After playing three seasons in the U.S., an incoming Brock men’s basketball recruit has his sights set on completing his Master of Business Administration (MBA) as a Badger.

William Boyer-Richard transferred to Brock University because he felt the school was the best fit for his academic and athletic goals.

“I can have the best of both worlds, a great education for my master’s degree and a top-notch basketball environment,” said Boyer-Richard.

William Boyer-Richard transferred to Brock University to complete his Master of Business Administration.

After three seasons at Western Michigan University, Boyer-Richard earned his undergraduate degree in finance and entered the transfer portal after becoming eligible.

“I decided to take this path because I was looking for better personal opportunities and felt it was best for my academic and basketball career to return to Canada to complete my master’s,” he said. “Brock offers an MBA specialization in Business Analytics, which is a program that I was attracted to with my interest in finance. This allows me to potentially complete my full-time MBA program in two years.”

Boyer-Richard played three seasons in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division 1 for the Western Michigan Broncos, where he served as team captain.

“William is a mature, driven and passionate guy,” said Brock men’s basketball head coach Willy Manigat. “He is focused on finishing his basketball career on his terms and in a good situation while getting his master’s. He has personal and academic goals he wants to meet.”

This addition is the beginning of Manigat’s second recruiting class, and Boyer-Richard’s commitment signals a shift in the program’s direction.

“Players, and coaches, are looking at Brock and seeing what we provide and that we are going to change the lives of these kids for the better,” said Manigat. “We’re going to put them in a position to succeed not only on but also off the court. When you start landing guys like William Boyer-Richard and parts of our recruiting class last year, it’s a testament to the level of competition that we have and the respect for our program.”

Assistant coach Brandon Edwards has followed Boyer-Richard’s career since coaching against him in the Quebec school system. He became one of the top high school players in the province while playing for Séminaire Saint-Joseph and his CEGEP school, Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf in Montreal.

“William is at a stage in his playing career where, to him, it’s just about opportunity,” said Edwards. “He reached his goal of playing in the United States, but now he’s looking to strip away all of the glitz and glamour and just make it about the sport and the academics.”

Edwards described the 6-foot-1 native of Drummondville, Que., as an intelligent and skilled playmaker all packed in one souped-up combo guard.

“High character players are a premium for us. William fits that mould of knowledge, capacity and desire,” said Edwards. “He’s a smart player who understands the game and is hungry to learn more. He can see the big picture of plays unfolding on the court, yet there’s another level that he wants to reach. There’s room for him to grow. Coming to Brock for him was a no-brainer.”

Boyer-Richard was impressed with the Badgers’ ambitions and plans moving forward, and also admired the path Manigat has laid down as a former Canadian university player who went on to play professionally after school.

“Coach Willy and coach Brandon are two basketball geniuses, and they can teach me a lot,” said Boyer-Richard. “I’ve met with some current Badgers, and they all have a winning attitude. They like competing and act like professionals on and off the floor. Coach Willy, being a former professional, can be a mentor for me because playing pro is a goal that I want to reach in the future.”