It’s hard to picture Saint Anselm Hawks Basketball without thinking of senior guard Leon Roy Mabrey. A business major from Belmar, New Jersey, he has become an integral part of Hawks basketball and the team’s success throughout his years here. Mabrey brings more than his 1661 career points; he brings a ferocious work ethic and determined attitude that motivates his teammates to excel.

Mabrey started playing basketball when he was seven years old and never looked back. A triple sport athlete, Mabrey also played soccer and baseball when he was younger, but his passion for basketball was evident. Mabrey played basketball throughout his school career, notably at Saint Thomas More Preparatory School in Oakdale, Connecticut, before coming to Saint Anselm.

While at Saint Thomas More, Mabrey led his team to a National Prep Championship victory. Mabrey considers his team’s underdog success his “greatest basketball memory.” His fourth-seeded team of future Division II athletes had to take down teams that featured prospective Division I and NBA players.

While Mabrey is fond of his high school career, he is “most proud of being a key component of a team that has had great success over [his] years at Saint Anselm.” Mabrey has racked up the personal accolades over his tenure at Saint A’s, including Northeast-10 and ECAC Rookie of the Year (2011-2012), NABC Coaches’ Division II All-American Team (2012-2013), and Northeast-10 All Conference Third Team (2013-2014), to name a few. In a testament to the value of his character, Mabrey is always more focused on the team’s success than his own.

Although Mabrey claims he “was never athletic and talented” at basketball, he compensated by working “extra hard just to get [his] game to the next level.” Mabrey’s intensive work ethic can be seen in the extra hours spent lifting, shooting, and doing various team workouts in order to ensure the team remains “ready for each game.” Mabrey and the Hawks treat every game with vital importance, ensuring that they are a force to be reckoned with every time they take the court.

Mabrey plans to play professional basketball overseas after his time at Saint Anselm. He is applying to grad school at Notre Dame for business, coincidentally the college that his younger sister Michaela Mabrey plays for on the women’s basketball team. Mabrey hopes to be “one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever.” With Mabrey’s hard work ethic and dedication to his passion, it is entirely believable that he will accomplish all of his goals and more.