Tyreik McCauley excelled in basketball, as well as football and track, at Worcester Academy, but when it came time to go to college, the Worcester resident decided to put his full focus on studies, particularly math, another area in which he thrived during his three years at WA, while experiencing a big-time school and campus.
McCauley, a 2014 Worcester Academy graduate, attended West Virginia University for two years.
“It was really nice and a great experience,” McCauley said about his time in Morgantown. “I learned a lot about myself there.”
But he missed home, and as WA boys’ basketball coach Jamie Sullivan said, “being on a team,” so McCauley returned to Massachusetts and enrolled at Salem State, where he continues to flourish academically and is making an impact as a starting forward in his second season on the men’s basketball team.
“This year’s team has come together,” said McCauley, who has helped the Vikings to a 10-3 start. “The chemistry is really great.”
The 6-foot-6, 210-pound McCauley is averaging 11 points and 6.2 rebounds, which ranks second on the team. Last year, McCauley averaged 6.4 points and 4 rebounds and helped the Vikings to the MASCAC championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
“It was a first-time experience, and I really enjoyed it,” McCauley said.
McCauley had one of the best games of his career in last week’s 104-92 win at Worcester State. He scored 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting and pulled down 11 rebounds.
“Returning home, it was a big game for me,” said McCauley, who grew up in the Grafton Street area, not far from WA. “I came into the gym focused and ready to go. My teammates found me in scoring areas, and I was able to put the ball in the hoop. It was a pretty close game; they gave us a challenge.”
McCauley’s mom, uncle and many of his friends were at Lancer Gymnasium to watch his performance.
McCauley has scored in double figures in seven games this season, and he sank the winning basket at the buzzer in an early-season victory over Gordon.
McCauley began his high school career at Holy Name. He was one of Sullivan’s first WA recruits from Worcester.
“He stood out to me because of his size and athleticism,” Sullivan said, “and also because he was such a strong student. He’s a beautiful kid and one of the most focused kids. He loved doing his schoolwork. He made me proud as a coach.”
Among McCauley’s Worcester Academy teammates was Matt Mobley, also of Worcester, who was an All-Atlantic 10 selection last year at St. Bonaventure.
“Worcester Academy was a great experience,” McCauley said. “It was challenging academically, which I liked. That got me ready for college. All the sports are very competitive, and that got me ready for the next level.”
McCauley, a finance and economics major, is a two-time selection to the MASCAC All-Academic team
Fine freshmen
Holy Cross men’s basketball fans have to like what they have seen from feisty freshman guard Austin Butler this season.
Butler and classmate Jacob Grandison played key roles in HC’s come-from-behind win over Loyola Monday night at the Hart Center. Butler scored all 12 of his points in the second half, and Grandison scored nine of his 11 points after halftime and had seven rebounds.
Butler logged just six minutes of the first half after picking up two fouls, and seemed to play with some pent-up energy in the second. He drove in strong to the basket for a pair of layups to help the Crusaders chip away at Loyola’s 11-point lead, then started hitting from long range during HC’s big 19-2 run.
“Austin,” HC coach Bill Carmody said, “he puts the ball in the basket, except his easiest shot he threw over the backboard just about, but besides that, he bangs in 3s, he’s aggressive. Even when he messes up it’s like errors of commission, so it was good to see.”
Butler, one of six freshmen on the Holy Cross roster, is averaging a team-high 13.8 points in HC’s four Patriot League games. He scored a career-high 22 points in last week’s loss at Lehigh.
“Each day we come in and practice our offense and defense over and over again,” Butler said. “Practicing that together as a team and becoming comfortable with our stuff day in and day out is what’s really starting to connect for all of us. We’re getting there.”
The win over Loyola was HC’s first league victory of the year and snapped a five-game losing streak.
“It was good to get a win at home,” said Grandison, HC’s leading rebounder (5 rpg) in PL play. “Now we’ve got to get the next one, turn around the season.”
HC plays at Navy at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Interest in Hounds job
When Bob Chesney departed Assumption to become football coach at Holy Cross in mid-December, AC received more than 100 applications for the position, according to interim athletic director Peter Gardula, and the college is closing in on naming Chesney’s successor.
“We’re tackling that process as we speak,” Gardula said Tuesday afternoon. “We received a high level of interest for the position. (The applications) came in fast and furious. We’re working through the process right now.”
Gardula said Assumption could name its new football coach as early as next week.
The new year has been a time of transition at Assumption. In addition to Chesney, Nick Smith left his post as Assumption director of athletics for a senior position in HC’s athletics department. Gardula, AC’s senior associate AD, assumed the interim director position.
Several members of the 2017 football staff have also left. In early December, Paul McGonagle, who served as the Greyhounds’ associate head coach and offensive coordinator, accepted the head position at Endicott. Drew Canan and Anthony Barese joined Chesney’s HC staff. Jack Dustin and Sean Golden announced last week they were joining McGonagle’s staff. Mike Pucko also left.
Mike Vulcano (running backs), Chris Grautski (strength and conditioning), Jensen Gebhardt (quarterbacks) and Nik Kessel (linebackers) remain on the Greyhounds staff.
“They’ve been doing a great job holding it together, especially with the recruiting process,” Gardula said. “They’re keeping tabs on our prospective student-athletes. I think right now our recruiting weekends for later in the month are still lined up, so I don’t think we’re missing too much of a beat right now. With our current program, we have a lot of upperclassmen and good leadership within the team. I’ve spoken to a number of them, and they are excited for the next chapter of their playing careers here.”
The Greyhounds had a historic 2017 season. They went 11-2 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division 2 playoffs.
Bison take tourney
The Nichols men’s hockey team hosted — and won — the second Boston Landing Collegiate Invitational at Warrior Ice Arena, the Boston Bruins’ practice and training facility, last weekend.
The Bison earned two big victories over quality opponents, St. Thomas (Minnesota) and Elmira, and did it in an exciting atmosphere. Last Friday, Nichols held an alumni event before the start of the tourney, and Bison players and their families got to mingle with Bruins alums, including Terry O’Reilly and Rick Middleton.
“It’s something that I’ll never forget,” Nichols senior goalie Colin Brennan said.
Nichols, which has teams booked for the tournament for the next two years, wants to keep it going and hopes it becomes one of the most prestigious events in Division 3 hockey.
“The atmosphere was amazing,” Nichols senior forward and captain Scott Cuthrell said. “Bruins alumni spoke and shared some cool stories. There were alumni events and a banquet, and it was a really special tournament.”
Brennan made 82 saves in the two games, and Cuthrell had a goal and an assist in Nichols’ 3-1 win over St. Thomas.
Nichols (9-5-2) has won three straight and received votes in this week’s USCHO.com Division 3 poll.
“When you can sweep a weekend in an environment like we did,” Brennan said, “I think we were just really invested in those wins. Since we got back from Christmas, the team has been really focused.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTandG.