{"id":18866,"date":"2025-10-23T15:30:28","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T19:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=18866"},"modified":"2026-03-04T11:16:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T16:16:20","slug":"ex-wildcat-hoopsters-chase-their-dreams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2025\/10\/23\/ex-wildcat-hoopsters-chase-their-dreams\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Wildcat Hoopsters Chase Their Dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Three former Wilmington University basketball players are pursuing professional careers overseas while dealing with foreign languages, local cuisine (rabbit stew with snails, anyone?), and a game that is a bit different from the American version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The three \u2014 <strong>Jermaine Head<\/strong>, <strong>Caleb Matthews<\/strong>, and <strong>Randy Rickards<\/strong> \u2014 rank among the best players to emerge from 11th-year Coach<strong> Dan Burke<\/strong>\u2019s Wildcat program. They signed professional contracts after graduating and flew off to three distinctly different parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re making a living doing what they love,\u201d says Burke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head is playing in Georgia, an Eastern European country on the east coast of the Black Sea, south of Russia and bordering Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. A 6-0 guard, he\u2019s on the VSA&nbsp;squad in the Georgia Superleague.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthews is in Malta, an&nbsp;island country situated in the&nbsp;Mediterranean Sea between&nbsp;Sicily&nbsp;and&nbsp;North Africa. He\u2019s a 6-4 guard\/small forward for Gzira Athleta Birkirkara in Malta\u2019s BOV Division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rickards, a 6-7 forward, is in South America, where in two years he has played for teams in three countries \u2014 Peru, Uruguay, and now Chile, where he is on the CD Universidad Cat\u00f3lica De Santiago squad in LNB, the country\u2019s top&nbsp;league.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both on and off the court, the ex-Wildcats seem to have adjusted well to their foreign environments.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image18866_ad90f8-56.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image18866_ad90f8-56 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:292px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image18866_ad90f8-56.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image18866_ad90f8-56 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image18866_ad90f8-56 figure{max-width:292px;}.kb-image18866_ad90f8-56 .image-is-svg, .kb-image18866_ad90f8-56 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image18866_ad90f8-56 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image18866_ad90f8-56 wu-pattern-non-featured-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"853\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Head.jpg\" alt=\"Jermaine Head\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-18869\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Head.jpg 853w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Head-167x250.jpg 167w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Head-320x480.jpg 320w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Head-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><figcaption><em><span style=\"color: #808080\"><em>Jermaine Head<\/em><\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide wu-blockquote-row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Jermaine was with us for four years and he had an amazing career. He was a great player. He could do anything \u2014 shoot, get to the basket, get a bunch of assists \u2014 really an all-around player.<\/p>\n<cite><em>\u2014 Coach Dan Burke<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Head, the all-time leader in points and assists for WilmU\u2019s men\u2019s program, says the European game has slightly different rules than the American version, as well as a ball that is somewhat lighter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAlso, the competition is way better than college,\u201d he says, \u201cand the players are way bigger.\u201d Head obviously has taken the changes in stride: He was the 2024 league MVP and also the MVP of the finals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 28-year-old is one of three Americans on a roster of 13. Teams are limited to four Americans, and only three can be on the court at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head says language hasn\u2019t been a problem. \u201cMost of the European players speak English, and so does our coach,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team is headquartered in Tbilisi, a city of 1.2 million, which is almost a third of the country\u2019s population. The team provides housing for foreign players, and Head has an apartment across the street from the other Americans on his squad. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He calls the Tbilisi cuisine \u201cpretty good,\u201d especially khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread that resembles pizza. \u201cAnd you can always get regular fast food,\u201d he adds. \u201cThey have McDonald\u2019s, Wendy\u2019s, KFC.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head, who turned pro in 2022, says he\u2019s occasionally homesick, but it passes quickly. After the nine-month season, he returns home in May to Edgewood, Maryland, and reconnects with family and friends. \u201cBut after a couple of weeks,\u201d he says, \u201cI\u2019ve seen everybody and I\u2019m ready to go back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He calls Burke \u201cmy guy,\u201d adding: \u201cWe talk or text almost every day, still. He always checks up on me. It\u2019s kind of like a father-son relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His former coach has fond memories of Head. \u201cJermaine was with us for four years, including his redshirt season, and he had an amazing career,\u201d says Burke. \u201cHe was a great player. He could do anything \u2014 shoot, get to the basket, get a bunch of assists \u2014 really an all-around player. Every year he\u2019s moved up and now he\u2019s at the highest level in Georgia. Whenever he comes home, we\u2019re one of his first stops. He comes by to check us out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Head has a degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/business\/business.aspx\">Business Management<\/a> from WilmU and hopes to become an entrepreneur when his pro career ends. In 2021, he started a clothing line called Chosen 1, a name family and friends called him during his high school years. The athletic apparel includes socks, compression pants and shirts, and hoodies.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image18866_be4b88-99.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image18866_be4b88-99 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:305px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image18866_be4b88-99.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image18866_be4b88-99 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image18866_be4b88-99 figure{max-width:305px;}.kb-image18866_be4b88-99 .image-is-svg, .kb-image18866_be4b88-99 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image18866_be4b88-99 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image18866_be4b88-99 wu-pattern-non-featured-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"404\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Matthews.jpg\" alt=\"Caleb Matthews\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-18870\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Matthews.jpg 404w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Matthews-140x250.jpg 140w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Matthews-269x480.jpg 269w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 404px) 100vw, 404px\" \/><figcaption><em><span style=\"color: #808080\"><em>Caleb Matthews<\/em><\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide wu-blockquote-row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Caleb was probably one of our most resilient guys. He kept coming back from injuries, kept working hard, and ended up having a really good career for us. &nbsp;<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 <em>Coach Dan Burke<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Playing some 2,300 miles to the west of Tbilisi, Matthews had what he calls \u201ca really good experience\u201d in his first season in Malta, where tourism is a major industry. \u201cThe weather and the country are beautiful, and I got to meet a lot of new people and experience new things,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sharing the experience was his wife, Hannah, who is also a WilmU graduate. They were married in June of 2024, soon after he graduated with a degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/business\/business.aspx\">Business Management<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/business\/marketing.aspx\">Marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthews has enjoyed sampling the local cuisine, including rabbit and snails, a staple of the Maltese diet. \u201cThe food is less processed and healthier for you, since in Europe they have more regulations on what can be used in their foods,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Head, he found that English lived up to its reputation as the international language. \u201cIn Malta,\u201d he says, \u201ceverybody speaks Maltese, but about 90% of them also speak English, so there wasn\u2019t too much of a language barrier.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matthews says the talent on the court is a mixed bag. \u201cThe imports from the U.S. were at a higher level than what I played against in college,\u201d he says. \u201cThe locals weren\u2019t as athletic, but they were very smart and understood the concept of playing a team game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He joined another American, 29-year-old veteran Kurt James, on the Athleta starting five. \u201cIn our league,\u201d Matthews says, \u201cthere\u2019s no limit of American players that can be on a team, but only two can be on the court at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Delaware\u2019s 2017\u201318 Gatorade State Boys Basketball Player of the Year, Matthews guided Smyrna High School to back-to-back DIAA state championship games, and a title in 2017. He&nbsp; enrolled at WilmU in 2020 after a year at New Jersey Institute of Technology.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy time at Wilmington was filled with lots of injuries and adversity,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I was able to battle through and have a pretty successful college career while also meeting a few of my closest friends. Even though&nbsp;t was difficult and frustrating, I\u2019m very grateful for the experience and everything I learned along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Burke confirms that self-evaluation. \u201cCaleb was probably one of our most resilient guys,\u201d he says. \u201cHe kept coming back from injuries, kept working hard, and ended up having a really good career for us. He was really competitive, and one of the best shooters we\u2019ve ever had, and he was also a great passer. Guys loved playing with him because he saw the game so well.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After basketball, the 25-year-old Matthews hopes to get into coaching or enter the business world.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image18866_257c32-53.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image18866_257c32-53 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:328px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image18866_257c32-53.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image18866_257c32-53 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image18866_257c32-53 figure{max-width:328px;}.kb-image18866_257c32-53 .image-is-svg, .kb-image18866_257c32-53 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image18866_257c32-53 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image18866_257c32-53 wu-pattern-non-featured-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1692\" height=\"2363\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards.jpg\" alt=\"Randy Rickards\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-18871\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards.jpg 1692w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards-179x250.jpg 179w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards-344x480.jpg 344w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards-150x210.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards-768x1073.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards-1100x1536.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Rickards-1466x2048.jpg 1466w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1692px) 100vw, 1692px\" \/><figcaption><em><span style=\"color: #808080\"><em>Randy Rickards<\/em><\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide wu-blockquote-row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Randy was one of the most well-rounded forwards we\u2019ve ever had. He could dribble, he could shoot, he was ridiculously athletic, and he was a super competitive guy, a warrior.<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 <em>Coach Burke<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike Head and Matthews, Rickards has encountered what he calls \u201ca big culture shock,\u201d largely because of the language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been crazy,\u201d he says. \u201cIn South America you may find like one out of every 10 people speak English. Not even my coach speaks English that well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Spanish is the predominant lan-guage in Peru, Uruguay, and Chile. \u201cBut,\u201d says Rickards, \u201cevery country speaks a different version of Spanish. It\u2019s like three different languages. So it\u2019s been a little different, traveling and trying to navigate the city. I either use the Translator app on my phone or the broken Spanish I\u2019ve learned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s also had to adapt to a different style of basketball. Along with slightly different rules, the South American game is more physical than the U.S. version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnd,\u201d Rickards adds, \u201cI\u2019m playing 35 to 40 minutes a game and am looked at to score and make plays for the team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the challenges, he\u2019s more than holding his own. In Uruguay, he earned Player of the Week honors a few times and was described by one observer as \u201cthe best scorer in the league.\u201d In Peru, his team won the 2023 league championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUruguay has been my favorite country so far because of the team bond I got from them and just the way the club treated me,\u201d Rickards says. \u201cThey weren\u2019t a club with a lot of money or financial capabilities, but they made sure that everything was taken care of and I was very comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s the only American on his current team, but, he says, \u201cThey\u2019ve been very welcoming. There are still days when I wish I could have someone to just be able to relate to, but it\u2019s been a good experience, so I don\u2019t mind it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Calling his living situation \u201cvery good,\u201d Rickards says he has a studio apartment in \u201ca good neighborhood\u201d of Santiago, Chile\u2019s capital city of 7 million people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe club provides meals for me, but most of the time I cook,\u201d he says. \u201cIf I don\u2019t want to cook I can get fast food, or they have little restaurants near where I live.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rickards was on WilmU\u2019s radar when he graduated from Cape Henlopen High School in 2018, but he made stops at Baltimore City Community College and Miami Dade College before becoming a Wildcat in 2020.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBeing from Delaware and being able to play there, I enjoyed my time at Wilmington,\u201d he says. \u201cI built a good bond with Coach Burke and the staff. When I decided that I could have a professional career, Coach <strong>Shai Henry<\/strong> and Coach <strong>Andrew Feeley<\/strong> really helped me change my game there. The summer of my senior year I started working on my ability to shoot threes with them and it\u2019s helped me be successful now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cRandy was too big for guards to guard and way too skilled for big guys to guard, so he was one of the most well-rounded forwards we\u2019ve ever had,\u201d Burke says. \u201cHe could dribble, he could shoot, he was ridiculously athletic, and he was a super competitive guy, a warrior.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rickards earned a degree in Elementary Education (K-6) and plans to become a teacher and perhaps a coach after he\u2019s done with pro ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Burke and his staff have the knowledge and experience needed to help Wildcat players pursue a professional career. Everyone on the staff played college ball and Feeley had a 15-year international career in Japan, Slovenia, France, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and most recently Uruguay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking forward to the 2025\u201326 season, Burke says, \u201cWe have several main contributors returning. Our young group gained valuable experience and finished the year playing very well. We\u2019re expecting that momentum to carry over and lead to a successful season.\u201d&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u2014 Bob Yearick<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{margin-top:0em;}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1290px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:0em;padding-right:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0em;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;border-right:1px solid #eeeeee;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;border-right:1px solid #eeeeee;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;border-right:1px solid #eeeeee;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}}.wu-text-col,.wu-img-col {\tmin-height: 114px;}.wu-text-col &gt; div,.wu-img-col &gt; div {\tflex: 1;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 alignnone FULL wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-right-golden kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 figure.image-is-svg {-webkit-margin-after: 1em;  margin-block-end: 1em;}img[src$=\".svg\"] {  max-width: 220px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 kb-section-dir-horizontal wu-img-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f:not(.kb-image-is-ratio-size) .kb-img, .kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f.kb-image-is-ratio-size{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f image-is-svg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"230\" height=\"120\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/wilmu-cta-logo-wu.svg\" alt=\"Wilm U post footer logo\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-17727\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col > .wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:#eeeeee;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:auto;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}.kt-row-column-wrap &gt; .wp-block-kadence-column {align-self: stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da &gt; div {  padding-block: 1em;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da p:last-of-type {  -webkit-margin-after: 0;  margin-block-end: 0;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da kb-section-dir-vertical wu-text-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"NoMargin\" style=\"font-size:1rem\"><em>Want to read more in-depth stories? Explore our latest <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/category\/magazine\/\">magazine articles<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three former Wilmington University basketball players are pursuing professional careers overseas while dealing with foreign languages, local cuisine (rabbit stew with snails, anyone?), and a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":18875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[135],"tags":[1059,14,15],"class_list":["post-18866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine","tag-magazine-fall-2025","tag-wilmington-university","tag-wilmu"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":135,"label":"MAGAZINE"}],"post_tag":[{"value":1059,"label":"Magazine Fall 2025"},{"value":14,"label":"Wilmington University"},{"value":15,"label":"WilmU"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Wilmington-University-Rickards-480x480.jpg",480,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"alyssa","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/alyssa\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":135,"name":"MAGAZINE","slug":"magazine","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":692,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":431,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":135,"category_count":431,"category_description":"","cat_name":"MAGAZINE","category_nicename":"magazine","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":1059,"name":"Magazine Fall 2025","slug":"magazine-fall-2025","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1616,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":27,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":14,"name":"Wilmington University","slug":"wilmington-university","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":571,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":362,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":15,"name":"WilmU","slug":"wilmu","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":572,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":296,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18866"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18993,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18866\/revisions\/18993"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}