attitude and thought I fit in really well at Quinnipiac.”
Rigoni committed to Quinnipiac in 2017 and made the long 24-hour trip to start the new chapter in his life in the US. Leaving his family behind was something Rigoni was nervous about, but knew once he joined the team, he’d find his new family.
“This was the scariest thing I’ve done in my life,” Rigoni said. “But, I knew this was the best way to develop myself on and off the court.”
Rigoni finished his freshman season with an impressive 75 3-pointers, placing second on Quinnipiac’s Division I single season list. He played in all 33 games and had 14 starts.
“I had a lot of fun my first season,” Rigoni said. “It was a new place with a new playing style and I enjoyed challenging myself against the best.”
Rigoni became an influential mainstay in the team, starting in every single game since the beginning of his sophomore year.
“Every year, I was very happy to get a lot of minutes on the court,” Rigoni said. “I’m so grateful that Coach Dunleavy trusted me to help the team and I tried every game to repay the favor.”
Rigoni was also consistent off the court, being named in the All-MAAC Academic Team all three years he was available. Rigoni’s commitment to his education is a testament to how hard he works at everything he does.
“Quinnipiac has an amazing educational system set up [which is] one of the reasons why I came here,” Rigoni said. “I’m very proud to have graduated with a psychology major.”
Rigoni ends his time with Quinnipiac with many moments that will be remembered. One moment he remembers fondly was his overtime buzzer winner in February 2020 against Fairfield University. The then junior, was found by teammate Kevin Marfo and hit a three pointer at the buzzer to win.
“It was a surreal moment, not just for me but for the team,” Rigoni said. “What made this moment amazing was the fact I got to share it with my teammates.”
Another moment Rigoni will never forget was when he reached 1,000 career points, becoming the 17th player in Quinnipiac’s Division I history to do so. He achieved this against Niagara University scoring 11 points in the Bobcats 78-69 win in Hamden.
“To reach 1,000 points is something I’m very proud of and couldn’t be done without the help of my teammates and the coaching staff,” Rigoni said.
Rigoni reached the milestone after shooting a free throw with 15:23 left in the first half.
“I was delighted once I made the free throw,” Rigoni said. “However, my main focus was still ensuring we got the win.”
Rigoni was not only an inspiration on but also off the court. During the holiday period of 2020, Australia was battling deadly bushfires that were damaging properties, wildlife, and livelihoods.
Rigoni, and the men’s basketball team announced fundraisers to raise money in response to the Australian bushfire crisis. Rigoni, along with multiple social media accounts including Quinnipiac athletics and the men’s basketball team promoted a donation page where funds would go to the CFS Volunteer Firefighters in Australia.
Quinnipiac men’s basketball also had tables set up in the lobby of the People’s United Centre during two games, Feb. 7, and Sunday Feb. 9 to donate.
“It was a very serious situation back home and many people at Quinnipiac knew about it,” Rigoni said. “I wanted to try and do my part to help my country that I grew up in.
“We raised a lot of money for CFS, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of a community like Quinnipiac.”
Rigoni ends his career at Quinnipiac with an impressive 361 field goals, and a new program record of 3-point goals with 259, while averaging 10.1 points per game over his four years. The only thing that omitted his career was a MAAC Championship but he remains optimistic for the future of Quinnipiac men’s basketball.
“We deserved it, we worked hard every day at practice and in games to achieve our goal,” Rigoni said. “We wanted it for ourselves, the team, the coaches and our fans.
“We have a talented squad with an amazing coaching staff and school behind us. I’m sure we’ll see us (Quinnipiac) holding the MAAC Championship very soon.”
Rigoni now looks towards the future, and says he’s not done with basketball yet. He believes the next stage in his life is trying to make it professional one day.
“I want to push myself and try and go professional one day,” Rigoni said. “The NBA is the main dream but any way to further develop myself on the court is the perfect scenario.”
Rigoni leaves Quinnipiac with a degree in Psychology, a new 3-point record, memories and friends that will last a lifetime.
“I cannot thank Quinnipiac enough,” Rigoni said. “The school, the staff, my teammates, all the amazing people I’ve met, I will never forget my experience at Quinnipiac. I’ll remember these four years for the rest of my life.”
