Lifelong family friendship brings associate head coach Heather Oesterle, student assistant Carter McCullen together at CMU
Heather Oesterle admits she wouldn’t have made it as a women’s basketball player at the University of Michigan without the help of Bill McCullen.
Thus, she probably wouldn’t be the associate head coach to Sue Guevara with the Central Michigan women’s basketball program.
Oesterle was a four-year student-athlete at Michigan, serving as the team captain in 2001-02. She helped the Wolverines, led by Guevara, to two NCAA Tournament and two NIT appearances.
Alongside Oesterle is Bill’s son, CMU junior Carter McCullen, as a student assistant.
Everything fell into place for Oesterle and Carter, but in order to understand their family-friend bond and journey to the Chippewas, look to Bill – a high school girls basketball coaching legend.
Bill has coached the DeWitt High School varsity girls basketball team for 22 years, from 1996-2019. He helped produce a plethora of college basketball players from DeWitt, including Claudia Reid (Princeton), Dena Droste (Kent State), Jennifer Smith (Michigan), Kristen Eible (Grand Valley State), Hannah Stoll (Northern Michigan), Abby Nakfoor (Ferris State), Lily George (Ferris State).
When he wasn’t spending time with his own team, he worked with Oesterle during her middle and high school years – even though she attended Mason High School just 23 miles south on US-127.
Prior to making the move to DeWitt, Bill grew up in Mason, a current population of just less than 8,500. In 1992-93, he was an assistant varsity coach for Mason when Oesterle was in seventh grade. Recognizing Oesterle as an up-and-coming talent, Bill took it upon himself to help her take the next step.
"She was so dedicated to basketball and so hungry to learn," Bill said. "You could tell Heather was going to be something special in elementary school, but she really started to get motivated in junior high."
It began in seventh grade. Oesterle was a 12-year-old with dreams, aspirations and a lot of grit.
The gym was a pole barn on Oesterle's family farm. Bill drove out into the country, picked up Oesterle and her sister, Jennifer, and went to the barn for practice.
When Oesterle was up for a challenge, which happened to be often, Bill brought four or five 20-year-old friends with him.
"It helped to push her," Bill said of bringing his friends. "No disrespect to those in her grade, but she was so much better than everyone. I think it was good training for her to play against older guys."
In the frigid winter months, an inadequate heating system was turned on. With an insignificant amount of warmth, Heather's breath could be seen with ease due to the cold seeping into the barn.
But that didn't stop Oesterle, or Bill, from putting in work on the concrete court at the farm.
Advancing from middle to high school, the training intensified. Bill pushed Oesterle to her limits, teaching to her to master the fundamentals.
From 1992-97, Bill coached Oesterle’s AAU basketball team, Capital City Express.
“I wasn’t the most athletic player, but I was able to go to Michigan and play because of the skill work he did with me,” Oesterle said. “He has a great mind for the game, and I learned a lot from him.”
Oesterle graduated from Mason High in 1998. She finished as the program’s leading scorer with 1,451 points. She was a Detroit Free Press Class A All-State selection as a senior.
In Oesterle’s career for the Wolverines, she logged 482 points, 344 rebounds, 182 assists, 99 steals and 28 blocks. Straight out of the collegiate ranks, Oesterle served as a volunteer assistant coach at Sanford. She was an assistant at Miami (Ohio) from 2003-08 and Northern Illinois from 2008-10 before joining CMU for the 2010-11 season.
While Oesterle was playing at the college level, Carter and his family made countless trips to Crisler Center in Ann Arbor to see her play.
Born in 1997, Carter was along for the ride.
"He had a Michigan jersey on and was just thrilled to be there," Bill said of his son. "He couldn't get enough of Heather."
Whether it was at his father's practices, watching games or hanging out at the Oesterle family farm, Carter lived in the gym. He knew who Heather was from the moment he started bouncing a basketball.
"Heather was great for Carter," Bill said. "Her jersey hung in his bedroom for years growing up, which was probably odd to his buddies, but he really looked up to her."
Five years after Oesterle rejoined forces with Guevara in Mount Pleasant, Carter was a senior at DeWitt High School in 2016. Learning from his father, and playing basketball all his life, Oesterle made a suggestion.
Carter saw Oesterle in-person while she was out recruiting for the Chippewas. She approached him with the idea of being a manager, traveling with the team, getting some CMU basketball gear and building his career resume.
The other option was Michigan State, but Carter decided to join Oesterle in Mount Pleasant.
“I’ve known Heather my whole life,” Carter said. “I just felt it was the right choice to work with the women’s team here. It’s a successful program, has coach (Guevara) and my family ties.”
Oesterle, following Carter’s decision to attend CMU, stepped into Guevara’s office halfway through the summer.
“Bill McCullen’s son, Carter, is coming to school here, and he wants to help out with the team,” Oesterle told her head coach.
“Oh, can he be a practice player?” Guevara questioned.
“Well, coach, I think he wants to be a manager,” Oesterle said. “He played in high school and is a hard worker.”
“I know his daddy, so I’m sure he is,” Guevara said, trusting Oesterle’s final decision to bring Carter on as a member of the Chippewas.
Central Michigan Womens basketball team and student manager Carter McCullen cheer during the game against Ohio State on March 19 at St. John Arena.
As a freshman in 2016-17, Carter worked as a student manager. He was in the same role during his sophomore year, as the Chippewas made a run to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
In a student manager position, Carter sets up equipment before and tears it down after practice. He helps with analytics, rebounds for players in need of extra shooting time, takes stats in practice, hands out towels and much more. When Guevara is sick, Carter stays close by with water.
"Whatever is needed, I have to do it," Carter said. "That's my role. I'm part of the team, but I have to do whatever I can to help the program."
During the offseason, Carter decided to pick up another duty on top of being a student manager – video coordinator.
Carter is in charge of uploading film after home games for Guevara and other coaches around the country. He prepares film of the opposing team during the days leading up to a game and plays it on the bus en route to CMU's destination.
Pat Summitt, who accrued 1,098 career wins at Tennessee before her death in 2016, is one women's college basketball coach Carter looked up to while in high school.
His other favorite coaches to learn from, besides Oesterle and Guevara, are Tom Izzo of Michigan State and his father, Bill, of DeWitt High School.
Carter's goal is to follow in the footsteps of Guevara and Summitt by making a name for himself in the women's college basketball coaching world.
"He's always been a high-energy guy," Bill said. "When we initially found out Heather and Coach G were going to give him that opportunity, we were thrilled.
"They've been a tremendous help to him. He's hungry, and we are very grateful."
Down the road, Oesterle plans to take over as a head coach, preferably at Central Michigan. She already has one name at the top of her list for an assistant coach.
His name is Carter McCullen.
