Greetings!

I have been lurking on these boards since Kotie Kimble first called our home in the summer of 2012. Recruiting is stressful and being a student athlete requires an enormous amount of energy and focus. As a parent it was very important to us that Paul find a school which fit him both athletically as well as academically. William & Mary was the perfect place.

You can tell a lot about a school’s team by looking at its fan base. On some boards, the comments are not always accurate or pleasant. I have been following along these past 7 years, often amazed by the level of interest and conjecture, but always impressed by the courtesy and respect shown to both the players and the coaching staff.

I imagine that we know many of you in real life and I had intended to drop by and convey our appreciation after the CAA Tournament. But things changed and this board was in a bit of disarray. So now is good.

Thank you all and your alma mater for supporting and nurturing our son for the past 5 years. He has been in good hands while he grew and entertained you with deep 3’s, smiles and high fives. And thank you for the kindness you have shown myself, my wife and my daughter. We are as much a part of the Tribe Family as our son and will remain Tribe Fans for life.

I know that seating is limited at the Annual Basketball Banquet and many of you couldn’t attend. As Paul closes his playing career at William & Mary we would like to share with you his Senior Speech.

Thank you again for your kind words and support. Assuming they let new users post - the link should be below.

Go Tribe!

Thanks and Welcome!

My hat is off to you. You have raised a fantastic young man and someone that I am proud to call a fellow alum. Good luck to Paul in his endeavors, and thanks for speaking up.

Thank you so much for sharing Paul's speech. That was a joy to watch. Even more so, thank you for sharing Paul! Paul epitomizes what it means to be a member of the Tribe, and I'm so thankful that he is a fellow alum. Great things are ahead for Paul and I know his impact on the William and Mary basketball team and community is far from over. Thanks for all your sacrifices and your impact on the Tribe family and community which is huge and you are for sure a big part of the Tribe family!

No reason for you to remember me, but Paul’s senior year of HS you and your family sat next to the Got Ribes and behind my family at the CAA tournament. That moment always stuck with me. You guys and Paul already seemed to bleed Green and Gold and Paul had not even started his first class.

That always meant a lot to me. In college sports so many times it’s a business where kids are going for a coach, an assistant, a professional sport opportunity, etc. It was obvious that Paul was coming for William and Mary.

From then on I rooted for Paul. I rooted for his enthusiasm. I rooted for his grit. I rooted for his skill that grew year after year. I rooted for the talk every game that was broadcast about him being the only L2 in division 1 basketball.

If there was ever a symbol for why I love Tribe athletics, it’s Paul. Paul epitomizes what W&M means to me as a Tribe sports fan and as an alumnus of the academic institution.

Thank you for raising such a great young man.


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(04-24-2019 05:45 PM)wml33t Wrote:  No reason for you to remember me, but Paul’s senior year of HS you and your family sat next to the Got Ribes and behind my family at the CAA tournament. That moment always stuck with me. You guys and Paul already seemed to bleed Green and Gold and Paul had not even started his first class.

That always meant a lot to me. In college sports so many times it’s a business where kids are going for a coach, an assistant, a professional sport opportunity, etc. It was obvious that Paul was coming for William and Mary.

From then on I rooted for Paul. I rooted for his enthusiasm. I rooted for his grit. I rooted for his skill that grew year after year. I rooted for the talk every game that was broadcast about him being the only L2 in division 1 basketball.

If there was ever a symbol for why I love Tribe athletics, it’s Paul. Paul epitomizes what W&M means to me as a Tribe sports fan and as an alumnus of the academic institution.

Thank you for raising such a great young man.


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I remember the event and meeting people, but the faces are a bit of a blur. What I do remember is how fast Division I basketball looked, how well Willian & Mary competed and how wonderful all the fans were that we met. Our family left the tournament more excited than ever that Paul had selected the Tribe!

Thank you for posting that video.

Thank your son for representing William & Mary in such an exquisite fashion all these years, and for reminding all that the term student-athlete has meaning in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Paul now joins those of us who are part of a long line of student-athlete alumni who were molded by our dear school, and molded by underpaid and under-appreciated coaches whose only reward was the loyalty, love, and respect of their former players, and those who supported their programs. I am so glad that Paul gave voice to that sentiment in his salute to the former staff.

In conclusion, Paul was the last link to a glorious era in William and Mary men’s basketball history. It was heartwarming to hear those names again- Sheldon, Tarpey, Thornton. The mind wanders to those two Monday nights in Baltimore. What teams they were!

The new era belongs to Dane and the gang. May they be as successful as the old era, and may they produce the same type of young men as Paul Rowley.

I often find myself searching for the right words to capture the values that are Tribe athletics. I need search no more. Those words are.... Paul Rowley.

My wife and I were dining at Paul's in Newtown a couple of years ago when Paul came in with a group of fellow students to eat.

He knows us a bit from seeing us at games, basketball functions and the like....but not that well of course. That didn't stop him from coming over,
shaking hands and chatting with us for several minutes and then introducing us to his friends.

As others have said, you should take immense pride in your son. He stands for all the good that is William and Mary.

Paul embodies everything that makes me proud to be a W&M alum. I’m so glad he (and all of the Rowleys!) is part of our W&M family. His impact on the world is in its infancy.


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I am a JMU fan but always loved to watch Paul play. So fun and energetic! He is a great guy and you should be very proud of his accomplishments!

Paul's energy and enthusiasm has always been a bright spot and a joy to witness! Welcome to now sharing your thoughts with the Tribe family!

Thanks for posting Paul's speech. It made my day. Like many others, I tended to focus on Paul's enduring optimism--whether he was guarding guys 60 pounds heavier or encouraging teammates during timeouts--as much as I watched the games themselves. Paul often has said that he's "living the dream," and his actions spoke volumes about his love of the game and his teammates.

I recall his unbridled enthusiasm when he went into Cameron Indoor and sank 3 threes. I have no doubt that Coach K called a timeout to make adjustments to cover "that Rowley kid."

In an interview Paul said that his game is ideal for the "men's rec league"--or some other self-deprecating remark that makes people smile if they know of Paul. Paul's "game of life" is designed for years of purpose and self-fulfillment. Your wanting him just to be happy wherever he landed out of high school was and probably will be instrumental in making him a special person.

Sean, I am sorry I was not able to attend the dinner and say goodbye to you and the Wife. It was a pleasure getting to know you guys. Unfortunately I was in the hospital.having a (successful) heart procedure done. Hope to see you guys soon!! John

(05-02-2019 12:04 PM)Biggjohn43 Wrote:  Sean, I am sorry I was not able to attend the dinner and say goodbye to you and the Wife. It was a pleasure getting to know you guys. Unfortunately I was in the hospital.having a (successful) heart procedure done. Hope to see you guys soon!! John

Thanks John! Sorry to hear that you were in the hospital and glad to hear that everything went well! I always enjoyed our pre game conversations and look forward to more next year!