Sophomore Ray McCallum recently returned from what had to be the busiest summer in the young 20-year-old's life.  McCallum helped lead Team USA to a 7-1 record at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China and a fifth-place finish, but that was just the ending of a jam-packed "off-season" for the Titan point guard.

Following last season, McCallum and many of his teammates remained together, playing pick-up games and working out in Detroit with a promising 2011-12 campaign in sight.  Even taking away their home court, Calihan Hall (due to the new court being installed), did not deter the Titans from putting in work over the summer.  It merely moved them off-campus to sites like Joe Dumars Fieldhouse, a few miles away on Eight Mile Rd. off Woodward.  There, they would punish each other on the hardwood, striving to get better each day.

While much of the team stayed in the city, McCallum began his road trip tour that would take him all over the globe.  It started at the Deron Williams Skills Academy in Chicago back on June 23-25.  There, McCallum worked as a counselor for the camp and impressed enough folks to earn an invite to the LeBron James Skills Academy in early July.

A phone call a few weeks later would throw his entire summer itinerary out the window.  McCallum was invited to tryout for the USA team that would compete at the World University Games in China in August.  A late addition to the 21-person list due to injuries from other invitees, McCallum could have been perceived as a long shot to qualify for the final 12 that would travel overseas to represent the Red, White and Blue.

Despite having only a few short days to prepare for the trek to Colorado Springs, Colo. and the training camp, McCallum was again impressive enough to make it to the 14-man roster announced on the third day.  He'd still have to sweat out one final cut with no firm grasp on when the announcement would be made.

He survived the final cut and was part of the dozen players that would compete for USA as it attempted to add to its impressive 13 gold-medal count at these games.  McCallum was immediately thrust into a hectic schedule that included lengthy two-a-day practices to prepare for the tournament.  The grueling travel to get to China only intensified an off-season that could be considered anything but a vacation.

In China, USA won its pool with an unblemished mark (5-0), but slipped to Lithuania in the quarterfinal round and keeping the Americans out of the medal rounds.  USA would rally to win its final two games to claim fifth place. 

McCallum improved his game, competing with some the country's best talent and getting instruction from USA Head Coach Matt Painter and familiar face Brad Stevens (Butler), who assisted Painter, among others during the run.  It's this experience that has the future looking bright for both McCallum and his Titans this coming season.