This summer, former Hillsdale basketball star Nick Washburn (‘13) became one of the few Chargers to be scouted and hired by a professional team overseas.
Washburn signed on with the Peñas Huesca in Spain, a second-tier division team that made it to the quarterfinals in last year’s LEB Oro League.
Hillsdale men’s basketball head coach John Tharp has trained two others who became European players, and Washburn said he was a huge influence.
“The way we [Chargers] played was very heavily defensive, which goes the same for my coach here,” Washburn said. “Hillsdale’s a great place. Going there’s the greatest choice I ever made.”
Washburn led the Chargers to an impressive level of team success throughout his career. The Chargers went 77-34 in games he played in, resulting in back-to-back 20-win seasons (2010-11, 2011-12). During his tenure the Charger won the 2012 GLIAC regular season championship (first one since 1981) and helped the team to its first NCAA Division II tournament berth since 2002. Hillsdale also advanced to the GLIAC Championship game twice during his career.
Washburn’s father, Rob Washburn, said he couldn’t be prouder.
“He’s always set goals for himself that I never believed he could achieve. He’s worked hard, made sacrifices.”
The Washburn family is very happy for him, but as Rob said, “It’s going to be strange. My wife and I only missed one game while he played at Hillsdale.” They will be able to watch some of his games on the internet.
Washburn has only been in Huesca for two weeks, and already enjoys the lifestyle.
“I came from cornfields, and now I wake up to these majestic mountains,” Washburn, an Illinois native, said. “It’s been terrific.”
Language has been a bit of a barrier since Washburn only knew basic Spanish, but he said everyone in the small city of Huesca has been very supportive and friendly. The last member of the team, another American, arrives soon.
“It’ll be nice to have someone who speaks fluent English to bounce my ideas off of,” Washburn said.
Washburn’s team has played a few preseason games, with season play set to begin in October.
