The 18-year-old Otago Goldrush shooting guard has accepted a four-year scholarship at Southwest Baptist University (SBU) in Missouri and leaves in three weeks.
It is a great opportunity to further her education and continue her basketball development with an NCAA division 2 team. But it is also a big move for the teenager.
"I'm a bit scared and a bit intimidated," Gallaher said. "But I'm also very excited at the same time."
The opportunity came about after basketball stalwart John Paul put Gallaher in contact with Bearcats head coach Todd Voss.
"I sent him through some game tapes and my SAT (scholastic aptitude test) scores, and within a couple of weeks he said, 'We have a full scholarship to offer you."'
Gallaher had to sit the SAT exam specifically. SBU campus in Bolivar is a Christian college home to about 2500 students.
Gallaher will study sports psychology and do her best to help the Bearcats win games.
"Voss is new and is pretty much starting a whole new programme at the school," Gallaher said. "So the team is a developing one."
Gallaher has been a member of the Tall Ferns squad for three years but has not made her debut.
"Every time I've gone to a camp I've been held back with injuries. I've just got over a chipped bone in my ankle and I've had knee problems; just typical basketball stuff.
"I really want to make the most of this scholarship and, hopefully, make the Tall Ferns team in the next few years."
Gallaher's father, John Gallaher, is the president of Basketball New Zealand and a board member and former president of Basketball Otago. The family are regular spectators at the Otago Nuggets home games and, of course, Goldrush games.
Before Gallaher leaves Dunedin to start a new chapter in her life, she has some unfinished business. The Goldrush reached the final of the Women's Basketball Championships in Dunedin last year only to lose to an experienced Harbour Breeze side.
This season, Otago believes it can go one better. The Goldrush won the opening qualifying tournament but slipped to sixth at the second qualifying tournament in Auckland last month. But the Goldrush was missing three key players who are expected to return for the finals in Dunedin early next month.
"My No 1 priority right now is the WBC and I'm not even thinking about America and the move until after that."
