The 2023-24 Rams Reflect is the ninth in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of Suffolk teams have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Suffolk.
For a complete listing of past and present Rams’ Reflections, click here.
Evan Cook, Men's Basketball | Hometown: Dunstable, Mass. | Major: MBA
My Story: COVID-19 Graduate transfer (extra year of eligibility)
In 2019, when I decided to commit to Wheaton College (Mass.) to play four years of college basketball, never in a million years did I think COVID-19 would have disrupted my playing experience. At Wheaton, I had a great freshman year looking forward to the next when suddenly, the world shut down. My sophomore season was cancelled, but I continued my education. Thankfully, the NCAA offered every college athlete in America an additional year of eligibility to play, which I always kept in the back of my mind. I was then able to have strong junior and senior seasons, however I came up short on individual and championship goals and my love for the game was too strong not to pursue a graduate year of basketball (fourth and final year of playing).
I graduated from Wheaton in 2023 and I wanted to continue playing there, but they did not offer graduate school, so I had to enter my name in the transfer portal hoping to find the right fit for school and basketball. Coach Juron and I connected, and the rest was history. I had my best playing experience and fostered some of the best relationships I could have asked for.
Overall Experience: Worth it (10/10)
Transferring to a new program for only one year is a stressful process wondering if I would fit in and do well, and questioning if it was worth it. Short answer: It was. I hope similar athletes at Suffolk felt the same way because this is a special place.
My teammates accepted me right away, classes were going smoothy, and I enjoyed living in Boston. Once the season started in October, the coaching staff was bought in on me, and I had a good start. Over the winter break, we played in Florida where our team chemistry grew which helped us succeed second semester conference play. At the end of the regular season, I was able to accomplish my individual goals of becoming Suffolk’s 32nd member of the 1,000-Point club, All-League player, and All-Academic team, but this compared nothing to the feeling of reaching the CCC Championship for the first time in program history. Conference play was thrilling all year, but that playoff run of upsetting Endicott and Western New England both on the road was an experience I will never forget. That is why I came back, and it was to make a run at the championship, and we did. The championship was an incredible experience to play in and I am proud of everyone on this team for the way we battled. I am thankful to everyone that supported us along the way in making this the best collegiate experience of my life.
My Coaches: Thank you.
HC: Coach Jeff Juron took a gamble on me, and I am forever thankful he did. Thank you Coach for supporting and believing in me as your point guard. There is something special about the way you conduct your program, and I loved learning from you every day. I enjoyed your attention to detail on the court and in the film room, upperclassmen leadership lessons/ discussions, and your ability to implement confidence in us. I’ll never forget the moments of splashing water and kicking that brown paper bag after big wins, and that moment we shared together in the locker room after my final game. Continue to do what you do; you are an incredible role model to play under.
ACs: Coach Joe Sharkey, Dana Harris, and Weston Hannon are all very smart coaches, but truly better people. Supporting me from day 1 is something I will forever appreciate, and it was an honor to be coached by you guys. Thank you all for working hard for us. I’ll never forget the side conversations we had on the bus, during practice and games, and anything in between. Y’all made my experience incredible and remember your impact on us players are more important than you may think.
My Teammates: Much love.
I love you boys, thank you for everything. Suffolk felt like a second home to me, and it was because of you guys. I came into an already upperclassmen led team, but y’all took me in as one of your own. The day-to-day grind was fulfilling, we battled through typical ups and downs that comes with a season, and I will forever be grateful to make history with y’all and reach the championship. To the underclassmen, I hope I was able to be an example for you all and I hope inspired a positive outlook. I am still shocked how fast I fostered strong relationships with you, but that is just a testament to you guys being incredible, genuine people. My favorite moments of the year were celebrating those wins with you guys on and off the court. Just know that you have a friend for life in me, and I will always be there to help anyone.
Suffolk Community: Ram for life.
Like I said before, never in a million years did I think I would have ended up at Suffolk for my final year. I am truly thankful for the Suffolk training staff who helped me battle through my sprained ankle, for Suffolk students and staff coming out and supporting us all year, and the school administration for caring about the athletic department. My short time at Suffolk has flown by, but I am blessed for the opportunity and for the community making me feel like a Ram for life.
Best,
Evan Cook #20