Lehigh Hoops Nation, as part of the continuing effort to get everyone prepared and ready for the ’13-’14 edition of Lehigh Basketball, was fortunate enough to chat with freshman guard Cole Renninger. This Q&A should help Mountain Hawk fans get to know Cole. Special thanks to Cole for sitting down to chat.
Q.) What is your earliest basketball memory?
A.) My first basketball memory of playing is dribbling around and shooting on my front porch on a tiny hoop when I was three or four years old.
Q.) Having excelled at both football and basketball in high school, where do your athletic genes come from?
A.) I think I got my athletic genes from my father. He played college football at Clarion University, and also was a Division I baseball prospect.
Q.) How and when did you make the decision to pursue basketball over football in college?
A.) I wasn’t sure. I had to really sit down and think about it. I chose basketball because I’ve had a love and a passion for the game longer than I have for football.
Q.) Why did you decide to come to Lehigh and was there one specific moment or event where everything clicked and made you realize that LU was where you were going to go to college?
A.) I came to the Lehigh-Bucknell game here last year. I really enjoyed the way the team played and was coached. The style of play fits my game and the academics are top tier here.
Q.) You had a phenomenal senior year, leading the state of PA in scoring, how do you think you remained “under the radar” for so long when it comes to the basketball recruiting scene?
A.) I think I remained under the radar because central Pennsylvania isn’t a big basketball place. I played for a good Quad A basketball team, but not a state powerhouse like State College or Williamsport.
Q.) Can you give a self-scouting report on your game for Lehigh fans?
A.) I like to get to the basket and distribute the ball.
Q.) What NBA player best describes your style of play?
A.) Manu Ginobili
Q.) What part of your game have you been working on the most since your Central Mountain season ended last spring?
A.) I have been working on my jump shot a lot.
Q.) You got to campus well before the majority of your non-basketball playing classmates, as you enrolled in summer school to take a class and workout with other LU players and coaches, what was that experience like?
A.) It was a great experience. It was good to get acclimated to the campus. It was nice to be able to focus on basketball without the pressures of a full school schedule. I loved being able to get to know the upperclassman and just learn from them every day at workouts and pickup.
Q.) How has it been getting to meet and get to know all of the other newcomers and classmates on the team?
A.) It’s been fun. There are so many of us, but we all get along pretty well. It’s refreshing to be around other people that work as hard as me and have such a passion for the game.
Q.) What goals have you set for yourself in your first season?
A.) I just want to continue to get better and compete every day at practice.
Q.) Tell us about Cole off the court?
A.) I’m a huge Survivor fan. I enjoy playing volleyball or just about any other sport or game. I like traveling to new places. My hobbies include listening to music, reading, animal watching and people watching.
LHN
