Michael Creef ‘11 is a basketball ambassador.

Creef chose Randolph College over several other competitive athletic programs precisely because he would be a member of the school’s very first men’s basketball team.

“We’re going to set the standard around here,” says the first-year from Washington D.C. “We’re going to set the bar for the future of the program.”

Another “major factor” for choosing Randolph was the opportunity to get four years of serious playing time. Creef knows that most first-years at other colleges would have to wait in line for a starting position. Not here.

Right now there are ten guys on the team, but Creef says they expect a few more walk-ons when official practices begin. Even though the season opener is months away, Creef says the team gets together every night for a couple hours of scrimmaging and workouts. They also get up at the crack of dawn three days a week for early-morning conditioning and weightlifting.

Creef found out about Randolph’s new men’s basketball team through his high school coach at The Bullis School in D.C. His coach had worked with Clay Nunley—Randolph’s men’s basketball coach—and thought that both the coach and the college would be a great fit for Creef. After one visit to campus, Creef was convinced.

Randolph’s men’s basketball team is one of six new men’s athletic programs at the college: cross-country, lacrosse, riding, soccer and tennis. The basketball team will compete in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference starting in the fall of 2008. This year they’ll play a mixed schedule of ODAC and other schools to get some valuable experience playing as a team.

“The ODAC is actually a really good conference,” says Creef, another reason he came here to play. “It’s a tough conference.”

Creef has attended some of the soccer games and is excited to see how many students come out to support both the men’s and women's squads. Creef can’t wait for the basketball season opener against local rival Lynchburg College in early November.

“It’s really good for the school in general,” says Creef about the new sports teams, “not just for the athletic department.” Find out more about Randolph College athletics and check out the game schedule to go cheer on the WildCats in person.