By GREG MENGELT
Greg.Mengelt@newsandtribune.com
> SOUTHERN INDIANA —
Jeffersonville High School senior-to-be Evan Maschmeyer has had an interesting summer — to say the least.
On top of his usual summer packed with AAU basketball, the Red Devil star has been dealing with potential college suitors.
Maschmeyer has caught the attention of several Division I college basketball programs, including major programs like Wisconsin and Boston College.
Along with a visit to Boston College, Maschmeyer spent a week-and-a-half on the East Coast visiting four Ivy League schools — Columbia, Pennsylvania, Cornell and Harvard.
“It’s the kind of stuff you dream about when you’re little,” Maschmeyer said of the process. “Now, to see everything starting to fall into place, it’s exciting.”
Maschmeyer also is reportedly being pursued by Midwest schools like Western Michigan — another school he has visited this summer — Eastern Illinois, Evansville, Ball State, Indiana State and Wright State.
With school ending late due to last summer’s construction project at Jeff High, and with his commitment to his AAU team — a team out of Kentucky called “The Truth” — Maschmeyer has had almost no time to himself since school ended in late June.
“It’s been a pretty busy summer,” Maschmeyer said. “I’ll have a little time in August to start to relax. I’ve been on the go and it’s been all about basketball.”
He has had such a busy summer that his high school coach, Tim LaGrange, has only caught glimpses of his star. However, LaGrange has been receiving phone calls about Maschmeyer and has gotten a few updates, as well.
“I’ve received a lot of calls about him from colleges,” LaGrange said. “A number of college assistants have been telling me that he’s had a very good summer.”
Maschmeyer said the recruiting process hasn’t gotten him any closer to choosing a school for next fall. In fact, he said all of the visits have made the decision even tougher.
“It’s interesting going to these places,” he recalled. “The biggest thing is the pre-judgments you make. Then you go and see the campus and meet the players and the coaches and say, ‘Wow, I can fit in here.’ Then there are other places where you say, ‘This isn’t the place for me.’
“I’m wide open and trying to enjoy it all right now and see what’s out there.”
Maschmeyer has not been offered a scholarship to this point, but LaGrange said he believes the offers are forthcoming.
“My opinion is several Division I (programs) are right on the cusp of offering (him a scholarship),” LaGrange speculated. “As soon as one does, several more will. I think they’re all waiting on the first offer.”
