He flew from Sydney, Australia, to an island in the Pacific Ocean, then to Los Angeles, then to Minneapolis, then to Richmond. It took Josh Duinker 30 hours to travel from his Australian home to his new home, the University of Richmond.

Duinker (pronounced Dunk-er), a 6-10 basketball player with the catchy last name, hasn't been back to Australia since, and at this time has no plans to return.

"I've been very happy here where I am. Everything is going great, so it's not such a big problem for me," said Duinker, 19. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

He began classes soon after arriving at UR in January and practiced with the Spiders through the spring semester, but Duinker was held out of games. He retains four seasons of eligibility beginning in 2008-09. The Duinker blueprint is one that UR looks to duplicate.

"We started trying to recruit international players the day we got here," said fourth-year Spiders coach Chris Mooney. "We hope [Duinker] is the first of many. There's a hunger for a lot of players around the world to play in the United States."

That appetite seems particularly strong in Australia. During 2007-08, about 200 Australian men and women played college basketball in the U.S., according to Basketball Australia, that country's primary hoops organization. A decade ago, there were about 20.

The wave commenced, at least for men, soon after 7-0 Andrew Bogut went from Melbourne to the University of Utah, became an All-America, and was selected first in the 2005 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Australians last season lifted programs at St. Mary's (California), Nebraska, Washington State, Baylor, Gardner-Webb and Vanderbilt, not traditional Division I powers. Australians do not grow up attuned to Division I's hierarchy. To them, Duke might seem as fine a choice as Drake.

"That may open up the door in recruiting a little wider for the University of Richmond," said Jim Miller, the Spiders' athletic director.

He added that UR's athletes and students who don't participate in sports often benefit from the on-campus presence of internationals. Australians are able in the U.S. to pull off a double not possible at home.

"Get the [basketball] training. Get the education. We definitely don't have anything like that in Australia to do," Duinker said. "There's no set program like college basketball [in the U.S.], where you can play ball and study at the same time. It's either/or."

Duinker was different than many well-regarded basketball-playing youths in the U.S. He did not specialize in hoops. Duinker played soccer, tennis and high-jumped -- experience that he believes helped him develop overall coordination.

He saw UR in person for the first time upon his January arrival. Mooney visited Duinker in Australia and made a convincing pitch that put the Spiders ahead of St. Mary's, Washington State and other schools. Duinker believes UR's spread offense, which uses big men on the perimeter and inside, fits his game, which includes 3-point shooting.

The spring semester of practice and offseason pick-up games have allowed Duinker to "really start getting the way the American game is played," said UR center Dan Geriot. "It's a little quicker, a little rougher than maybe he was used to. The pace of the game used to kind of hide him. He realizes now that if he runs a little faster, he'll be in the mix more."

Richmond could use some interior help following the graduation of 6-7 Gaston Moliva and 6-7 Oumar Sylla. Duinker is projected to make immediate contributions .

"I'm really going to be a redshirt freshman with some experience," Duinker said. "Having adjusted to the college life and stuff, come the season, I'll be settled in and ready to go."

He arrived at UR weighing 205 pounds and is up to 220, with more to come, Duinker hopes, before next season tips off. Mooney and his staff, meanwhile, continue to recruit down under.

"It's always a matter of whether it's successful," Miller said. "If Josh comes in and he's successful, and so far he has been across the board, I imagine it's something we'll continue to do."