Photo by Eric Kelley, d3photography.com

Center - Michael Mayer
Williams College
2010-2014

All-American selections: 2013 (3rd), 2014 (1st)

All-Region selections: 2013 (1st), 2014 (1st)

Other honors: 2013 Jostens Trophy finalist

NCAA Tournament appearances: 2011 (Final Four), 2013 (Elite 8), 2014 (national runners-up)

From the archives

• Williams rolls rival to reach title game (March 2014)
• Ephs relish underdog role in Salem (March 2014)
• Mayer, Williams top Catholic in NCAA Tournament (March 2013)

What others say: "There’s nothing he doesn’t do well on the court. He plays and thinks like a guard. He can handle the ball, pass, and rebound. He has an array of moves and is an outstanding teammate. He’s one of the best players to ever play at Williams. While he’s a very good player, he’s an even better person who comes from a great family. He represents our program well and we appreciate what he’s done for our program.” – Mike Maker, former Williams men's head basketball coach (March 2014)

Where are they now: Earning his doctorate degree in mechanical engineering at Tufts

Career synopsis: Michael Mayer grew up tall and strong in the college basketball town of Durham, North Carolina, where former Williams College basketball player Matt Hunt coached at a rival high school. After coaching a game against Mayer's Riverside High School, Hunt asked Mayer if he had considered going to Williams College. Mayer had never heard of Williams, but he researched the school, liked what he saw and headed north.

Mayer spent his first season playing behind All-American Troy Whittington and soaking in the Williams College education, on and off the court. According to our 2014 feature on Mayer, he also took a crash course in low-post moves by watching videos of NBA Hall of Famers Kevin McHale, Hakeem Olajuwon and Larry Bird. The YouTube film session must've made an impression because Mayer developed into one of the most versatile big men in Division III. He scored 1,469 points with a scoring average that increased every year, shot better than 56 percent from the field and provided the shot-blocking and rebounding presence you expect from a center.

Mayer and the Ephs entered the 2014 national semifinal matchup against Amherst with an eight-game losing streak to their archrival. Williams stamped out any lingering frustrations by shooting 63 percent and crushing Amherst 98-69, led by Mayer's double-double (19 points, 10 rebounds) and 30 points from Rookie of the Year Duncan Robinson. The next day Mayer scored 26 points in the national championship game against UW-Whitewater, including the go-ahead basket with four seconds left. Mayer's heroics were thwarted when Quardell Young's layup with 0.9 seconds left lifted the Warhawks to the title, but Mayer was named first-team All-American.

Since graduating from Williams, Mayer played professionally in Europe, went back to Durham where he coached under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke and then enrolled at another NESCAC school, Tufts, where he's earning his doctorate.