A Dream Come True
Craig Lawson
When Brennan Ramirez arrived at Boise State as a 2022 fall enrollee, he had not been recruited by the Bronco men’s basketball team.
He averaged 16.2 points in 30 games as a senior at Enterprise High School in Redding, California, where he was a three-year letterwinner. The 6-foot-2 guard had some offers from NAIA schools, but passed on them.
“I wanted to be part of something bigger,” Ramirez said. “It was such a hard decision to not play basketball and instead pursue a management position. I wanted to be with my best friend. Our older brothers went to school together and his older brother passed away at the age of 21. I felt like I needed to be with him here, so I took a leap of faith.”
The Andrew Meadow Effect
In 2022-23 and 2023-24, Ramirez served as a manager and was part of Bronco teams that made trips to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. But the thought of playing for the Blue and Orange never faded.
“When he came here, his dream was to be on the roster,” head coach Leon Rice said. “He swept sheds and did his job with pride for two years because this program meant so much to him. We have a thing in our culture. If you become a star in your role, your role can change.”
Ramirez guessed he took about 1,500 more shots over the summer than Meadow, a 6-foot-7 sophomore for the Broncos. Meadow estimated he took 50,000 shots during that same time frame, something he shared in the postgame press conference following the season-opening win against Oakland.
“He (Meadow) pushed me,” Ramirez said. “Without Andrew Meadow working each and every day, I wouldn’t be here because it showed the coaches how badly I wanted the (roster spot) and how hard I was willing to work.”
The Waiver Process
While Rice was ready to reward Ramirez with an opportunity to move up from his manager’s role, there was a hurdle that had to be cleared.
The NCAA has long had a rule in baseball preventing managers from becoming student-athletes at the same school. In July 2023, the rule was expanded to cover all sports. It seemed Ramirez may not realize his dream after all.
In stepped Boise State Athletics Compliance. Director Jodie Faulk facilitated a waiver process with the NCAA. Included were an explanation of the education process compliance puts coaches through, and statements from both Ramirez and Rice.
Stamp of Approval
The case Boise State made was since Ramirez was a manager before the rule changed and he was not initially recruited by the Broncos, Boise State was not taking advantage of the rule by stashing away a player beyond the end of its bench.
Eventually, the NCAA agreed and granted the waiver. Then Rice summoned Ramirez to a meeting, but did not tell him the topic. When Ramirez showed up, he was surrounded by teammates and was presented a jersey by Rice.
“I know how much it meant to him and his teammates,” Rice said. “I didn’t give it to him. He earned it. I was just the guy who got to give him the jersey.”
Ramirez added, “Everything in my body slowed down. I couldn’t move.”
A day after being cleared to play, Ramirez logged a steal in two minutes of playing time during a 100-65 victory over Corban.
Perhaps someone pinched him just to prove he was not dreaming anymore.
I wanted to be part of something bigger. It was such a hard decision to not play basketball and instead pursue a management position. I wanted to be with my best friend. Our older brothers went to school together and his older brother passed away at the age of 21. I felt like I needed to be with him here, so I took a leap of faith.”Brennan Ramirez