As a senior at Westminster (Md.) High School, basketball standout J.D. Byers was unsettled on his college decision.

The 5-10 guard was bombarded by recruiting letters from over 30 schools from all three NCAA divisions. He could have attended numerous D2 schools, or an assortment of D3 suitors that courted him during his high school career. He even considered testing the D1 waters as a walk-on at nearby University of Maryland.

In the end, he chose D3 Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Byers has excelled at every level during a fabulous four-year career. As a senior, the business administration/accounting double major with a 3.85 grade-point average was granted the highest honor bestowed upon a D3 basketball player when he won the Jostens Trophy, which considers excellence in the classroom, on the playing court, and in the community. It is given to the top male and female basketball player at the D3.

The two-time Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year concluded his career with 1,898 points and was named a first team all-American as a senior. He is one of only three D3 finalists for the Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award, which considers outstanding point guards from all three college divisions.

For Byers, the advantages of attending a D3 school are many.

“The major thing is, you get a lot more individual attention academically,” said Byers. “It’s good to have a working relationship with your professors. I don’t think you would get that at a larger school.”

Byers is described by many as ultra-competitive, and finding a college with a winning tradition was paramount. During his career, Lebanon Valley finished 68-41, qualified for the Commonwealth Conference playoffs four years in a row, and made an appearance in this year’s NCAA D3 tournament.

“If I had attended a larger school that lost all of the time, that wouldn’t have been as much fun,” he said.

The D3 experience has also afforded Byers the chance to compete in two sports. Also a standout golfer, he finished third at his conference championship meet as a junior. He was also an academic all-American as a golfer.

“I think you have more of a chance to get involved in multiple sports at this level,” said Byers. “You don’t see that as much at larger schools - they want people who are more focused on one sport.”

Drawing from his experiences, Byers highly recommends D3.

“If you want to go somewhere where you can compete at a high level, D3 is a great way to go,” said Byers. “There is a lot more talent than some people think. But the major part of choosing a D3 school is finding the right fit academically because like it or not, nobody at this level is going to the NBA. You really have to find the place that’s going to prepare you best for the real world.”