November 3, 2013
Asheville, NC - Last season was a historic one for the Owls who ended their season with a 19-10 record and winning the 2013 USCAA D2 National Championship.
The season was marked by quality wins while ending their season on a twelve game winning streak and having the most wins in program history.
The 2013-2014 team returns to the hardwood with high expectations from its upperclassman returners. Seniors Rashad Ali and Timur Oktay and Junior Ty Johnson will be expected to provide leadership and represent how Head Coach William Monts (1st Season) wants his team to play.
"They are experienced and know how to win. They have been through 3 different coaches and have figured out how to stay focused and keep their teammates in line. Their leadership speaks for itself with all that they have accomplished already," says Coach William Monts.
The rest of the Owls roster is highlighted by a core of talented sophomores and Monts is looking for them to make an impact on the hardwood this season.
"The returning sophomores bring a quality that can't be taught, a winning mentality. This group of sophomores has improved over the summer and will be an important part to this team. It will be very important that this team does not try to fill the roles of the graduating seniors but to begin to figure out their own roles and what this team needs from each individual," states Monts.
The team also adds some newcomers that include transfers Timmy Johnson and Garth Bailey and freshmen Thomas Hay and David Grice.
"This team is joined by 4 newcomers. Garth and Timmy bring 1 year of college experience each and should be familiar with the level of play at a higher level. The team also adds a tough gritty point guard in David Grice from England and a jump out of the gym, rebound everything, tough forward Thomas Hay," Monts says.
The men's basketball team will have their home opener on November 4th against Barber Scotia as the team is focused and anxious to play in front of the one-of-a-kind Warren Wilson crowd.
The schedule includes four division one opponents and numerous NCAA division two and division three schools.
"The schedule we have in front of us is one of the toughest schedules I've seen. Our D1 guarantee games will be a great experience for the team as we look to compete and become a better basketball team playing against the best competition in the country. The schedule also includes some NCAA Division II and III games. It will be very important for us to take the schedule game by game and concentrate on the team at hand," says Coach Monts.
In his first season as the head coach at Warren Wilson, Coach Monts feels as if he is at home and has his team buying into a "family" concept.
"Warren Wilson has been a great fit for me. I have worked to continue building on the great program that Kevin Walden and Greg Neeley started. I have a great group of players to Coach who want to get better at the game of basketball and love playing the game. I expect this team to be in every game. There is nothing that this team can't accomplish if they play as a team," says Coach William Monts.
All of the Owls home games will be broadcasted live on warrenwilsonowls.com.
