Study and Play USA

Attention all current US college athletes!

Applications for 2026-2027 Campus Captains are officially OPEN! 🎉

As a Campus Captain, you’ll join a global community of mental health leaders. The program provides Campus Captains with:

📚 expert-led mental health education
🤝mentor-led advocacy activities
💚and a community of support.

Campus Captains build their mental health leadership skills, becoming peer supporters and agents of change in their communities.

This is not just an ambassadorship; the Campus Captains program goes beyond awareness campaigns and flash moments. The Hidden Opponent's program’s unique formula develops mental health leadership to create lasting change —in program participants, in campus communities, and within sports culture at large.

Ready to join their mission? You can visit the link in our bio to apply TODAY. Applications close July 20, so don’t wait!

Share this post with your teammates, tag a friend, sibling, son, daughter in the comments, and help The Hidden Opponent find their next cohort of mental health leaders 💚

More information can be found in the link in our bio.

Interested in playing US College Golf? Make sure to check out our golf specific podcast episodes!

You can listen to these episodes and more via the link in bio, Apple podcasts and Spotify!

Where Are They Now?

David “Fitzy” Fitzgerald has spent a glorious 4 years at University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, playing rugby and majoring in International Business with a Minor in Sports Management and Entrepreneurship.

Fitzy says, “Moving away from everything that seems familiar can be scary, but allows you to truly gain some independence and find out what’s important to you. Leveraging the sport you love to travel and study opens many doors. You’ll meet people from all walks of life and leave an impact of your own.”

Now back in the big smoke, Fitzy is completing a business consulting internship back home in Brisbane!

Parents - heading to the US soon to dropping off your son or daughter?

Athletes - haven't set up a US phone number yet?

Our e-SIM partners, Saily, have just announced their users can get a dedicated US phone number 🇺🇸 It’s a real American number but with absolutely no contracts or strings attached! This means you can use your own dedicated U.S. (+1) number to call, text, and breeze through those 2 Factor Authentication security codes while traveling. And if you’re visiting the U.S. from another country it helps you use popular U.S. apps like Venmo and Ticketmaster because they often require a U.S. number to recognise you as a domestic user 🤳

Comment SAILY and we will send you a DM with our discount 📲

SIGNED!!

A huge congratulations to 2026 tennis player Bodhi Smith from Northern New South Wales on officially signing with Emory & Henry University in Virginia! This NCAA D2 university was founded in 1836, located in the beautiful Appalachian highlands.

Bodhi's hard work, resilience, and dedication have earned him this incredible opportunity, and we couldn't be more excited to see him take the next step in his tennis and academic journey.

We can't wait to watch him thrive in the collegiate environment, compete at the next level, and make a lasting impact for the Wasps. The future is bright!

"Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it."

Congratulations, Bodhi! Your journey is just getting started.




Congratulations, Bodhi! Your journey is just getting started.

A huge SPUSA welcome to Emily Reed, a talented tennis player from Brisbane, Australia!

Emily is currently in Year 11 at ACC and has her sights set on beginning her college journey in the United States in 2028. She is excited about the opportunity to combine her passion for tennis with a quality education while competing as part of a US college team.

Emily is eager to find a program she can call home, where she can contribute her energy, work ethic, and love for the game while continuing to grow both on and off the court.

We're excited to be part of your journey and can't wait to help you find the perfect fit in the USA!

Welcome to the SPUSA family, Emily!

tennis

If you’ve been researching the US college scholarship pathway lately, you’ve almost certainly come across the term NIL. It’s one of the most talked-about developments in college sport in decades – and for good reason. In just five years, it has transformed the financial landscape for student-athletes in America, turning what was once a strictly amateur environment into a multi-billion dollar marketplace.

But what does NIL actually mean? How does it work? And critically, what does it mean for you as an Australian athlete heading to the US?

Here’s everything you need to know in 2026.

https://studyandplayusa.com.au/nil-in-2026-everything-you-need-to-know-before-choosing-a-us-college/

Signed!

Congratulations to 6’8 Perth volleyballer Joshua Damianopulous (left) on his successful transfer to Jessup University in California! Josh began his US university sporting career at Irvine Valley College, a California Community College located in Irvine Valley, CA. After completing his two years, Josh is now entering the world of NCAA men’s volleyball.

We are excited for you Josh and can’t wait to follow your journey ahead 👏🇺🇸