Wake Forest’s 6 a.m. workouts aren’t as challenging for Codi Miller-McIntyre as they could be. He knows he has it easy.

His roommate, Trent VanHorn, doesn’t. He spends the majority of his nights at the library. VanHorn is occasionally “dead tired,” Miller-McIntyre said. It doesn’t stop him.

“There are times when he’ll leave at 5:30 in the evening and he won’t come back until about 3 in morning from studying,” Miller-McIntyre said of VanHorn. “Then he’ll wake up for morning workout at about 6 and still come to practice with great energy.”

VanHorn fought as a freshman for a walk-on spot. Then, a couple of months before the start of the 2015-16 season, head coach Danny Manning called VanHorn into his office. He made VanHorn the first walk-on at Wake Forest to be offered a scholarship. And earlier this season, the Demon Deacons leaned on the junior guard for minutes as Miller-McIntyre was out with an injury and two players were suspended. VanHorn and the Demon Deacons (10-6, 1-3, Atlantic Coast) host Syracuse (11-7, 1-4) at noon on Saturday.

He had lived up to his role, putting scouting reports into action by imitating future opponents on the scout team and directing teammates where to position on the floor.

“I put in a lot of work in over the summer,” VanHorn said. “Being here when I really didn’t have to be, putting in a lot of hours just to show that I really cared. It was good to see hard work paying off.”

The junior walk-on has contributed, not just in practice like he did as a walk-on, but in games. While he’s scored just 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, VanHorn is averaging 17.5 minutes per game —12 more minutes per game compared to last season.

Wake Forest’s coaching staff has played VanHorn more than he ever would have thought when he was at Canterbury (Indiana) High School. He originally planned on playing at a smaller school and wasn’t recruited by former Demon Deacons head coach Jeff Bzdelik.

But once he was accepted into Wake Forest, he planned on trying out. He made the team, made a difference and made his way into the rotation.

“He lifts up the guys when he’s out there,” Manning said. “He raises our level of intensity.”

 

VanHorn’s confidence and leadership allowed him to mesh with the team. His teammates fed off of his confidence in practice, challenging the Demon Deacons’ guards before a facing a tough upcoming matchup.

“He attacked us every day,” Miller-McIntyre said. “He made us play defense and made us get better every practice.”

Miller-McIntyre said he has more respect for walk-ons than anyone else on his team.
While VanHorn’s future is still uncertain — Manning said, “We’ll see,” when asked if he’d be on scholarship next year — his new title hasn’t changed his job description.

The formula is simple: have the same confidence, show the same dedication and hope it pays off once again.

“I’m just going to keep doing all the right things on and off the court,” VanHorn said. “I think that’s what earned me the scholarship for this year. Just keep doing what I’m doing, cause it’s worked out pretty well so far.”

Published on January 15, 2016 at 7:07 pm

Contact Jack: jfupton@syr.edu