D3 Basketball: Illinois Wesleyan’s Lessons for Life

An Unlikely D3 Basketball Commit

I never really thought about pursuing Division III athletics while in high school in St. Louis. I was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball and lacrosse, and my original plan was football. My older brother played at Dartmouth University, so I pictured following that path to a Division I school.

As I entered my junior year, I primarily focused on football. I put together a solid season, then COVID hit. Camps were canceled, recruiting visibility became difficult, and I tried to get coaches to watch film on Twitter [now X] and via email. I started looking at basketball again, but I still wasn’t thinking about D3.

By the spring of my senior year, I weighed a possible walk-on opportunity against going to a good school and focusing on academics. Then [former IWU forward] Nick Roper, whom I had gone up against in high school, told me he was going to Illinois Wesleyan.

Coaches [Ron] Rose and [Andy] Etheridge reached out and came to one of my lacrosse games. That meant a lot. Other schools weren’t investing in me like that.

When I visited, I fell in love with the campus, community and Bloomington-Normal. I saw how much the alumni cared about the school and gave back. At first, I imagined becoming a tight end at the college level, but I realized Illinois Wesleyan was where I wanted to be. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Beyond the Final Buzzer

I don’t think anywhere else would’ve prepared me better for life after college than Illinois Wesleyan.

You arrive on campus at 18 years old, and suddenly you’re balancing practices, lifting, film, classes and everything else that comes with college. You have to learn how to prioritize.

The classroom challenged me in ways I didn’t fully appreciate. I was drawn to finance and the markets, but even classes I didn’t enjoy as much helped me with research and understanding perspectives beyond my own. I learned to connect ideas across subjects.

Basketball taught me just as much. During my freshman season, I constantly faced Matt Leritz, a two-time All-American and Academic All-American, in practice. He was a senior, and I was trying to give him my best every day. I got knocked down plenty, but I kept coming back because I loved competing. Those early struggles helped me learn how to fail and keep working.

The best part was sharing the peaks and valleys with my teammates and continuing to show up for one another. One day you might be encouraging a teammate through a tough practice, and the next day he’s picking you up. That brotherhood made hard days easier and showed me what persistence can bring.

That mindset has followed me to Byline Bank, where I work in finance and learn from the people around me. College taught me to concentrate on what matters and stay present rather than get overwhelmed by what comes next. I’m grateful to be part of an organization that invests in its younger employees.

If I could tell a prospective student-athlete one thing, it would be: don’t overlook Division III. The competition, commitment and relationships are real.

You can challenge yourself on the court while getting an education that prepares you for what comes after. You learn to compete, show up and make the most of each opportunity.