The Ballarat Miners are thrilled to announce that local talent and fan favourite Ned Renfree, has re-committed for the upcoming 2025 Mitsubishi NBL1 South season. Renfree’s commitment underscores the club’s dedication to nurturing homegrown talent that progress through our domestic and representative programs whilst maintaining strong community ties.
The 2024 season was one of growth for Ned, with an increase in his role at key moments in close games, Renfree showcased his skills and versatility on the court. His consistent performance played a pivotal role in the Miners’ competitive edge throughout the season.
Upon re-committing for what will be his 3rd season with the senior team, Renfree said, “I’m so excited to dig in for one last season before I head off to college, I think we have the right pieces in place to go one better this year and that’s what we plan on doing. Playing for the Miners is an unreal feeling, and I love pulling the Miners jersey on each and every time that I get the opportunity to do so.”
Renfree is set to embark on an exciting new chapter in his basketball journey, having committed to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He will join the Milwaukee Panthers Men’s basketball program, at the end of our NBL1 season in what is a fantastic opportunity which reflects Renfree’s dedication in getting better at every opportunity.
Miners Men’s Head Coach, Luke Brennan was pumped to have Ned returning, stating, “Very excited to have Ned back for another year. A super talented kid with endless potential, he will give us some great energy and a scoring punch off the bench.“
Nev Ivey, CEO of Ballarat Basketball commented on the importance in keeping local talent and how it shows in our pathway opportunities by adding, “Retaining local talents like Ned before they take the next step in their basketball journey is a testament to the strong development pathway we have at Ballarat Basketball. His re-signing highlights the opportunities available for young athletes to grow within our system before progressing to higher levels, including college basketball. Ned’s journey is an inspiring example for our junior players, showing them that with hard work and dedication, they too can reach the next level. We’re excited to see him continue to develop in a Miners jersey before heading to the U.S.”
Renfree becomes the 7th member of our Men’s squad following the re-signings of Luke Rosendale, Majok Majok and Nick Stoddart as well as new key recruits in Aiden Krause, Clancy Bird and import Andrew Robinson with more key signings to come in the coming weeks and months. The Ballarat Miners kick off their season at home against arch-rival Bendigo on March 29th.