By Patrick McHugh
To those who watch the men’s basketball team play, senior Mark Washington is known as a big post player who collects rebounds and plays tough defense. To his teammates, he is known as “Lou” (in reference to his home state of Louisiana), a quiet kid with deep-South roots and a laid back attitude.
And to Husky head coach Bill Coen, Washington is considered an invaluable asset.
“Mark is universally respected within the locker room,” said Coen, who coached Washington for two years. “He has impeccable character for a young man his age and has been a shining example to follow for the younger players on this team. He leads by example with hard work every day and he does and says the right things.”
Washington is the only senior on the 2007-08 squad and one of two captains, along with sophomore Matt Janning. For him, that means being a leader for his peers.
“I just do my best to help other players on the court and interact with them in the locker room,” Washington said.
Washington entered Northeastern with some impressive credentials in fall 2004. A native of Raceland, La., Washington played three years at Central Lafourche High School and was the captain of the team as a junior and senior. As a sophomore, he led Central Lafourche to the regional championship as the team finished second in the district playoffs and he was an honorable mention to the All-District team.
His junior year he was named second team All-District and the team’s MVP. During his last year of high school, Washington was an honorable mention to the All-District and All-Region teams as well as a McDonald’s All-American nominee. While earning these accolades, he maintained good grades and made the honor roll three times.
The 6-foot-7-inch forward got scholarship offers from mostly small schools until Northeastern showed interest in him. Under former head coach Ron Everhart, the Huskies looked for a big man to add to the roster and Washington fit the mold. As a freshman Washington played in 29 games for a Husky team that reached the finals of the America East Tournament and earned a berth in the National Invitational Tournament.
The following year, the 2005-06 season, Northeastern began play in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), a more competitive conference with better players and teams. The next year, Coen took over the team, brought in a new coaching staff and recruited his own players. Washington said he considers this period one of the toughest in his basketball career.
“As far as moving from America East to CAA, it’s a lot more intense. The players are bigger, stronger, faster and the competition is better,” Washington said. “Then when coach Coen came in before my junior season it was hard because he didn’t know me so I had to prove to him I could play.”
Statistically, Washington had his best year as a junior with his new head coach. Playing in 32 games, he was second on the team in blocked shots with 28 while grabbing 88 rebounds and collecting 33 assists. As a senior, Coen named him a captain and played him in 28 games, where he averaged 11.2 minutes per game.
On Senior Day, March 1 against George Mason, Washington had perhaps his best game of the season, getting his first start of the season and tying his career-record for rebounds at seven. Starting and playing 22 minutes, he recorded seven rebounds and slowed down Mason’s best player, Will Thomas. It was Washington’s last game at home as a Husky and with his parents, Mark and Iris, there he led the team to a 70-59 win against the eventual CAA champions.
“All you need to know about that game is that when it ended, every single one of his teammates sought him out and congratulated him,” Coen said. “They understood what the final home game meant to him and were happy to see him play so well and help the club to a win.”
Now that his playing days on Huntington Avenue are complete, Washington focuses on life beyond basketball. He plans to graduate with a major in criminal justice in 2009 and go into the field of law enforcement. Washington said he is intrigued by careers working for the US Marshals or as a state trooper.
However, Washington said that no matter what, the biggest thrill he has had so far in life was as a Northeastern basketball player.
“I’m just going to miss the excitement of playing in front of a home crowd during games,” Washington said. “As a player here the fans show you love on and off the court, and that meant a lot to me when I prepared to play.”
