PressBox recently chatted with Coppin State men’s basketball sophomore Ryan Archey about the teammate he leaned on during his freshman season, the advice he’d give to younger players and more. The 6-foot, 170-pound guard averaged 9.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 2023-24 en route to MEAC All-Rookie Team honors. Archey is a native of Clinton, Md., and graduate of Gwynn Park High School.
PressBox: How did you first become interested in basketball?
Ryan Archey: I played basketball, football and baseball, but I’ve been playing basketball my whole life. My dad, [Nate], always kept us in sports. I just always had a love for the game and always stuck with it.
PB: Who was the biggest influence on your game growing up?
RA: I would say my brother, [Rick]. I always looked up to him just being my older brother. I watched him play every sport. I had a trainer when I was a kid, Taj Hawkins. He’s a well-known name in the DMV area. He was my trainer [as] a kid. I really developed my game as a kid. Probably my brother, my father and coach Taj Hawkins.
PB: Why did you take a prep year prior to going to Coppin State?
RA: My junior and senior years were affected by COVID-19. That was around that time when the outbreak happened. I didn’t have a junior year at all, and my senior year was cut in half almost. My recruitment and stuff like that, I wasn’t able to really put myself out there in high school because COVID kind of messed everything up. My family, my coach, we decided a prep year would probably what’s best for me to get my name out there to get recruited.
PB: Why did you choose to go to Coppin State?
RA: My whole family, really, they all graduated from HBCUs. That was really my goal to attend an HBCU. That was just a dream of mine, to want to come to an HBCU. When Coppin showed interest in me, I came up to the school and visited, met the coach on the campus and stuff. It felt like a great fit. That’s why I came here to Coppin.
PB: You made the MEAC All-Rookie Team a year ago. How were you able to put together that kind of season?
RA: Coming in, I knew I was a freshman, so my goal was just to always have an open mind to anything, to not be stubborn, try to always learn and be a sponge. Just always keep a good mindset out there. My teammate Zahree [Harrison] had an ACL tear last year, but he’s an experienced college guard, so I kind of leaned on him a lot, talked to him just to get his opinion on different things because he has a lot of experience in college. I talk to my family almost every day. My brother is a real big part of my whole life, so I talk to him a lot. We used to watch film and stuff together. He used to come up here and work me out because I’m a local kid. There’s just different stuff like that I think benefited me.
PB: What’s your favorite thing about Coppin State?
RA: I would say the people. I like the campus. It’s a smaller school, but I think it kind of makes it good because I feel like everybody knows each other. I’ve got a really good relationship with all the staff, the teachers, even the lunch ladies. I know almost the whole campus. I feel like the people and the campus is probably what I like most about it.
PB: Who’s your best friend on the team and what’s a story that underscores your friendship?
RA: I would probably say Zahree Harrison. That’s my guy. We came up here on the same visit, same day we had our visit together. That’s when we first met. When we got on campus with each other, I feel like we just clicked. He’s from Philly, but I have roots up there. My grandmother’s from Philly. I feel like we just clicked right away. I leaned on him a lot as a freshman. Him being an upperclassman, I leaned on him a lot for guidance and stuff like that. I feel like we just bonded over that.
PB: What advice would you give to younger players?
RA: I would say just work hard. I know that’s a cliché. Everybody always hears that hard work pays off, but that’s really the truth. I’m a testament to that. Don’t worry about what other people are doing or your situation. Just always continue to work hard because hard work really does pay off. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
PB: What are your goals for after basketball, whenever it ends?
RA: I’m majoring in accounting, so I have a passion in that. I just know I like helping people. Once I make enough money to be able to help people and help my community, I know that’s where I have a passion as well. Once basketball is done, I want to help people and help the younger generation to lead them down the right path, so something along those lines.
Photo Credit: Tim Rice/TagTheShooter Photography