Tre Beard, an all-conference basketball player for Shawnee State University, has had quite the journey as a Bear, a journey full of determination, growth, patience, winning and humbling setbacks. Beard, a member of SSU’s 2021 NAIA National Championship team, is now eager to make a return to the title game, but this time with a larger role. Now a graduate student in his fifth year at SSU, Beard is back for his last season after earning all-conference honors last year. Beard’s game has steadily developed since the first day he stepped on campus. He has gone from barely seeing any playing time as a freshman to being a key piece of this year’s squad.