Meet Cole Darling
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 200
Year: Senior
Hometown: Holt, Mich.
High School: Holt
Position: Forward
2013-14 Season (Senior)
- Named Preseason First Team All-League.
2012-13 Season (Junior)
- Named Second Team All-League.
- Season was cut short after a shoulder injury on Feb. 12 against Valparaiso.
- Played in 22 games, led the team in scoring at 11.3 points per game.
- Scored a career-high 29 points against Morehead State on Dec. 1.
2011-12 Season (Sophomore)
- Averaged 6.3 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game.
- Played in 30 games, starting 20 for the Raiders.
- Scored a season-high 21 points, nine rebounds vs. Milwaukee on Feb 12.
2010-11 Season (Freshman)
- Averaged 4.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 17.1 minutes of work.
- Scored a season-high 13 points vs. Cleveland State on Feb. 16.
You played in 22 games last year before your season was cut short by a shoulder injury on Feb. 12 against Valparaiso. Where is your health at right now?
It’s getting better, still recovering from the shoulder injury and everything. At first it was a slow recovery and I wasn’t able to do much. Once I got over the hump of getting my motion back I was able to start doing some form shooting. After a few weeks of that I was able to jump into things and progress more.
How difficult was it to watch the Raiders battle in the championship game of the Horizon League Tournament from the sidelines?
It was definitely rough. I helped the team to get to that point, the toughest thing was not being able to help the team.
You nailed a contested 75-foot buzzer beater at the end of the first half on Feb. 3, 2012 against Butler at the Hinkle Fieldhouse. What was going through your head when the ball was in the air?
It was a shot where I got the ball and launched it up. I had no hope that it was going in, time was running out so I just threw it up there. As soon as it got closer I kept leaning a little bit because I knew it was going to be close to going in. When it went in it was pretty cool.
You were named Second Team All-League last season and named Preseason First Team All-League this season. How are you looking to build off your recent success?
We’re returning a lot of guys. We have that aspect going for us where we should be pretty good. We just have to go out there and play the games right. With me coming back from surgery I have that drive to get back to the level that I was playing at.
If someone had never met Wright State head coach Billy Donlon, what’s one word to describe him?
Intense. He’ll get after you, but you also love playing for him.
You grew up roughly an hour and a half from Detroit. With Oakland joining the Horizon League, you get at least two opportunities to play in-front of a hometown crowd. How exciting is that?
It's definitely exciting. A lot of my family, cousins and uncles end up going to the game against Detroit. It’ll be good having another game up there for the family.
You played against Oakland guard Travis Bader in high school. Cole Darling vs. Travis Bader, who got the best of each other in your days at Holt High School?
Yeah, I’m excited about that. I’m looking forward to finally getting the best of him. He’s a great player and everything, but he gave us a lot of losses in high school. I got to get him back for that.
What are some things you like to do off the court?
I like to watch movies, big movie guy. I have one of the most impressive movie collection then a college kid should have. I probably have 100-150 or so. My favorite movie is Hidalgo and then The Gunnies which is a classic.
Who is the biggest jokester on the team at Wright State?
We all have our days but I’d definitely put Kendall Griffin and Daniel Collie up there. They just do random things that you can’t help but laugh at.
This is your final year of eligibility, what are your plans after the season?
I really want to go overseas somewhere to play, I don’t really care where. I’m not ready to settle down and do a desk job yet. I’d like to play as long as I can.
