Josh Duell played for Siena from 2006-2009. A transfer from the University of Vermont, Duell returned to the area after two seasons to play for the Saints. After sitting out the ’06-’07 season per NCAA regulations, he went on to be a part of back-to-back MAAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship teams in ’08 and ’09. A hard nosed inside force combined with a soft touch from long range, Duell had a knack for being around the ball and stepping up in key situations.
As a junior he started 15 of 31 games including the final 13. He led the team with 16 points in a regular season win over 20th ranked Stanford, sank a game-winning 3-pointer to beat Rider, and hit the game winning layup to beat Loyola in the MAAC Tournament semi-finals. That year the Saints went on to beat Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 83-52. He was also named to the MAAC All-Academic Team of 2008. As a senior he was part of another memorable NCAA run when the Saints defeated Ohio State 74-72 in the first round and lost a hard fought game to the #1 team in the nation, Louisville in the second round, 79-72.
Prior to Siena he played locally for Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) in Albany where he won the Section II AA title and advanced to the state semifinals. As a freshman at Vermont he was a member of the America East All-Rookie Team and was a key part of their upset win over Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament.
How did you end up attending Siena?
I ended up taking a round-about way to becoming a Siena Saint. Growing up in the capital district, Siena was always a big deal to me. Unfortunately out of high school I was not recruited to play basketball at Siena. After two years and a coaching change at the University of Vermont, I knew I wanted to come home and hopefully get a chance to play for Siena. Luckily for me, I had one of my better games as a sophomore against Siena while playing for Vermont. I was able to talk to Coach Mac about coming to Siena and it all fell into place from there. It ended up being one of the best decisions I have ever made.
What is your favorite Siena memory on the court?
The best memory from my time on the court at Siena has to be going to the NCAA tournament and winning games back-to-back years. It was amazing to turn on ESPN or read in article in a sports magazine and to see that Siena had gotten the recognition that we deserved as a school and a community. There was nothing better than running out of the tunnel to see 7000+ fans cheering for you at home games. Being the underdog in those NCAA tournament games was special because we knew we could play with any team in the country and we knew the pressure was on the other teams. Beating Vanderbilt and Ohio State are both memories that I will relive over and over again throughout my lifetime.
What is your favorite Siena memory off the court?
The best memory from off the court at Siena was our trip as a team to Italy. Looking back on it now it was an experience that was absolutely amazing because not only did I get to hang out and enjoy a different culture with my teammates and best friends, I had the chance to experience many different places in Italy. If it wasn’t for Siena, I don’t know if I would have ever gotten the chance to go to such an amazing place. It was a great experience because we spent a lot of time building our team chemistry and it ended up proving to be a big part of our next season.
What have you been doing since you left Siena?
Since I left Siena, I have been attending Albany Law School. I am currently in the summer between my second and last year as a law school student and taking classes to gain a greater understanding of the field.
Where do you reside, and tell us about your family:
I still reside in the Capital District. Staying close to Siena is important to me as well as being around my childhood friends and family.
What are you most looking forward to about the Legends Game?
The best part of an event like this for me is the fact that I get to be on the court with the guys that made my college career so special one more time. I miss being on the court with those guys and knowing that no matter what happened, the next day we would be in the gym competing with each other again. Also, for me as a local kid, it is going to be amazing to see some of the players that I watched growing up and sharing the court with them. It is going to be an amazing experience.
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Tagged with: Josh Duell
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