Alumni Update: Eric von der Linden

Former Owl basketball players come back to Spaulding Gym all the time. While some may mix in with the crowd and favor a less conspicuous return, that's not the case with Eric von der Linden '00.

A towering 6'9", von der Linden stands out in a crowd. Back in town to watch a recent Keene State men's basketball game, the former Owl center talked about his one season (1996-97) playing for the team.

"Despite our 2-22 record, it was the most fun I ever had playing basketball," von der Linden said. "No one expected us to win."

Transferring to Keene State from Bentley College, von der Linden joined an Owl team that was a year away from moving to Division III. "We were a Division III team basically playing a Division II schedule," he said. "But Coach [Phil] Rowe really made it a lot of fun. We left it all out on the court."

Despite their record, KSC gave several teams a scare, including then national power New Hampshire College. "We almost beat them at home one night, and their coach made his players ride back home in their gear and practice," said von der Linden.

Von der Linden, who had his career cut short by a shoulder injury, earned his degree in management and currently works in sales for Prevalent Networks, an IT consulting company based in New Jersey. "One managing partner is 6'3" and one is 6'4", so when we walk in a room together, everyone thinks we're a basketball team," said a smiling von der Linden, who often brings clients to Boston Celtics games.

Originally from Acton, Mass., von der Linden currently resides in Exeter with his wife Jenn and daughters Ashleigh and Emilie.

Von der Linden met his wife, a former Owl volleyball player, at Keene State. "We rented the same house. We were upstairs and they were in the downstairs apartment," he said. "We were the noisy people upstairs, and always kept them awake at night."

Von der Linden said he was very excited to see the Owls play. "It's a young group, just like the Keene State team I played on," he said. "If ever there's a coach who can turn them into a winning team, its Coach Colbert."