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Drew University Athletics

Student-Athlete Spotlight: Brian McLaughlin

 Student-Athlete Spotlight: Brian McLaughlin

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Sport: Men's Basketball
Year: Senior (C'16)
Position: Guard
Hometown/High School:
Blauvelt, N.Y./Tappan Zee

Major: Business
 


Why did you choose Drew University?
After a long and stressful recruiting process, I chose Drew because of the excellent academic standing and short distance from my home.  Academics were my first priority and Coach Keckler made it clear that a Drew education would put me on a clear path to a successful future.  Also, I would consider myself a Mama’s boy and I wanted to be able to go home on a Sunday when I felt homesick for a good meal and some quality time with my family.

Why did you choose your major and what is your favorite course?
I came into Drew set on being a business major.  I love money, so I was interested on learning everything about businesses.  My favorite course is management, you manage a hypothetical firm and see all the factors that would go into it.

What is your most memorable moment as a Ranger?
My most memorable moment as a Ranger is from my junior year at Goucher.  It was our second road conference game in a row and we went down 20 in the first half.  I was having a rough day shooting the ball, but my team picked me up and we came back and were down 1 with 11 seconds left.  Coach put me in the game, and I got fouled and hit a free throw to send it in to overtime, and we ultimately won.  That game was a prime example of a true team win since we came together and fought through adversity.

How has being an athlete helped you as a student and in the classroom?
Athletics have taught me the importance of time management and hard work.  When you don’t understand a concept, it is important to practice until you fully understand it.  Much like as if you’re working on your pull up jumper, or free throws.

What is the most difficult part of your sport?
I feel the most difficult part of basketball is the constant change of speed and direction.  Basketball is different than most sports because everyone on the court is involved in every play.  So nobody can take a break during live action.

Why do you wear your jersey number?
My brother is 9 years older than me.  When I started playing organized basketball, he was on the varsity basketball team at my local high school and wore the number 10.  So just like every other kid that idolizes his older brother, I chose the same number.

What advice do you have for a prospective Drew University student-athlete?
The best piece of advice I could give a future Ranger is to take it in slowly.  The Drew athletic community is like a family.  Every team gets along well and supports each other.  It truly does fly by, so I could only recommend to enjoy every second you have in your 4 years here.  Your career will eventually end, but the memories you make as a Ranger will last forever.

Why is community service important to your role as a student-athlete at Drew?
As a college athlete, you are a part of a special group in the world.  Only a few people get the privilege to play a sport in college, so it’s essential to use your status to help others.  For example, the ARC Morris program at Drew run by Coach Gaetano is a great way to use our gifts as athletes to give back to those less fortunate.  I’ll never forget the memories I’ve made playing games with mentally and physically disabled adults at Drew through the ARC Morris program.

Name one obstacle or form of adversity you have had to overcome...
As a sophomore I needed surgery on my lower back to remove a cyst on my spine and scar tissue.  I knew I was coming in on the brink of breaking the rotation.  It was tough for me to sit out of preseason when I was supposed to be competing for playing time.  However, I came back motivated to get back in shape and ended up averaging 20 minutes a game for the second half of my sophomore year.

Rapid Fire:
Color? Red
Food? Sushi
Restaurant? Applebee's
Movie? High School Musical 
TV Show? One Tree Hill
Musical Artist? Sam Hunt
Athlete? JJ Redick
Pro Team? NY Knicks
Hobbies? Poker
Most Prized Possession? iPhone
Biggest Fear? Failure