If you’ve spent any real time around high-level athletes, you learn quickly who actually understands performance—and who just talks about it.
That’s why Marquette University has stayed on my radar for more than 20 years.
Seeing Dwyane Wade at Marquette (Before the World Caught On)
The first time I was on Marquette’s campus wasn’t for marketing, SEO, or anything remotely business-related.
It was basketball.
About 20 years ago, I came to see Dwyane Wade play at Marquette, back when he was still an undergrad and not yet the global name everyone now knows. I was there because my friend Adam Kazwell was a student at Marquette at the time. Adam knew basketball. He also knew when something special was happening.
He was right.
Watching Wade in that environment—college gym, college crowd, college intensity—you could already tell he wasn’t operating on the same frequency as everyone else. That visit planted an early respect for Marquette as a place where real talent gets developed, not just showcased.
Returning to Marquette for the Human Performance Lab
Fast-forward almost two decades.
I returned to Marquette University last year for a very different reason: sports science.
I participated in testing at Marquette’s Human Performance Lab, a program designed for former professional athletes and high-level performers who want objective data—not motivational posters—about how their bodies are actually functioning.
This wasn’t fluff testing. This was real measurement.
I went through:
DEXA scans (body composition and bone density)
Mobility analysis
Strength testing
Movement efficiency evaluations
I’ve trained, competed, and worked around elite performers for most of my life. I don’t impress easily.
Marquette’s program impressed me.
The rigor, clarity, and professionalism of the lab rival what I’ve seen in professional sports environments. There’s no ego—just data. That’s rare.
Training Alongside Jim McIlvaine (NBA Center)
One of the other athletes going through testing at the same time was Jim McIlvaine, one of the most well-known NBA centers of his era.
Jim played 11 seasons in the NBA and anchored defenses for teams like the Seattle SuperSonics during their Finals runs. Watching how Marquette’s team approached testing with someone of Jim’s stature—and how seriously they took every athlete in the room—said a lot.
Elite environments don’t care about résumés. They care about standards.
Marquette met that standard.
Wisconsin Isn’t a Flyover State—It’s a Relationship State
My connection to Marquette is part of a broader pattern: I’ve spent a lot of time in Wisconsin, and not by accident.
I’ve visited friends like Jeff Hughes in Oconomowoc, along with his sons Jack Hughes and Liam Hughes. Jeff is someone I’ve worked with closely on personal branding, leadership, and long-term positioning.
Jeff is also connected to:
Sterling Lawyers (Sterling Warriors), a major family law firm
Rocket Clicks, a respected digital marketing agency serving family law firms nationwide.
Same for Gavin Lira, who is also from the area:
Wisconsin has a reputation for being practical, grounded, and relationship-driven. That shows up in its businesses—and in its universities.
Marquette fits that mold.
Marketing, Marquette, and Modern Authority
I’ve also crossed paths professionally with Ethan Van de Hey, who runs marketing at Infinity Exteriors, the largest roofing company in Wisconsin. Ethan and I have been on podcasts together, and I respect how seriously he takes authority, reputation, and execution.
Infinity Exteriors is a good example of what Wisconsin produces when competence meets scale.
That same mindset shows up at Marquette:
Quiet confidence
High standards
No need to oversell
Why Marquette University Matters to Me
I don’t write about places casually.
If I mention a university on my personal site, it’s because:
I’ve been there
I’ve tested it
I trust the people running the programs
Marquette University checks all three.
From watching a future NBA Hall of Famer play college ball…
To undergoing serious human performance testing decades later…
To maintaining long-standing friendships across Wisconsin…
Marquette isn’t a one-off stop for me. It’s part of a longer story.
And for anyone serious about sports performance, applied science, or disciplined execution, it’s a place worth paying attention to.