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Colgate University Athletics

Matt Langel men's basketball

Men's Basketball Omar Ricardo Aquije

Langel camp a major success for Colgate

Annual event helps Raiders recruit outstanding talent

The success of the men's basketball program under Head Coach Matt Langel can be attributed to a variety of factors — among them being exceptional coaching and talent on the court. 

But another key to the program's rise as a Patriot League juggernaut is finding the right players who fit within the culture of the team. And one way Colgate has done that has been by organizing the annual Elite Camp, where coaches work with prospective student-athletes.

When coaches travel to recruit, they'll meet players and watch them in action. But the camp is the first time they can coach those prospects.

"The camp environment, it's an additional chance within the landscape of recruiting to have interaction with young people," Langel said. "You can watch them play with their high school teams, you can watch them play with their club teams. But you can't coach them. 

"The camp setting is really one of the only ones where you can interact with them on the court, work with them, and help them try to improve. That's something we put a lot of value in. It has certainly helped us."

Not all colleges and athletics teams will host a camp. But for those that do, they advertise the event online, allowing players to sign up. Some players are also invited to the event. 

Colgate has two camps per summer, and the events have brought dozens of young basketball players who want to play for a D-I program or wish to refine their abilities under the instruction of college coaches. 

For Colgate, the camps have proven to be immensely successful. 

Tucker Richardson '22, who helped to lead Colgate to four Patriot League championships and four NCAA tournaments, played at the camp after Colgate had seen the New Jersey native in competition elsewhere. 

The camp played a role in his decision to commit to Colgate. He graduated as the most decorated player in program and Patriot League history, becoming the only men's basketball player in Patriot League history to record 1,700 points, 700 rebounds, and 600 assists. 

Among his short list of honors, Richardson earned all four major conference awards during his time at Colgate — completing the trifecta in 2022-23 as the Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 

His teammate, Oliver Lynch-Daniels '22, who's the Patriot League all-time leader in three-point field goal percentage with a 51.1 percent clip and hit plenty of huge baskets in a Raiders' uniform, also played at the camp.

And there are others.

Will Rayman '20, Jordan Burns '21, Zachary Light '22, and Jack Ferguson '22 are recent prominent student-athletes who participated in the camp before committing to Colgate. All are players who have contributed to Colgate's run of four Patriot League championships in five years. 

Langel and his staff are aware of most of the players who sign up, having seen them in action before. 

The camp is a day-long event where prospective recruits perform drills under the guidance of coaches and members of the team. They also play in 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 competitions.

By coming to Colgate, prospects also have the opportunity to see the picturesque campus, which is often a huge draw for new students.
 
Sam Wright men's basketball
Sam Wright '27, now a Raider, took part in the camp last summer when he was a high school student.


"It's an opportunity to bring young people and often their parents to our campus," Langel said. "Part of what I see as my responsibility as the men's basketball coach is to help market and expose how great of a place this is to as many people as possible. 

"A camp setting is a chance for people from far away or nearby to come on our campus and experience in part some of the great things about Colgate."

Sam Wright '27, a power forward from Hoover, Ala., was visiting colleges in upstate New York in the summer of 2022 when he signed up for Langel's camp.

After already visiting Cornell, he was eager to get a look at Colgate because he had heard a lot about the University from his mother, Maya Britt '97, who played for the women's basketball team. 

Wright said he was happy for the opportunity to display his abilities and to meet the coaching staff.

"The coaches were involved with the drills, making sure people were doing things right. It was a good experience overall," Wright said.

Now, a year later, Wright is one of six new student-athletes on Langel's roster. While his mother's influence played a big part in his decision to choose Colgate, the camp allowed him to learn more about the basketball program and see the campus.

"I had never seen the place beforehand," Wright said. "Coming here and having a good experience, that's really what pushed it forward with me wanting to come here."
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Players Mentioned

Oliver Lynch-Daniels

#33 Oliver Lynch-Daniels

G
6' 2"
Senior
Tucker Richardson

#15 Tucker Richardson

G
6' 5"
Senior
Sam Wright

#33 Sam Wright

F
6' 8"
First Year

Players Mentioned

Oliver Lynch-Daniels

#33 Oliver Lynch-Daniels

6' 2"
Senior
G
Tucker Richardson

#15 Tucker Richardson

6' 5"
Senior
G
Sam Wright

#33 Sam Wright

6' 8"
First Year
F