Kent Raymond was one of the most decorated Division III men's basketball players in the 2000's. He earned multiple All-America awards in three of his four seasons donning the 'Orange and Blue'. Raymond was twice named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team. In 2010, he was the first (and to this point, only) Wheaton student-athlete to be honored with the NCAA's "Today's Top-VIII Award".
Raymond was recognized as the 2008-09 Division III "Player of the Year" by DIIINews following his senior season. He was a three-time selection as the Midwest Region Player of the Year by both D3Hoops.com and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and is one of only three players to be recognized as the CCIW "Most Outstanding Player" three times. Raymond was named to the D3hoops.com All-Decade time for his time as one of the top players in Division III history.
Raymond scored 2,308 career points in his four-year career, the second-highest point total in school history at the time of his graduation and currently third all-time. Upon graduation he was the fourth-highest scorer in CCIW history, and today, his career scoring total is sixth. His 241 three-pointers was a school record when he graduated and he stands in third place today. He shot 89.5% at the free throw line in CCIW games in his career, a mark that is still fifth in league history.
Wheaton earned selection to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament in three of Raymond's four seasons with the Thunder. In 2008-09 he helped lead Wheaton to a No. 1 national ranking for much of the season. The Thunder advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the postseason in 2009. The 2008-09 Wheaton team won the school's first CCIW Championship in 10 years and also the program's first-ever CCIW Tournament Title.
When asked of a favorite memory from his Wheaton playing days Kent says, "That is tough one! So many great memories stand out, from our near upset of Northwestern to the Elite 8 tournament run in '07-'08. If I had to pick one though, I would highlight the back-to-back weekends in 2009 when we hosted and won the CCIW Tournament followed by the NCAA Regionals. For two-straight weekends there was standing room only in King Arena and the place was electric! The combination of great basketball on the court with my teammates and support from the Wheaton community made those two winter weekends incredibly special."
