Chandler Vaudrin had quite the growth spurt in high school. From 5-foot-10 as a freshman to 6-foot-5 by his junior year, he quickly realized he had the potential to play basketball at the next level.
“My junior year I kind of realized, maybe this could be something that I pursue,” Vaudrin said. “The height and the skills of being a guard when I was younger kind of molded together and it was really good for me.”
While his physical growth came naturally, Vaudrin said as a kid his skills always grew when he played around his older brother, Chaese, who became a 1,000-point scorer at Geneva College.
“Growing up with him, a brother that’s three years older, I’m constantly playing dudes that are older than me,” he said. “I’m either going to lose every time or I’m going to man up and try to beat ‘em.”
Now standing at 6-foot-7, Vaudrin is a senior on the men’s basketball team at Winthrop. However, with no Division I offers coming out of high school, he started his collegiate career at Walsh University in his home state of Ohio.
After a solid first year, Vaudrin averaged 15.5 points per game, 9.3 rebounds per game and 7.5 assists per game as a sophomore. He also recorded four triple-doubles that season, which was the most by any player at any level in the nation.
“The goal was always to play in the NCAA Tournament,” Vaudrin said. “After that second year I just sat down with the coaches… it was a tough decision. They were losing a really good player and I’m losing a really good situation where I had done really well, and I was going to do good and probably be All-American for the next two years.
“I just kind of bet on myself and I told [my] coaches I wanted to transfer. Got my waivers, went through the process. Boom. A bunch of [Division I] coaches started hitting me up.”
Vaudrin said Assistant Coach Brian Kloman was the first person from Winthrop to reach out to him.
“Coach Kloman hit me up on Instagram and was like, ‘Do you like winning games?’”
Vaudrin said he told Kloman he did like winning, to which the coach replied, “Well we win a lot here.”
“From then on, I just messaged him, came on a visit and it felt like home,” Vaudrin said. “The warm weather definitely helps – it’s a little bit hotter here than Ohio for sure – but I’m just happy I made this choice and I know I didn’t make the wrong one.”
Last season, Vaudrin averaged 9.3 points per game, 5.6 assists per game and 5.8 rebounds per game. He earned All-Big South Second Team honors, and his triple-double against Longwood was the first triple-double recorded by any player in a Big South matchup since 2012. He said he hopes to continue to improve this season, which will ultimately make the team better.
“I think we are going to put ourselves in a good situation – how we’ve been going right now – to be in the [NCAA] Tournament again next year,” Vaudrin said. “But we want to advance. It’s not just about making it; it’s about going deep into the tournament.”
As for after college, Vaudrin said his number one goal is to play in the NBA, so he recognizes the importance of having a good senior season. Aside from that, he said he will find his way with the connections he has made through sports.
“I’ll pray about it, I’ll figure it out,” Vaudrin said. “As long as I keep working on my game [and] keep focusing on school, I know God will have His hand on me and put me in the right place that I need to be.”
Vaudrin holds a reminder to himself that God’s hand is on him in the form of a tattoo on the inside of his right forearm. Along with an image of a cross are the words “The battle is won.”
“I just think it’s super important to have something to show – not only to be a conversation starter – but just to show people that if we trust in Jesus, He’s won every battle. He’s undefeated,” Vaudrin said. “I know that I’ve got Him on my side.”
Photo by Matthew Shealy
