Camels on the March! Newsletter from connecticut college men's basketball team

SEASON RECAP

The Camels wrapped up the season with a 13-12 record, fighting our way to 5th in the NESCAC (5-5).

Before conference play, the Camels participated in the TCNJ (The College of New Jersey) Tip-Off Tournament and the Univ. of St Joseph Holiday Tournament. While losing in the championship to TCNJ (an NCAA tourney team), the Camels bounced back prior to the New Year for a decisive win over Farmingdale State College to take home the USJ Holiday Tournament championship hardware.

The Camels opened up NESCAC play starting 3-1 with a close win at Williams College, avenging a loss from the season prior. The conference proved to be strong this year, with three teams reaching top 10 national rankings. The Camels had to face all three of those teams in a row, dropping a tightly fought contest to Trinity College, the eventual National Champion.

The Camels finished with a conference record of 5-5 landing the Camels the 5th seed in the NESCAC Conference Tournament. The team traveled to play Hamilton College in the first round of the conference playoffs, dropping 70-61 decision to close out the season.

We have graduated four seniors this year. All four of them were vital to the success and integrity of the program, and they will certainly be missed. We are wishing a big thank you to Cam Schainfeld, Alex Mitchell, Andrew Hartel, and Cam Lewis!

Alumni Assists - A checkin with Matt Vadas, Class of 2014

Matt Vadas left Connecticut the All-Time leading scorer & now resides in New York with his wife & new-born son.

Q: Matt, what are you up to now in New York?

Currently enjoying the Spring in the city! I came to NYC after graduation in 2014 and have been here ever since. As of late, I am living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and my wife and I welcomed our first child to the family, Bowen, who is 7 months old, happy & healthy. Future hooper!

Professionally, I lead a team of Account Managers at a software company, Greenhouse. I have been on the team for about 6 years and counting and enjoying the ride. Always open to connecting with anyone in the industry or looking to get in, hit me up!

I still get to hoop a few times a week and it really is a muse that keeps me young and fired up. There are some really solid runs in NYC and don’t worry, I still got the jumper locked in!

Q: What do you miss the most about Conn?

Great question, and one I think about often and it usually comes back to the camaraderie and connections with my friends and teammates, many of which are still strong today. Not only the time you spend on the court and in classes, but the down time and off days are remembered just as vividly.

Q: How did your experiences at Connecticut help you prepare for life after college?

The number one has to be the work ethic that gets instilled in you through college athletics that I found was a key to a successful life post college. Being able to balance priorities like school work, athletics, social life and everything in between, builds a type of person that gravitates towards success, almost like a super power. Use it to your advantage, and you will naturally find yourself with opportunities and doors opened that you wouldn’t think possible.

Q: What would be your advice to the current team, if you could go back & do college again?

I have to go with two here… First, to start with a fun one, is to not take this time for granted - say yes more than no (responsibly of course). It is very cliche, but these years will be the best years of your life. I’m only 33, and have been fortunate enough to live a great life so far, but I’ll always look back on my years at Conn with the highest level of nostalgia.

Second, and a bit more sincere, is to go out of your way to build your network. Whether that is fellow classmates, professors, counselors and alumni, once you hit the professional world, who you know, really starts to be an advantage. You are fortunate enough to have a school like Conn College with connections in many industries and roots in almost every major city - take advantage of that! I have found that alumni are eager to support and help out where they can, but you need to be willing to approach them and have confidence you are worth their time, because you are.

Always love to connect with a fellow Camel, past or present, don’t hesitate to reach out at mattvadas@gmail.com

Thank you to our Seniors!

Our Seniors, Alex Mitchell, Andrew Hartel, Calvin Bates, Cam Lewis, Cam Schainfeld, & Ryan Banks will be dearly missed on campus & in the gym everyday! They have all contributed blood, sweat, & tears to our program over the course of their careers. We are indebted to them for their commitment & perseverance both in the classroom & on the court. All of them brought unique characteristics that bettered our program and team. We wish them the best of luck in their next endeavors beyond New London. Thank you Seniors!