Interview with Matt LeVene

Partial Transcript: pretty much as far as I remember

Segment Synopsis: Question: When did you start playing basketball?

Answer: He started playing at the YMCA at a young age. He was in 3rd grade when he started to play basketball tournaments around the state of Wisconsin.

Keywords: YMCA; basketball

Partial Transcript: to start playing basketball

Segment Synopsis: Question: Who or what influenced you to start playing basketball?

Answer: Both of his parents were big influences on him because they grew up playing the sport. He also mentioned that basketball was

Keywords: basketball; family

Partial Transcript: no, but it was always something I envisioned myslef

Segment Synopsis: Question: Was it always a goal of yours to play college basketball?
Answer: No, but it was always something he envisioned himself doing. As high school went on and he had some success he thought he might as well try it out.

Keywords: basketball; high school

Partial Transcript: throughout middle school and into high school

Segment Synopsis: Question: Was there a certain event or year that made you think you could play college basketball?
Answer: His junior year when he led the state in 3pt. percentage and the team won a state championship.

Keywords: college

Partial Transcript: bigger schools so then I didn't even like open myself up to

Segment Synopsis: Question: Throughout the recruitment process, did you reach out to schools or did schools reach out to you?
Answer: He stated that his experience was kind of unique because he didn’t plan on playing college basketball. He was originally going to attend Marquette or UW-Madison and he never opened up his recruiting officially, so he had to ultimately reach out to schools.

Keywords: basketball; recruitment

Partial Transcript: clips from junior and senior year of high school

Segment Synopsis: Question: How did you show coaches that you had the ability to play at a collegiate level?
Answer: He put together a film of clips from his junior and senior years in high school. He also had his coach, Joe Garceau write a letter of recommendation to give to coaches at the schools he was interested in attending.

Keywords: basketball

Partial Transcript: you said you were just targeting WhiteWater

Segment Synopsis: Question: Did you just send out recruiting info to UW-Whitewater or were you interested in other schools as well?
Answer: At the time it was just to UW-Whitewater, but now he is also sending it out to Concordia University.

Keywords: College

Partial Transcript: when I started looking at Whitewater

Segment Synopsis: Question: Were you more so looking at schools for basketball or education?
Answer: Started looking at UW-Whitewater for its educational value, but thought of playing basketball there as a bonus.

Keywords: education

Partial Transcript: but I didn't look into it enough

Segment Synopsis: Question: What role did the college coaching staff play when you were deciding where to play?
Answer: He said he didn’t look into the staff or the system the team ran enough. He also thought he should have looked into the team’s culture more. If he could go back in time, he would have put more emphasis on these aspects.

Key Moment: Matt realized that he should have looked more into the team’s coaching staff, system, and culture. He mentions that if he was able to go back and redo it, he would put an emphasis on this. This comes more into play later when discussing his possible transfer.

Keywords: basketball; coaching

Partial Transcript: compared to Marquette

Segment Synopsis: Question: What ultimately made you decide to play at UW-Whitewater?

Answer: The educational value of the school was the biggest factor that made him choose UW-Whitewater. He was also given a shot to play basketball which was an added bonus.

Keywords: UW-Whitewater

Partial Transcript: whoever I could get to

Segment Synopsis: Question: What did the summer ball/offseason training leading up to this season look like?
Answer: He got a weight lifting program from the team that he used 2-3 times a week. He would also find someone who could rebound for him and he drew up his own shooting program that he used 4-5 times a week.

Subjects: basketball training

Partial Transcript: that initial like I guess teammates

Segment Synopsis: Question: Did you do this at home or was this done at UW-Whitewater?
Answer: He stated that most of this was done at home. UW-Whitewater had open gyms every weekend, but because it was a pretty far drive he only went a handful of times.

Partial Transcript: because Whitewater this year graduated

Segment Synopsis: Question: From that summer experience, what was your initial reaction to your coaches and teammates?

Answer: He mentioned that UW-Whitewater graduated a bunch of guys last year so there were a bunch of new faces. They had lots of incoming freshmen and transfers who all had different backgrounds. They were able to play a summer tournament in Wisconsin Dells which Matt thought really helped the team start to bond and grow together.

Partial Transcript: impacted the...the first couple weeks

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you know specifically where most of the players were from?

Answer: He said that they had lots of players who came from inner city Milwaukee. They also had players from Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and other parts of Wisconsin. He said a handful of them were transferring in from Junior colleges across the country.

Keywords: basketball; diversity

Partial Transcript: yeah yeah, so to get into the season a little bit

Segment Synopsis: Question: How did the players at Whitewater act towards the coaching staff?

Answer: It was dependent on the individual. Some people really hit it off with the coaches, while others resented him even though they were given lots of playing time.

Keywords: coaching

Partial Transcript: so as the season progressed do you think

Segment Synopsis: Question: How did the start of the season go for you guys?

Answer: The start was pretty rough because guys had to get used to playing as a team. A lot of people came in from places where they were the guy and now they had to share the ball more. Matt specifically didn’t get much playing time being a freshman.

Keywords: basketball

Partial Transcript: do you think that kind of strained

Segment Synopsis: Question: Over the long haul, how did the season turn out?

Answer: Overall it was a pretty rough year. He thought their record was something like 7-21. Towards the end, people were kind of just looking out for themselves and it was a struggle. The team still got along well, but you could tell everyone was a bit annoyed.

Keywords: basketball season

Partial Transcript: towards the end of the year

Segment Synopsis: Question: What is the team's outlook going into next year?

Answer: He stated that he isn’t sure who is all returning, but that they should have their main core of players back. He thinks they can take a step forward next year.

Keywords: basketball team

Partial Transcript: so it's the same challenge

Segment Synopsis: Question: What does the team plan on doing this offseason to improve?

Answer: He said they are pretty much doing the same stuff as last year. They will have some open gyms and create programs for guys to work on. The players are expected to work on some of this stuff individually. They also will probably go to a handful of tournaments again.

Keywords: basketball

Partial Transcript: we were not able to make it this year

Segment Synopsis: Question: So I know that you have been thinking of possibly transfering, what are some schools that you are looking into?

Answer: He mentioned that he has been in contact with Concordia University in Wisconsin, but that it’s in the early stages. He isn’t even sure yet if he wants to transfer at all. He does like Concordia’s team and their system. He also likes that it’s in Milwaukee, which is closer to home.

Keywords: Concordia University

Partial Transcript: you think that's a better fit for you personally

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think that Concordia is a better fit for you basketball wise?

Answer: He said he doesn’t know that yet. He has spoken to some alumni and has heard what they have to say about the coaches and program. He mentions that they won their conference this year and he thinks they are an up and coming team. He will have a better feel for them when he meets their coaches over Zoom soon.

Keywords: UW Concordia; basketball

Partial Transcript: yeah he was all American

Segment Synopsis: Question: Who are the alumni that you are in contact with?

Answer: Josh Erickson who played at his high school back home and then Eric Kittle who played for Brillion which is a high school close to Manitowoc.

Keywords: UW Concordia

Partial Transcript: I already got in to my program

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you know what the recruitment process with Concordia will look like?

Answer: He said that he already applied to the school and was accepted for his major. He also stated that he sent the coaching staff his film. He is having a call with them next week and then will virtually tour the school over Zoom because of COVID-19.

Keywords: recruitment

Partial Transcript: unique to have someone with that experience

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think that attending football camps is beneficial for athlete’s recruitments?

Answer: Yes, he thinks they can have a good effect on a kid's recruitment. He mentioned that he was able to attend a football camp at NDSU which is D1 and that he specifically saw a WR get pulled from the camp and offered a scholarship on the spot.

Keywords: football

Partial Transcript: I mean in my personal experience

Segment Synopsis: Question: What effect do you think the cold weather plays on Wisconsin football recruiting?

Answer: He doesn’t think it plays a huge role, but probably does play somewhat of a role. He talks about Madison recruiting their type of player and that those players usually don’t have any issues committing to Madison because of the weather.

Keywords: Wisconsin; weather

Partial Transcript: player "A" has bad grades

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think UW-Madison’s academic standards hurt recruiting?

Answer: He doesn’t think it hurts there recruiting, but it does limit their player pool. He also talks about how this isn't a bad thing because it brings in more intelligent players.

Keywords: UW Madison; recruitment

Partial Transcript: at the end of the day

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think that Madison needs to do a better job recruiting in some of these recruiting hotspots such as Florida, California, and Texas?

Answer: He thinks Madison finds their own hotspots. He specifically mentioned New Jersey as a RB hotspot. For example guys like Jonathan Taylor, Corey Clement, and Jalen Berger are all from there. He does think that Madison needs to recruit in these areas, but that it has heavy competition and it’s hard to beat out some of these big time schools. They need to wager their resources and find consistent spots.

Keywords: recruitment

Partial Transcript: better I think that the Wisconsin High School

Segment Synopsis: Question: What are your thoughts on Wisconsin high school football growing and continuing to become better?

Answer: He thinks high school football in Wisconsin keeps getting better and better and that Wisconsin needs to keep an emphasis on controlling these athletes. Just like southern schools are controlling their hotbeds, Madison needs to keep locking down these in state kids as they begin to get more and more recruited nationally.

Key Moment: Matt discusses how the in-state high school talent in Wisconsin is improving and that it’s imperative that Madison focuses on keeping these athletes in state if it wants to compete with the best teams moving forward.

Partial Transcript: so we talked about Wisconsin high school football

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think that Wisconsin high school football is actually getting better or do you think the state was just underscouted for so long?

Answer: He thinks it’s a little bit of both. He thinks kids are definitely getting better and this is shown by bigger schools offering them across the country. He also thinks that some of the success Wisconsin has had with these in state players has opened up eyes across the country showing other teams that these kids are better than what they thought and that the state should be recruited heavier.

Keywords: Wisconsin; football

Partial Transcript: Wisconsin with these new recruitment classes

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think that Wisconsin can knock off big schools such as Ohio St. with these better recruiting classes coming in?

Answer: He thinks that this is Paul Chryst’s new goal. He believes it will just take a couple more really good classes linked together to compete with Ohio St., LSU, and Clemson.

Keywords: Ohio State University; University of Wisconsin

Partial Transcript: the packers who also coached

Segment Synopsis: Question: What are your thoughts on bringing in some new blood to the coaching staff with Alvis Whitted and how that affects recruiting going forward?

Answer: He thinks it’s always a good idea to be adding new people into the mix and that it brings good competition. These new guys can bring new connections and offer something new to a team that was already very good.

Keywords: recruitment

Partial Transcript: granted he was only there for one year at Wisconsin

Segment Synopsis: Question: Is there a certain position that you want to see the Badgers really focus on recruiting in the future?

Answer: He specifically mentioned QB as being a spot he wants to see keep improving. He mentions how Russel Wilson is a good example of a QB having success at Madison. He also talked about how bringing in better QBs should help entice better WRs and TEs to commit as well.

Keywords: Russel Wilson

Partial Transcript: well I guess that kind of wraps up football

Segment Synopsis: Question: What do you think of the future of UW-Madison basketball recruiting?

Answer: He mentions that just like Wisconsin high school football is improving that Wisconsin high school basketball is improving. He mentions guys like the Hauser brothers, Tyler Herro, Diamond Stone, and Duane Wilson. He thinks this is a great resource to the Badgers on the recruiting front.

Keywords: basketball; recruitment

Partial Transcript: as a rookie in Miami

Segment Synopsis: Question: Why do you think UW-Madison has had a hard time keeping these in state basketball players?

Answer: He thinks the offense they run hurts their recruiting because it doesn’t help players reach the pros. They have always had collegiate success, but they haven’t had many good NBA players.

Key Moment: In Matt’s opinion, the reason the UW-Madison basketball team cannot lock in the best in-state talent is because they run an offense that doesn’t help kids reach the pro level.

Keywords: basketball

Partial Transcript: prepared to run offenses

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think that it’s the team's responsibility to get guys ready for the NBA?

Answer: He thinks the team still needs to play and work to win games. It isn’t solely the team’s responsibility to get guys ready for the NBA. He doesn’t think Wisconsin could even change their system unless they fire Gard, which he thinks would be a bad decision.

Keywords: NBA

Partial Transcript: maybe had a right for that

Segment Synopsis: Question: Do you think any of the incoming recruits in basketball can make an instant impact?

Answer: He specifically mentions Johnny Davis as a guy who can make an instant impact and has the NBA potential to be a great player.

Keywords: NBA; basketball

Partial Transcript: no definitely, so I guess

Segment Synopsis: Question: How do you think COVID-19 will be affecting recruiting this spring/summer?

Answer: He thinks it will halt a lot of movement from guys. There will be more online, virtual visits instead of in person. It will be a big change.

Key Moment: Matt believes that COVID-19 will have a major effect on the spring and summer recruiting periods. In person visits will be stopped and teams will have to recruit virtually.

Keywords: Covid-19 Pandemic; zoom

Partial Transcript: so you talked a lot about recruitment from the player side

Segment Synopsis: Question: What are your thoughts on the transfer portal and the rules around it?

Answer: He thinks it could possibly be a good idea to have a one time waiver. It’s hard to pin down exactly why someone is leaving so that leaves a lot of speculation. He brings up how coaches can switch schools freely, but athletes can’t always do this. He thinks there should be a 3rd party that can come up with a solution to grant kids eligibility. He thinks it’s hard to get every situation 100% correct.

Keywords: sports; transfer

Partial Transcript: recruitment process for D-3

Segment Synopsis: Me: Wrapping up this interview, we were able to discuss your background and recruitment process as well as college football recruiting, basketball recruiting, and some current recruiting barriers. Do you have anything else you want to mention?

Matt: I just want to say that I think the quality of high school sports in Wisconsin is increasing and that this bodes well for Wisconsin colleges moving forward. Hopefully, someone can win a national championship soon.

Me: Thank you for coming on and helping me with this interview!

Matt: Yeah, no problem

Keywords: recruitment

Partial Transcript: okay thank you for coming out and helping me out with this interview