The date was Sept. 7th, 2022, when Boise State freshman and student manager Brennan Ramirez wrote a message to himself in the ‘notes’ app on his phone.
“I WILL walk on at Boise State University.”
A little more than two years later, his dream has become reality.
Following two years as a team manager and some hurdles to get past NCAA rules, Ramirez was officially given a roster spot on the Boise State men’s basketball team this week.
The 6-foot-2 guard will be suited up for his first game Tuesday night when Boise State hosts Corban at 7 p.m. inside ExtraMile Arena.
“It’s still surreal to me,” Ramirez said Monday after completing his first official practice with the team. “I can’t even describe it. It’s been a long time coming obviously. I’ve been a manager for two years and I love this program more than anything. Ever since I came here, I didn’t think something like this would be possible.
“I can’t even describe to you how I feel. It’s still kind of sinking in. I’ve been working for this for so long. It’s awesome.”
Ramirez averaged 16.2 points per game and was a second-team all-league selection as a senior at Enterprise High School in Redding, Calif. He got recruiting interest from some NAIA schools as a result.
But Ramirez instead elected to end his playing career and attend Boise State as a regular student with longtime family friend Nick Schenone, whose older brother Zach passed away at the age of 21.
Zach and Brennan’s older brother Caden went to college together at Chico State prior to his passing, and Ramirez wanted to do the same and be with Nick at Boise State.
“I still wanted to play obviously but I knew God had bigger plans for me,” Ramirez said. “I felt like I needed to be with him here and so I took that leap of faith, and now it’s coming full circle.”
Brennan Ramirez (right) and friend Nick Schenone (left) both ended up attending Boise State together after growing up as friends in Redding, Calif. (Photo taken from Instagram)
Ramirez emailed Boise State’s coaching staff prior to his high school graduation in 2022 to ask about being involved with the team as a manager. One thing led to another and he landed a spot as a freshman for the 2022-23 season.
He spent two years as a student manager and did the dirty work – literally. He cleaned the locker room each night, helped get things ready and packed for road trips, completed other tasks for players and coaches and did whatever he could behind the scenes to help the program run smoothly.
“Pretty much anything they needed,” Ramirez said. “I think over the past two years I’ve mounted about 30 players’ TVs. Just doing anything anywhere I was needed. I was trying to fill that role, clean the locker room at night and just doing the little things that weren’t seen.”
His dad, Abie Ramirez, played two years at Utah State and then at Sacramento State. He’s always wanted to play – even as he worked behind the scenes as a manager.
When a few walk-ons departed the team over the summer, Ramirez got that itch to play again – and wondered if there was any shot at joining the team. He talked with coach Leon Rice prior to the summer and let him know of his interest, but had no idea whether coaches would seriously consider it or not.
Brennan Ramirez, seen here with former roommate Kade Rice, was added as a walk-on to the roster and will be eligible to play Tuesday vs. Corban. (Photo taken from Facebook)
Rice gave Ramirez some things to do and work on over the summer, including trying to get more shots up than Andrew Meadow – who shoots more than maybe anybody in the Mountain West.
“You have to shoot until your fingers bleed to shoot more than Andrew,” Rice said.
But Ramirez did it. He averaged roughly 750 shots a day over a two-month span, including a crazy 2,100 shot attempts on the last day. He finished about 1,500 shots ahead of Meadow.
“He pushed me even harder than I could have imagined,” Ramirez said of Meadow. “Without him working every day I wouldn’t be here where I am today because that showed the coaching staff how bad I wanted this position and how hard I was willing to work for it.”
Turns out Rice and the coaching staff liked the idea of adding him to the roster – but an NCAA rule designed for baseball doesn’t allow managers to become team members in the same sport at the same school.
Boise State decided to apply for a waiver back in September to get Ramirez eligible – but nearly two months went by with no response.
That was, until a recent team meeting, when Rice surprised Ramirez with a No. 20 jersey and informed the group that his waiver had been approved.
“When he came here this was his lifelong dream, to be on the roster,” Rice said. “This dude swept the sheds for two years for us and did it with pride. The program meant so much to him and he wanted to be with the guys on the team and the team wanted him, so for him to earn it was pretty special. I didn’t give it to him. He earned it.”
Brennan Ramirez (center, white shirt) poses with players and managers from the Boise State men’s basketball team during a summer workout. Ramirez was added to the team as a walk-on. (Photo taken from Instagram)
The moment in which Rice presented the jersey to Ramirez was filmed by Boise State and posted to social media. His teammates mobbed him, and Ramirez was holding back tears as he spoke to the group afterwards.
“It’s pretty special when you see guys’ dreams come true,” Rice said. “And it was great for the other guys to see it because they know how selfless he is and how he served the team, the culture and his work ethic, all the things he pours into us and gets no glory for it, so to have that moment is pretty special.”
After the waiver was approved Ramirez still had other hurdles to clear before becoming eligible. He got final approval on Monday – and will now suit up Tuesday in the same locker room he routinely cleaned the past two years.
“That’s going to be an extraordinary feeling – I’m not sure how I’ll feel,” Ramirez said of running out of the tunnel, being in uniform and warming up ahead of Tuesday’s game against Corban. “I’m obviously nervous. I’ve been dreaming of this for a couple years now watching the team run out every game and wanting that and aching for that.
“Finally making that happen…running out it’s going to be surreal with some of my best friends on this team. I love this team, so I’m excited to run out with them tomorrow.”
Being on the team is one thing. Getting to play in a game is another. And it could happen as early as Tuesday night with the Broncos expected to win big over their NAIA opponent.
Asked about the dream scenario of Ramirez seeing the floor Tuesday night, Rice smiled.
“I’d love to,” Rice said. “I can’t make any promises. I’m always figuring out what’s best for the team, but I know the guys would love that.”
