Troy's Carter picks gridiron over hardwood
Also a hoops star, two-way talent opts for Wisconsin football
By Greg Billing
Dayton Daily News
TROY | Just two years ago, Shane Carter's athletic future appeared mapped out in the direction of basketball. But his football detour led him to Madison, Wis.
Carter recently announced his decision to play football for the University of Wisconsin, declining interest from basketball programs in the Big 12, Southeastern Conference and Mid-American Conference.
"It wasn't necessarily one (sport) or the other, mostly whatever one gave me the best opportunity," Carter said. "I knew I wanted to go Big 10. To me it's the number one conference in the country."
Carter is the second player from Troy's Division I playoff team to commit to a major Division I program. Defensive lineman Todd Denlinger previously gave Ohio State a verbal commitment. Players can sign binding National Letters of Intent on Feb. 2.
Fellow lineman Ryan Custer will likely announce his college choice in January. Navy, Purdue, Vanderbilt and West Virginia are among the programs he's looking at, with an emphasis on selecting a mechanical engineering program.
Carter — a 6-foot-2, 180-pounder — is expected to compete at wide receiver or defensive back for the Badgers. He ranked third in the Greater Western Conference with 20.42 yards per catch this past season, hauling in 19 catches for 388 yards and four TDs. He also excelled at defensive back with five interceptions to tie for second most in the GWOC.
"I think he has great receiving skills, but he can really play either side," Troy football coach Steve Nolan said, adding Carter's aggressiveness comes through on defense. "He's a rare athlete that can do both."
Carter, who plans to major in business management, said Purdue, West Virginia and Marshall were also among his finalists.
"I looked at the atmosphere, the players, the coaches and the tradition," said Carter, who took an official visit to Wisconsin on Dec. 11-12. "They came after me right after the season was over. I definitely had to think about it. It was the hardest decision in my life."
Carter is the third member of his family to play sports at a Big 10 school. Half-brothers Cris Carter played football at Ohio State and Butch Carter played basketball at Indiana.
Shane Carter said he considered Ohio State, which came into the recruiting process later than Wisconsin.
"I like the school and all but I wanted to take a different route," he said.
