CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Former Charleston Catholic standout Aiden Satterfield is making the most of his opportunities in his first season at Walsh University. He joined the Cavaliers following a brief stint at West Liberty.
Satterfield finished his prep career strong after averaging 21 points and eight rebounds his senior season, which helped the Irish reach the Class AA state semi-finals in 2021.
He finished his high school career posting over 1,000 points and broke two single-game records, points (46) and three-point field goals (10).
Satterfield did not see the floor in his only season with Ben Howlett and the Hilltoppers, which led to him being redshirted. The six-foot-seven combo guard felt that he needed to hit the reset button.
Satterfield’s phone was buzzing after his name entered the transfer portal. The thought of Walsh never crossed his mind until someone asked him about the university.
“I got a direct message from someone asking me about Walsh,” Satterfield stated. “I then mentioned that if they were interested in me, I would be as well. It turned out to be one of their old assistants. Three or so minutes later, JY [Jeff Young], our head coach, called me and started chatting. Coach Young has a great demeanor.”
Satterfield had spent two to three weeks in the portal, and he knew he wanted to make a quick decision. The decision did not take long because he saw himself fitting into Walsh’s culture. Satterfield was a guest on the Thursday edition of the Kanawha Valley Sports Report.
“First off, three conference championships in five years,” Satterfield said. “It is a winning culture. JY has won many games, including a national championship and a national runner-up. The way they play basketball is another way I see myself fitting in there on offense. Defensively, I need to pick that up, and I continue doing so. I could see myself as a part of a team that is coached hard but also cares about you as a person. That was huge for me.”
Despite being in the northern panhandle for a few months, Satterfield was grateful for his team at West Liberty.
“First off, shoutout to West Liberty. Everybody knows what they are about,” Satterfield said. “It was an excellent experience for me on the basketball side. I learned a lot, which helped me grow in my game. They started to trust and have faith in me towards the end before I left.
“Some stuff is never meant to be. There were some things that I could not agree with, so I had to go.”
The Charleston native saw personal growth in his on-and-off-the-floor game while playing for Howlett.
“Those guys work,” Satterfield noted. “You can say whatever you want about West Liberty, but they work, and they work hard. It is the whole team. The coaches put a lot of work in as well. Coach [Michael] Lamberti, the assistant coach, worked me out daily. He pushed me. I learned up there that you cannot take any plays off, and if you then you are not going to play.”
The redshirt freshman has started in five of eight games this season with the Cavaliers, averaging seven points per game and shooting 43 percent. He continues adjusting from always having the ball in his hands to a different role under Coach Young.
“It has been an adjustment, but Coach Young lets you play to your skill level,” Satterfield noted. “I have sometimes played the one, two, and three this year because I can handle the ball. He lets me play my game for the most part. I do not see as many shots as I did in high school. I will take the shot if I feel I can make it.”
Satterfield’s high-octane scoring was never in doubt under Hunter Moles. However, he has seen growth in other unspoken tangibles.
“Rebounding and defending,” stated Satterfield about how he is different since he last wore the green and white. “Points are fine, and they know I can score and put the ball in the basket. They do not need 15 or 20 points from me right now. They need me to hit a shot, play good defense, and rebound. I understand that, and I have tried to lock in on that. I am focusing on defense and rebounding more. I do what I can to stay in the game and help the team.”
Satterfield currently sits third on the team in steals with 10, dishing out an average of five assists per game.