Cole Otley '19 Recruiting Profile

I started playing basketball in elementary school with the local rec basketball league at my school. My mother played college basketball at Dartmouth and my father played for his high school team, so basketball runs in my family. My older sister, Sadie, will be a junior on the women’s basketball team at Tufts University, so I have always had someone a few steps ahead of me in this whole process. I was in my freshman year of high school when my sister went through the recruiting process, and when she committed to Tufts, I decided that college basketball was something that I wanted to pursue as well. Growing up with basketball all around me has naturally made it a major part of my life and something that I don't want to let go of in college. Being around it for so long has made it my favorite thing to do outside of school whether it be playing with my team or watching the NCAA Tournament. Seeing how my sister went through the process, I think I am passionate enough and have the drive to make this goal a reality.

I am a starting swing player on a good high school basketball team.  This year, our team will contend for the state championship, with six seniors who have been playing together for a long time.  My coach and teammates will expect me to be a major contributor in all aspects of the game and I look forward to that responsibility.  I'm a good 3-point shooter which is where I scored most of my points last season. This year I will be in a position where I'm going to have to drive the ball more and I'm confident that I can step into that role effectively. My high school team puts a lot of emphasis on defense and rebounding, and toward the end of the year, I was guarding the top players in the state. I'm used to a defensive mentality and I can bring a lot to a team on the defensive side along with strong offense. I am ready to contribute to a winning culture at the next level and want to have a positive impact on my team.

In college, my first priority is finding a school that is the right academic fit for me. I take academics seriously and I am certainly looking at some academically selective schools. As for majors in college, I am undecided, therefore I think it is in my best interest to look into liberal arts schools where I have a lot of options and different fields to explore. My second priority is looking for a basketball program that is right for me. Once I have a good idea of the types of academic schools that I want to pursue, I want to find a program that wants me to play for them and a great coach and teammates who will help me reach my maximum potential both academically and athletically.