By Ethan Hurwitz (@HurwitzSports)
HAMDEN, Conn. — Nicholas Margetson remembers how he felt when he first stepped onto Lender Court at Quinnipiac’s M&T Bank Arena as a member of the Bobcats, calling it something “not a lot of guys get to do.”
Now, the graduate student guard entered the same building, only this time as the starting point guard for the visiting WPI Engineers. The Division III program opened up their season with a bout against the Bobcats, the hosts winning by a 71-47 score Thursday night on the backs of a strong second half.
“I was definitely excited getting a chance to go against the guys,” Margetson said. “Those guys are my family over there, so like being on the other side, competing against them, definitely excited to be here.”
He still has relationships with his former teammates—he met Amarri Monroe, Savion Lewis and Alexis Reyes at midcourt postgame—and keeps in contact with his previous coaching staff.
“I think it was a nice moment for him, and he got it going a little bit the second half, which is nice, but probably emotional for him,” Quinnipiac assistant coach Jeff Robinson said. “It’s cool, it’s something that he’ll never forget.”
Robinson also experienced a reunion. The recently-promoted Bobcats assistant coach spent his college days with the Engineers from 2008 to 2011, before joining the WPI coaching staff for four seasons.
“I think it’s special,” Robinson said. “Coach (Chris) Bartley was my coach for three years, and then spent four years on his staff. He’s a great friend and a mentor to me, somebody I talk to, shoot, twice a week. Just a really good person.”
Since joining the Quinnipiac staff in 2022, Robinson had built relationships with every member of the teams he’s helped coach, those who now play internationally (Tyrese Williams, Matt Balanc), and those like Margetson, who joined the program as a walk-on.
“He was really the one that got me in contact with Bartley,” Margetson said. “Me and Jeff, we used to be here working out, getting shots up, so I still talk to him quite often. That’s my guy.”
“He’ll take a little time to adjust to just being able to play in real games again, but once that clicks for him, you can see some of the stuff he can do,” Robinson added. “He's going to start finishing those plays. He's a special kid.”
Margetson didn’t have the biggest statistical game in WPI’s loss, as the Engineers’ starting point guard only scored a single three-pointer to go with four rebounds. For him, it was all love to return to the place where he originally went to school. That love was also reciprocated by Quinnipiac head coach Tom Pecora, who called the Baldwin, New York, native one of “the best walk-ons” the school has ever had.
“He's a tough and good little player, you know, a really good student,” Pecora said. “(He) got a great opportunity to go to the WPI, and Coach Robinson, who graduated and played there, was able to put that together for him,” Pecora said. “I talked to him at the end of the game. He's very happy. His family's here. He was a great Bobcat.”
In his two seasons in Hamden, Margetson only saw the floor for 33 minutes in 14 games and tallied seven points and three rebounds. For WPI, he has a chance to be the stud that the Quinnipiac coaching staff saw when he tried out for the team two years back.
“I’m really enjoying the time over here with these guys, great teammates, great coach, good school,” Margetson said. “Just spending time with them, bonding every day on the court.”
In the eyes of his former coach, Margetson’s skill set will soon be readily apparent for the Engineers as they begin their season.
“I’m happy that he can experience that as a player,” Robinson said. “Awesome kid, awesome student. Happy as hell for him. Get that experience that you deserve, to play and compete. He’s going to get a lot out of that.”
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