Courtesy of Mark Mentone, Felcian SID

RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The professional basketball career of Ethan Kennedy has begun just like his collegiate one ended – as a champion.

Kennedy, a 2010 graduate of Felician College and a member of the Golden Falcons’ 2010 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference championship team, embarked on a pro career in Australia last summer. He averaged more than 27 points per game, including a league record 67 on Aug. 17, in leading the Uni Rebels of the Darwin Airport Resort League to first place in the regular season.

Kennedy shined in the playoffs as well. He had 27 points and 12 rebounds in a semifinal game and 26 points and 13 boards in the finals as the Rebels won the 2010 league championship. He was named the playoff Most Valuable Player.

“I definitely surprised myself – I didn’t expect to have that type of success my first year,” Kennedy said via e-mail. “But I still have a long way to go and a lot of goals I would like to meet playing overseas.”

Because of his success with the Rebels, Kennedy attracted attention from a league in Southern Australia which he describes as “a few steps above” the Darwin league. Kennedy recently competed in a preseason tournament with the Warrnambol Seahawks of the Big V league (www.bigv.com.au), and has made a verbal commitment to the squad while he sorts out contract details. His Big V season would run March through August.

“I’m really excited about playing a higher level of ball,” Kennedy said. “That’s the goal for me -- to work hard and gain a good reputation here, and move up and progress every season.”

Kennedy, a native of Albuquerque, N.M., graduated from Felician with a GPA of more than 3.9 as an art major with a concentration in graphic design. He averaged just over 10 points per game in two years as a Golden Falcon. His wife, Dana, and son, Matt, are with him in Australia.