Graduate student pushes past obstacles to achieve his Division I dream
Keenan Gumbs joined the Liberty University men’s basketball team as a transfer this season, but his journey to play NCAA Division I college basketball has been a long road.
He always dreamed of becoming a Division I student-athlete. Even when he was cut from his high school junior varsity team when he was a sophomore, the dream didn’t fade; he watched that heartbreaking experience turn into “a blessing in disguise.”
“That was one of the best things to ever happen to me,” Gumbs recalled. “It changed the way I worked. It totally changed my mindset and put a fire in me that I still have today.”
Gumbs moved quickly from the JV practice squad to starting on the varsity team at Byron P. Steele II High School in Cibolo, Texas. Even after helping the Knights advance to the semifinals of two state championships, the native of Cibolo was not heavily recruited by college teams.
But Gumbs never gave up on his dream of playing collegiate basketball at the highest level. After failing to receive an offer from a Division I program, he decided to attend Schreiner University, a Division III school, 70 miles from his home. There, he continued to hone his basketball skills.
Just as he was finding his groove at Schreiner, another obstacle threatened his dream. Gumbs tore his meniscus during his sophomore year. But once again, he persevered. He worked hard after recovering from surgery and excelled in his final year at Schreiner, leading his team to the NCAA Tournament while becoming a Division III All-American, 2018 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, and 2018 SCAC Tournament MVP.
With one final year of NCAA eligibility remaining, the dream of playing Division I basketball was now within reach. The day after his final game at Schreiner, a stream of calls from college basketball coaches poured in. One of the first calls was from Liberty Head Coach Ritchie McKay. Gumbs agreed to make Liberty his first official on-campus visit.
After a tour, Gumbs was seated with his father in McKay’s office and was offered a scholarship. Overflowing with emotions, he accepted and broke down in tears. Despite over a dozen schools showing interest, Gumbs said Liberty was where he finally felt at home.
He remembered that back in high school he made a list of colleges where he was interested in playing.
“Liberty was one of the first schools I thought of,” said Gumbs, who is pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science. “I knew I could play at this level, and now it is a dream come true. God has a plan for everyone. He put me through a long few years, and I had no clue this would be the end result. God has blessed me so much, and I am forever grateful for what Liberty has provided me.”
Gumbs’ journey to Liberty has been mutually beneficial for the Flames, as the forward has helped Liberty reach the top of the conference standings during its first season in the ASUN Conference, positioning the Flames to return to the Big Dance for the first time since 2013 and fourth time in program history.
