Bronco freshman wing Quentin Bolton signed a national letter of intent Tuesday to continue his college basketball career at Charleston Southern University in North Charleston, South Carolina.
The Racine, Wisconsin native made it official at the scorer's table in Cahoon Armory with his coaches and teammates surrounding him.
"I'm very grateful for the opportunity to come to NMMI, both for the education and basketball," Bolton said. "In an environment like this, a brotherhood forms and my teammates here will forever be my brothers."
One of the bright spots on a young, inexperienced team, Bolton recorded six double-doubles during the 2022-23 season, including a 15-point, 15-rebound performance against the No. 4 team in the country on ESPN+ back in February.
Bolton led the team in defensive rebounding and was second in total rebounds per game. Nationally, he ranked 96th in rebounds per game and 113th in total defensive rebounds with 145, out of approximately 1,500 players that participate in basketball at the NJCAA's highest level.
"The coaches at Charleston see what we saw…that big, strong, athletic body just causing the other team problems on both ends of the floor," said NMMI head coach Sean Schooley. "I imagine he'll be called on to guard top players. He'll be asked to do a lot, and I think he'll respond the same way he did here…'whatever you need, coach.'"
Besides being a beast on the court, Bolton was a good student, making the Dean's List in the fall, and a responsible, trouble-free member of the Corps of Cadets.
"I get reports on our cadets and I have never gotten a bad one for Q," Schooley said. "What I do get are compliments from his instructors and emails about what a good job he's doing in his classes."
Always up for a challenge, Bolton was excited about joining a Bronco team with no returning players and very few sophomore transfers.
"I saw myself rising to the top. That was the mindset coming in," he said. "And this isn't the typical college experience, but it helped me build discipline. Things like time management, accountability, responsibility, that's big here."
Bolton also had an offer on the table from Austin Peay, a small school known for making the NCAA tournament alongside the Power Fives, but chose CSU after a visit to the campus and city of North Charleston, which is surrounded by forests and about a half hour from the coast.
"It's a nice area and I know I'll enjoy that, but one of the biggest things on my check list was the head coach. He's a genuine guy. He told me exactly what to expect and didn't hold anything back," explained Bolton. "I met the players and they treated me like family. I really see myself developing into a better player at CSU."
Bolton thanked his family for their unwavering support throughout his basketball career, especially his father, Quentin Bolton Sr., whom he credits with making him into a well-rounded, hard-working player.
"He gave me my jump shot. He talked about the importance of rebounding. He put in the work, training me," said Bolton. "Coming up, I wasn't always the best kid on the floor, but my father kept telling me to work and that's what I'm still doing."