MELBOURNE, Australia – Just months after his graduation from Menlo College this past spring, Men's Basketball alumni Patrick Ryan has found himself among the professional ranks after signing a contract with the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League this past August.

Competing only hours from his hometown of Phillip Island in Australia, Ryan was initially in action with the Keilor Thunder in NBL1 South, a semi-professional league based in Victoria and Tasmania, where he averaged 7.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He progressed into time as a training player for S.E. Melbourne, shining in the NBL Blitz and Perth preseason showcases before officially joining the club on an official contract as a development player.

The Menlo Sports Management graduate made his Phoenix debut on Sept. 20, knocking down a 3-pointer and grabbing a rebound in five minutes of action during a 114-77 season-opening victory over the Cairns Taipans. S.E. Melbourne has since gone on to win three of its next five NBL games while mixing in a unique opportunity to host the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association on Oct. 4.

"Pat is a workhorse with a unique defensive skill set and has shown great growth in the time he's been with the Phoenix as a training player," said Phoenix General Manager of Basketball Operations Simon Mitchell. "We look forward to Pat learning under the guidance of our coaches and we hope that his trajectory continues to rise in the Heartland."

Helping guide Menlo to three winning seasons and 63 team victories in his four-year collegiate career, Ryan proved to be a reliable presence for the Oaks. His time in the blue and white spanned from 2021 to 2025 and, in his 81 games with the program, he shot 50 percent from the field on more than 560 attempts, averaging 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. A defensive stalwart, he also finished his time ranked sixth in Menlo history in career blocks while going out as an Academic All-PacWest honoree as a senior.
 
"Over the course of my college career, I gained so much from attending Menlo College as a student-athlete," Ryan said. "I felt that I learned all the necessary things to prepare me for the professional career and world outside of college. My ability to manage my time while learning to understand and take care of my body was something that was priceless for my development and I can't thank everyone at Menlo enough for having such a profound and supportive impact on my career."

As Ryan now contributes to S.E. Melbourne's success this season, he continues to blaze the professional path for future Menlo Men's Basketball graduates.