Coach Tommy Brown with Nate Minnoy
Over the years, Lee University basketball coaches have signed their share of marquee athletes, but probably none arrived with the accolades of Nate Minnoy, who recently signed a one-year grant with coach Tommy Brown and the Flames.
Minnoy brings major college credentials to the Lee program for his senior year. A three-star high-school recruit, according to Rivals.com, the Chicago Hales Francisian athlete was listed as the nation’s 54th best player in the country when he signed with coach Matt Painter and Purdue University. He was named the Co-MVP of the East Team in Chicago’s Roundball Classic. He also led Hales Franciscan to the Illinois Class A State Championship.
“Nate Minnoy is just a basketball player,” Painter was quoted as saying after he landed his man. “He really does not have a position (6-foot-3, 260). He’s a guy you really can’t describe in a couple of sentences; you just have to see him play. He has a high skill level. He can shoot the basketball. He can get to the basket and he can post you up.”
Bad luck helped end Minnoy’s freshman year at Purdue. In the first 13 Boilermaker contests, he started 12 games. He suffered a serious knee injury during his first Big 10 game against Northwestern University and surgery followed. Before the injury, he was averaging over 10 points and five rebounds per game.
“I didn’t leave Purdue on bad terms,” said Minnoy as he spoke about his decision to transfer. “It just seemed like a different place after my injury. It was a humbling, life-changing experience. I just felt like it was the right thing to do.”
Next came a one-year stay at Schoolcraft Junior College (Michigan). Again Minnoy was described as a “powerfully-built 6-foot-3 (sophomore) wing player.” The highlight at Schoolcraft was a 44-point, 18-rebound performance in the Michigan state junior college tournament.
Central Michigan, a member of the MAC conference, rolled out the red carpet and Minnoy signed the scholarship papers for his junior year. The media guide stated, “Minnoy brings charisma, toughness, and leadership to the program. He’s a versatile player and scorer, and his strength and size will cause a mismatch for opponents.”
Minnoy played in 28 games for the Chippewas. He tallied 23 points against Detroit and poured in 21 markers against Niagara and Akron. In a big win over Michigan, the talented wing player posted 11 points.
But Minnoy said something was missing. He confessed that he never really fit in at Central Michigan. “I really missed (Schoolcraft) coach Mike Brown,” said Minnoy. “He was a great man and a Christian. He didn’t force his beliefs on anyone, but he loved his players and I longed to play for another program like that.”
After several conversations with his former coach, Minnoy decided to search for a top NAIA college program, play his final year of college basketball and complete work on his communication degree. “I’ve always kept my grades up and plan to graduate next winter,” he noted.
At the same time, Lee assistant coach Josh Templeton went online, searching for players who might not be returning to NCAA Division I programs. He was actually trying to track down Central Michigan’s Chase Simon when he found out Minnoy was looking for a new basketball home.
Minnoy was invited to Lee for a visit. He’d already spoken with coach (Mike) Brown again, and his former Juco mentor thought the Lee program, coach Tommy Brown and Templeton might serve him well.
“The first thing I noticed was the Christian spirit and the coaches treated players like friends and it appeared they were here for the kids. It was not all business like NCAA Division I,” he said. “I want a relationship where I can not only go into the coach’s office and talk about the game, but also about my academics and any problems I might be having with a girlfriend or at home.”
For coach Tommy Brown, bringing in Minnoy for one year was a no-brainer. Over the past three seasons, the Flames have been blessed with All-Americans Kevin Smith, Modie Johnson and Brad Harris. All three were major forces in Lee’s drive to championships and a spot in the NAIA National Tournament.
“Nate brings a lot to the table,” said the Lee coach, who will have two other transfers (Stephen McClellan and Caleb Skogen) with NCAA Division I experience. “He played Big 10 ball and does a lot of things well. He’s one of the strongest guys I know at any level.”
Brown said Minnoy will likely play in the four position for the Flames, “but he’s very skilled and could even play point guard, in case we needed him there. Nate can score from the outside and also around the basket. We’re excited. We are signing some good athletes. Nate is around 6-3 and 280 now. We want him to play around 250 or 260. We’re hoping to sign at least one more player before classes begin.”