After wrapping the 2023–24 season as co-captain of men’s basketball, Nate Karren ’23.5 signed a one-year contract with the Ulster University Basketball club to play professional basketball in Belfast, Ireland.
Playing basketball at the collegiate level and professionally was a dream of Karren’s, he told the Record in an interview. “Playing in Europe was kind of always in the back of my mind,” he said.
When Karren started the collegiate recruitment process, Williams wasn’t initially on his radar. “I wasn’t very knowledgeable about liberal arts schools, and the East Coast seemed pretty foreign and far from home,” he said. “Once I understood what Williams was all about, it was kind of a no-brainer — I could get a really good education and play high-level basketball at the same time.”
At the College, Karren had many memorable moments on the court, including his buzzer-beater shot against Trinity that pushed the team to a narrow win last year. In his senior year, he started in all 30 games and was ranked second in the NESCAC in total defensive rebounds.
As his senior year was coming to a close, agents began to reach out to Karren about the possibility of taking his talents to a professional team.
“I figured now is the best time for a little bit of an adventure — taking a risk and doing something kind of different and unique,” he said. “It became an easy decision to fulfill a lifelong dream that I’ve had since I was a kid.”
Ireland had a particular appeal, he added, because of its urban environment and the lack of a language barrier. “I wanted something that was an easy transition from what I had just come from,” he said. “I didn’t want to feel too isolated.”
Karren — the only American on his new team — appreciates playing with his Irish and French teammates. “It’s such a different culture out here, and everything’s so novel,” he said. “It’s been kind of overwhelming, but in the best way. That’s exactly what I wanted it to be.”
Just nine days after Karren moved his life across the pond, he hit the court for the team’s season opener against Team Northwest.
Though his team fell 10 points short of victory, Karren said he wasn’t discouraged by the results. “I played pretty well, but I’m still adjusting basketball-wise,” he said.
Though he’s no stranger to the court, Karren has had to adjust to playing ball abroad — which he said includes learning slight changes to rules, different playing styles, “new lingo” during gameplay, and much wider age gaps between his teammates than he experienced at the College.
“All of these things add up into a very new experience,” he said. “But at the same time it’s still basketball — the game that I love.”
As Karren opens a new chapter in his athletic career, he maintains his love for the players and coaches he worked with at the College. “They’ve shown me so much support throughout this process,” he said. “Without them, I’d be nowhere near the basketball player I am today.”
Above all, Karren said he is grateful for the opportunity to continue to progress as a player after graduation. “There’s been a lot of challenges and difficulties throughout this process, but it’s forced me to change and grow,” he said.
