Watching Xavier Fennell's high-flying acrobatics on the basketball court always brings a thunderous roar from the C.E. Gaines Center crowd. His effortless air-borne glide down the free throw lane for another dunk sends the noise to a deafening level.

It's hard to believe the Rams graduate student's first serious competition was in soccer with a dash of karate thrown in for good measure. "I've always been a competitive person," recalled Fennell. "Even in school I wanted to be one of the best students."

It didn't take long for soccer and karate to take a back seat to the hardwood. "I like the comradery and the competition of two teams going at each other for a win or a championship," he said. "Basketball is fast paced. It's a sense of going out there and holding your own.

"Even though it's a team game, there's still a lot of one-on-one," Fennell continued. "I like going out there and leaving my mark in some way on the game. I never try to force anything. My role has always been the glue guy on the team."

The first sign of his leaping ability emerged in the sixth grade. "The first time I dunked the ball it was a rim grazer," said a grinning Fennell. It also foretold a problem that would last for the next three years.

"I was pretty athletic, but I started having knee problems," he said. "I struggled with that for three years. I started using VertiMax. I learned how to explode, how to land better. It was just getting back into the groove. My senior year (in high school) is when I realized how high I could really jump."

Fennell said he didn't get any offers after high school that caught his attention. "I was ready to be a regular student."  Things changed when Coach Cleo Hill, Jr. invited him to a tryout. "I was really appreciative of the opportunity, and then he made an offer."

WSSU wasn't a stranger to Fennell. "I had family members who went here, so I grew up knowing about Winston," he said. "It's really been my home for the last four years. I'm honestly glad I came here."

Fennell had the option of entering the transfer portal this year. He pondered the decision and often talked with Coach Cleo Hill, Jr. "Honestly I just thought back to the first time I met Coach hill," Fennell recalled. "He assured me my time here would be fruitful. I wanted to get everything Winston had to give.

"I needed to get that extra push beyond my comfort zone, even in my comfort zone here. I was having that mental battle with myself. I talked to Coach Hill a lot about where this thing called life is taking me. He was there for me."

Returning to a team that is loaded with depth meant that Fennell could face not starting every game. "Coach kept it real for me," Fennell said. "I'm ready to support my brothers. I didn't know much about K.C. (Shaw); I knew about Jeremy (Dixon), both freshmen. Getting Jaylon (Gibson) from N.C. State I wanted to be around him. I wanted to see what he could bring."

When pointed out that he would be an elder on the team, Fennell responded, "That's a good one. My whole life I've been the youngest at everything I've done. Being one of the oldest on the team really taught me an eye-opening experience. I've just got to make the most of it. I let them (the freshmen) know they are here for a reason. I'm coming for your rear. You better be coming with me."

Playing at the storied Gaines Center is like none other, according to Fennell. "It's so riveting playing in such a hyped environment," he said. "It's a straight unmatched crowd. It was something I had never experienced. We get great support from the students and alumni."

Like every college player, Fennell hopes to continue playing at the professional level. When those days end, he plans to use his Sports Management degree he obtained last May and a second degree in Business and Economics next May to "open my own gym, something like CP3 did here in Winston."