Get to Know ... A&M OF Nick Banks

On his excitement for the season…

“Well after a kind of disappointing year last year losing to Texas to knock us out of the regional, I’m just ready to get back in action and play with some great teammates this year. There are big things coming forward.”

“First of all, we are trying to go all the way to Omaha and that’s a huge goal and I think we have the team to do it. We want to finish first in the SEC, host a regional and host the supers.”

On the transition from North Carolina to Texas…

“At first it was kind of tough meeting new friends, moving schools and not really knowing anything about Texas. Getting to know new friends and to meet people that took me in through select ball meant a lot to me and it started to be a growing transition.”

On winning the State Championship in high school...

“We had a lot of great teams going through Tomball. In 2006 we had the number one team in the nation pretty much all year and had a third round curse on us leading into that year. My junior year we broke the curse and made it to the fourth round, and then my senior year we were blessed enough to win a state championship. To the community, we had a parade and it was a really big deal and we all got keys to the city, so it was really exciting.”

On being named player of the year his senior year…

“Man, I can’t even put that into words just because Houston is so packed with great players and played with a lot of them on select, or against them on other select teams. Just to be honored enough to get that award meant the world to me.”

On his decision to play for A&M…

“I really wanted to go back to North Carolina and play at UNC. That’s where my heart was and that’s where my family was. I got a call from Coach Seely my sophomore year and started to get a little more interested in A&M. I went through some injury problems and took off a little bit. Coach Seely held another camp and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go but my mom actually told me that I needed to go to it and that it would be a great idea. I said okay I’ll go and had a really good showing at the camp. Then I came on a visit to A&M and just fell in love with it right away.”

On reuniting with long time select ball teammate Ryne Birk at A&M…

“Birk I would say was probably my best friend since I moved to Texas. We have been playing together since we were 11 and just having the pleasure of playing with him again and grow and mature into men with him was an awesome experience. To play with him when we were younger, I can’t think of anyone else that I want to be on my team besides him.”

On playing on Team USA…

“I thought I was the best in the SEC until I got to Team USA. Those guys are the real deal. Especially getting to travel to the Netherlands and see different cultures, and then Cuba was a culture shock as well. It’s just a blessing. It’s hard to put into words because so few people actually get to have that opportunity, and to have that opportunity I feel truly blessed. It was a great experience all around and I grew as a player and person being around those people.”

On first thing that comes to mind when he hears…

Logan Nottebrok…”tatted.” Ryne Birk…”jacked.” Logan Taylor…”pretty boy.”