McCauley happy with chosen path

     By W.G. Ramirez
     View staff writer
      With close friends and former teammates excelling on Division I college football teams, Green Valley High School graduate Eric McCauley couldn't be happier for his "boys."
      Wade Perkins is a star cornerback for 23rd-ranked Missouri, Donald McCall finished as Eastern Michigan's top defensive player and despite his off-the-field troubles, Jon Denton had his celebrated moments as quarterback at UNLV and Eastern Kentucky.
      But for McCauley, a reserve point guard on the basketball team at Division II Seattle Pacific University, his road to the next level has been paved slightly different.
      "I've had my times that I wished I went D-I or played football, but as the years went on I was happy with the choices I made," said McCauley, who starred at cornerback for Green Valley in 1993 and '94."I'm the type of person that once I made my mind up to do something, I'm going to stick with it."
      Like glue. McCauley said he's been at home attending Seattle Pacific since 1995.
      McCauley, a senior, and his 17th-ranked Falcons' squad were in town recently for the High Desert Classic at UNLV's Paul McDermott Physical Education Complex.
      "I'm happy for Donald, I'm happy with Wadey and I'm happy with (former Rancho standout) Mike (Johnson, who plays point guard for the University of Oklahoma)," said McCauley, who is scheduled to graduate in June with a degree in Physical Education. "But when it comes down to it, we're all getting that piece of paper at the end of four years.
      "I knew I was going to get an education and that's how I was going to get it paid for. They gave me the opportunity to play basketball and go to school so I took it."
      McCauley said he had been recruited by several schools during his junior and senior seasons with Green Valley, but it was Seattle Pacific that showed constant interest.
      Seattle Pacific coach Ken Bone said loyalty is one of the key ingredients to his program, and one of the factors why McCauley has been an essential member of the Falcons' program the past 3 1/2 years.
      "He has shown loyalty to us during difficult times for him," Bone said. "I remember the first month or two in his freshman season, I remember he struggled. Unfortunately he has not received the minutes he'd love to play, nor the minutes I would have loved to give him, but I'm hoping he's appreciated the fact he has been part of very good program and a vital part of the program."
      Said McCauley: "My philosophy is that I was going to come in here and work hard day in and day out. That is what you get recruited for and what is expected of you. No matter how much playing time I get, even if I get none, I'm going to give the coaching staff everything it expects of me."
      McCauley currently leads the team in assists , averaging four a game through eight games. He's also maintaining a near 3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio with 32 assists and 11 turnovers.
      In 15 minutes per game, McCauley also averages 3.1 points and 1.2 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field.
      McCauley said the biggest hurdle in four years has been alternating from the point to the No. 2 guard.
      After running the point for the Southern Conference champion Gators during the 1994-95 season, McCauley has shifted back-and-forth since arriving at Seattle Pacific.
      "As the seasons have gone on, I think he is a combo guy," Bone said. "He has shown he can defend in both positions. What we've done is evaluate what we have as a team and put him where he fits best. Unfortunately it's been back and forth.
      "One of his strengths is he has never -- never -- shown a bad attitude. I don't care what it's been. He's always had a tremendous attitude and for that I have a lot of respect for him. He has handled it and he has worked on his skill and tried to fit into whatever role we've asked him to fit into."
      Although he is on the bench at the start of each game, he considers his role as sharing time with starting point guard Ryan Skogstad, rather than his backup.
      Bone said because his floor generals have specific duties of controlling the defensive tempo by putting a lot of pressure on the opposing team's point guard, he also doesn't look at McCauley as a reserve, but more as a defensive specialist.
      On offense, Bone expects Skogstad and McCauley to get the Falcons into the flow of the game, and create scoring opportunities for his high-powered offense that averages about 98 points per game.
      "We just need our point to call out the play and be a leader on the floor," Bone said. "And no matter what happens, regardless of how Eric plays, he has a good attitude and seems to be comfortable with who he is and doesn't have a lot of highs an lows. He is confident with what he can do."
      After making a run at the Division II National Championship, and receiving his degree, McCauley said he will focus on graduate school and a master's in Athletic Administration.
      McCauley, who would like to try his hand at being a graduate assistant coach under Bone next season, has aspirations of returning to the valley to work with youths -- "in a Boys & Girls Club atmosphere," he said.
      "We'd love to have him and be a part of our program as long as he wants to be here," Bone said. "He is the epitome of what we want in our graduate assistants; that is someone who has been in our program, had a great attitude and shown great effort all four years.
      "That is Eric McCauley."