This year, Dave Macedo, head basketball coach, and his Marlins will have a new face on the bench during basketball season. That new face’s main goal is to continue a winning tradition.
Quinn McDowell’s resume speaks for itself. His collegiate career consisted of him playing under Coach Tony Shaver at William & Mary College for four years where he collected many accolades. He was selected to the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie team his freshman year and to the All-CAA third team his sophomore year while also being a top 10 shooter in 3-pointers with an average of 1.8 3-pointers made per game as well as being ranked tenth in the CAA with averaging 13.9 points per game.
His junior year he stepped up his game even more and was ranked the seventh best scorer in the CAA and led the team in 3-point shooting percentage and free throw percentage. His senior year, McDowell brought even more attention to himself by becoming the first CAA player to receive the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. He was the first CAA player to ever receive this award since it was established in 2002. He made his mark in the record books at William and Mary that year as well ending his career with more than 1,500 points and 500 rebounds which only four people had done prior to him.
After McDowell left William & Mary College, he played professionally overseas. While overseas, McDowell played in Latvia, Spain and Australia where he made an impact scoring in all leagues.
While in Australia, McDowell was a walking bucket averaging 29 points per game. His career overseas came to an end in Latvia while playing for VEF Riga. He was in one of the highest ranking leagues in the world when McDowell suffered an ACL tear. This did not hinder McDowell’s love for basketball. It was after this injury that McDowell told his former coach Tony Shaver that he wanted to get into coaching.
Shaver made some calls to help out his old player. Shaver, who was formerly a coach at ODAC school Hampden-Sydney College, contacted Macedo. It could not have been a better time to do so either. During this past summer former Assistant Coach Rhett Bonner joined the basketball staff at Rice University. This left an opening at the head assistant coaching position. After interviewing with Macedo, the job was McDowell’s.
“Being an Assistant Coach at the collegiate level means you get to wear different hats,” McDowell said.
McDowell will have a vital role in the years to come wearing these different hats. These roles will bring in new talented players to Virginia Wesleyan, working on increasing the player’s abilities in the weight room as well as on the court, and assist Macedo with any practice plans or drill he will be drawing up in his office.
Whenever a new coach is brought in, it is important for them to feel supported by those around them in this new part of their life and McDowell feels as though he is getting that and more.
“It seems like a family atmosphere here. Everyone supports everyone and everyone around here is very positive,” McDowell said.
It’s not only important for the coaches to like where they are, it is also important for the players to like who will be leading them.
Last year, senior Justin Watson was in a situation like Coach McDowell. Watson, as a transfer from Christopher Newport University, was in a new place with new people. Luckily though, he had the same mindset as McDowell. That was to win.
“When I got here it felt like everyone was a family. Throughout preseason I met everyone and we all meshed well. Also the outside activities with the coaching staff and players allowed me to bond better with everyone and gain trust amongst the guys,” Watson said.
Watson is looking to continue to win at Virginia Wesleyan College and is glad to see what kind of coach McDowell is.
“Coach is very hands on, and is always pushing us to work as hard as we can to maximize our potential. He is always looking to help us better our skills. He is a hard worker which is good because it shows us that he is working just as hard as we are to achieve what we all want,” Watson said.
You can find McDowell in his office but you will have better luck looking in the gym or weight room. That’s where he will be as he helps prepare the men’s basketball team to take on any whatever team they meet on the court.
Corey King
ckking1@vwc.edu
(Photo: Department of Sports Information | Courtesy)