Caleb Chapman – Student Athlete & Mentor

Andrea Byerly
Thursday, December 14, 2023 12:00 AM
All, Students, Press Releases

CLEVELAND, TN - Student athlete, peer mentor, student worker and amateur chef, Caleb Chapman, has overcome obstacles and been embraced by staff at Cleveland State Community College. The business major will graduate in May and hopes to transfer to a Division I college to play basketball.

Chapman was raised by his grandmother in Jackson, Mississippi after his mother died of breast cancer when he was three years old. In his junior year of high school, Chapman’s grandmother also died of breast cancer so he moved to Springfield, Tennessee to live with his aunt.

Playing basketball since 3^rd grade, Chapman was one of the shortest players on his teams until his junior year when he reached 6’6” in height and played on the Springfield High School basketball team. He became close to his coach, Micah Rochester, and still spends holidays and school breaks with the Rochesters. Chapman said, “My auntie and I didn’t get along, so Coach Rochester took care of me the last two years of high school. Coach and Jess (Rochester) are like parents to me; their family is my family.”

Chapman was a redshirt freshman in 2021 and will play his final season at Cleveland State this year. “We definitely have a team that can make it to the Hutch,” said Chapman. The Hutch refers to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) basketball championships held in Hutchinson, Kansas in March. “I feel like we can make it past our region this year,” continued Chapman.  “We have a really close team, and we have good leaders.”

Rafael Howard is coaching his third season as the head basketball coach at Cleveland State. “It has been an honor to coach Caleb,” said Howard. “His energy both on and off the court became infectious within our team. His work ethic and eagerness to learn made it easy on the basketball court, and his leadership has been the glue within our team throughout the season. Any college or university lucky enough to get him next fall will get something pretty special.”

“I really  thank Coach Howard for recruiting me,” said Chapman. “God does everything for a reason. My experiences during my first year really reflect how I am today. Coach Howard believed in me when no one else did; he has taught me how to treat people. I feel like this has molded me into the good dude that I am today.”

Along with playing basketball and earning straight A’s this term, Chapman works in the Enrollment Services Department at Cleveland State assisting students and staff. In a short time, Chapman has gained the respect of faculty and staff. “His joy is infectious, and allows him to share his gift of inclusivity to everyone he meets,” said Haley Hendrix, Director of Student Success.

Chapman plans to major in business at a four-year college unless there is a culinary program. “My grandma cooked every day, and I’d sit in the kitchen watching and tasting her food,” he said. “When I got to college, I realized that I had to cook for myself. I can cook anything you can think of from scratch: pasta alfredo, crepes, shrimp scampi, pork chops. Beyond basketball, cooking is my passion. I want to create a restaurant one day, and I have a good idea that I haven’t seen anywhere else.”

Natalia Williams, Director of Student Engagement and Support, said "I’ve seen nothing but ambition, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence in Caleb. His story serves as evidence that challenges are not barriers to be overcome, but rather side steps that lead to the rewarding path of achievement.”