Q: How did you end up at Wheaton and what were some of the things that helped you make that decision?

A: My path to Wheaton was pretty unexpected. After breaking my leg during my final AAU season, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play college ball with schools that previously showed interest in me not doing so any more. Coach Schauer, Coach Panner, and Coach Culver (the head assistant at the time) started recruiting me halfway through my senior season in high school and came to games, a practice, and even to the southside of Chicago for a home visit at 7 a.m. My college decision came down to Calvin vs. Wheaton, with many people around me having varying opinions of each.  With everyone in my ear, I had to figure out what I wanted and Wheaton presented me with that. I chose Wheaton because of how I connected with the guys on the visit, I saw myself having a great career here with the strong support from the coaches, and knowing a degree from Wheaton would set me up for a more than comfortable life after college for me and my family.

Q: What are some of your favorite games from your time at Wheaton?

A: Some personal favorites of mine would be my career high at Carthage my junior year which was the only game Aston wasn’t our leading scorer in that year, tying that same career high in a game against North Park this past season where Ye, Tyson and I all dropped 22, or the many close games against IWU. 

But my favorite game of all is one where we lost to North Central, I fouled out, and couldn’t really enjoy playing in King Arena for my last time. My senior night game was bad but all that didn’t matter because the first person to greet me was a special needs kid who I had never seen before but he watched all our games and loved seeing the team play. He jumped up into my arms and gave me a huge bear hug, whilst telling me he was going to miss seeing me play for Wheaton. From that moment, knowing that I could bring that much joy without producing on the court, made me playing ball worth it.

Q: What are some other favorite memories you have in your time on the basketball team?

A: It’s the small things when I think of us as a whole group, coaches and all. It’s the many airports we’ve been spread out in, all finding our perfect spot unique to our personalities believe it or not. It’s us just talking as a whole group at times like team meals, before practices, on our road trips. I’ll always remember the jokes poking fun at each other, whether it was player to player, coach to coach, coach to player, or vice versa. The love and brotherhood established throughout our team resonates, even when we are not so fond of each other at times. From the moment I was introduced to the team, I knew I gained another family and that’s what I’ll remember most about the Basketball team.

Q: What are some favorite memories you have with your teammates?

A: There’s a few so bare with me. First, playing conehead with Zack Kvam my freshman year when working in the equipment room. It was a dumb and painful game he made up on the spot, where we put little orange cones on our head and tried to knock them off with footballs because we were bored. It was minor but it was a big deal which I’ll explain more in a later question. 

Then the night of my birthday in my freshman year when we were in our Las Vegas hotel's bowling alley. We all just played a few games, and had a good time enjoying each other’s company. 

Next our trip to Zimbabwe because those 10 days were pretty life changing for me, and I couldn’t imagine doing what we did over there, with a different group of guys. Except I would include A and Gizzle, they know who they are. 

Also the Final Four hotel bonding, especially the night of our Final Four loss, when we all just got together and reminisced about the season we’ve had and the years at Wheaton our seniors that year had. We all were disappointed in the outcome because we had talked about winning a National title from year one, but we were glad to have gone through it all, and I can truly say none of us would trade it for anything else. 

And finally my favorite of them all would be whooping up on all of my 2019-2020 teammates in Fortnite Creative starting during winter-break. We would hop on after practice because there was nothing else to do with no one else around. We still continue it til this day, and it’s the only thing my teammates will agree I’m better than them at.

Q: What are some favorite memories from the 2018-19 Final Four run?

A: The win over Wooster in their home gym, our bus driver who was with us our first 2 rounds, the team bonding I mentioned, and Aston’s ridiculous heroics against Marietta. I won’t forget the small gifts we got from the NCAA for making it to the Final Four, the press conference Coach Schauer, Luke, Aston and I did, a little kid asking me for my autograph, or me dancing before tip-off being posted on NCAA Division 3’s twitter account.  But tied for my favorite memory,  are dunking on Brett Benning at the start of our Sweet 16 win and clinching our Final Four berth, can’t beat the energy and excitement you get from those.

Q: On the court you frequently have a smile on your face and can be seen dancing to in-game music before a tip-off or during a break. How have you come about this tremendous spirit and attitude?

A: I’m my biggest critic by far and will always be critical of my actions, emotions, and reactions. Back in elementary school and partially in high school, I would allow myself to get thrown out of my game because I wasn’t performing to the standard that I wanted to. My high school basketball coach and mentor, Kevin Pittman Sr., told me one day, that I needed to be less critical of myself. He followed with no matter what may happen, that I’m right where I need to be and being upset because of it wasn’t hurting anyone but myself. So, I thought how could I calm myself quickly while playing, and be able to move forward on the court. I thought why not sing my favorite songs in my head but that only led to me being more pumped up. So instead no matter what was playing in the speakers of the gym, or what the pep band may have decided to play, I decided to dance. I love to dance, as you guys saw, and I’ve always said if i was 5’7” instead of 6’7”, I would’ve been a dancer. It took me a little to get comfortable doing it here at Wheaton, but once I get comfortable, that’s all she wrote. You can’t take yourself too seriously, or you unleash your worst enemy on yourself.

Q: What impact have coach Schauer and the coaching staff had on you?

A: Coach Schauer and the coaching staff have had a huge impact on my growth as a man, and I know I have a support system in all of them for the rest of my life. I think of Coach Arte and Coach Tae who I stay connected with although they aren’t at Wheaton anymore. Coach Joel always knew the right thing to lift my spirits at any time, on or off the court. Kvam will always be my big brother. As mentioned before we worked together my freshmen year, and during that time, he was the first person to make me feel like I belonged here at Wheaton. Now with Coach Schauer and JP, I feel like extensions of their family. They have both played a huge role in maturing me during my college years in various different ways, and have played an important part in me soon being the first male on either side of my family to graduate from College. I have nothing but love for all my coaches, it’s just crazy to think that I won’t be playing under them anymore.

Q: You are a Business/Economics major at Wheaton, What has your academic experience been like?

A: My academic experience has been an interesting time for me. I’ve always despised school ever since I was younger, but I knew to do some things I want to in life I would need to have my degree. So although I’ve made it to the finish line, because of my disinterest in school and other things that have happened throughout the last four years, I could’ve done a much better job on the student aspect of being a student-athlete.

Q: What are your plans following graduation?

A: Many things in my personal life and how I’ve dealt with them, have left me wondering if I still have more potential in basketball. So, while I work on trying to secure a job in the business world to match my major, I’m going to attempt my hand at a pro-basketball career. In business, I’m interested in the marketing field and would love to explore sports marketing or working for a marketing consultant firm as my first avenues out of college. With the pandemic, it’s been weird not really knowing what’s next in many ways but my life has never been easy, so I’m walking into each day with a calm attitude knowing that if I work at the things I’m passionate about, it all will be alright.