James McNeiece, who attended Carthage from 2007 to 2011, performs an audition on The Voice in Mar...
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Even if they spotted him on “The Voice,” it’d be perfectly understandable that nobody in the Music Department recognized James McNeiece.

While attending Carthage from 2007 to 2011, his only musical claim to fame was the weekly lip sync video he and football teammate Brendan Walsh ’11 posted to YouTube.

Then again, nobody would’ve expected a criminal justice major seeking a career in law enforcement to spend hours in the choir room. James set aside his childhood drum set to dedicate his time outside of class to football.

Yet there he was on stage this March, trying to convince judges like Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams that his voice belonged on NBC’s hit show.

James wasn’t there as ratings fodder like the amateurs who embarrass themselves at the beginning of each “American Idol” season, either. His heartfelt rendition of “Lay Me Down” by Sam Smith wowed 14 million viewers and landed him on Adam Levine’s team.

How did he end up there? Well, a funny thing happened on the way to graduation.

Some time during his sophomore or junior year at Carthage, James’ interest in music revived. He entered an online competition on a whim and then left school during his senior year when acclaimed music manager Johnny Wright picked him for the new “supergroup” Y6.

Taking guidance from the guy who has managed the Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, and the Jonas Brothers, the band’s odds of making it seemed strong. Y6 recorded 15 songs over a couple of years but never quite got over the hump.

“There was not any denying our talent, but they didn’t know what to do with six lead singers,” James said.

When the Wright Entertainment Group’s attention drifted to Justin Timberlake’s latest album, those singers went their separate ways. A little networking through girlfriend Riquel Olander, whose team won the MTV competition “America’s Best Dance Crew” in 2009, later got him a tryout for “The Voice.” He kept passing each test.

“A lot of people think you just go right in and sing for the coaches,” he said, when in fact the process took about seven months.

Mr. Levine, the lead singer for Maroon 5, was so determined to keep James on his team that he kept a poker face throughout the audition song. He predicted the former Carthage student would “go far” in the competition, but the run ended in the first battle round when James lost to Tonya Boyd-Cannon and wasn’t scooped up by another coach.

The sting lingered for a few days, but James looks back on the experience knowing he “left it all out there.” He made some close friends, and the songs he performed continue to sell on iTunes.

“It’s like you’re a celebrity when you’re on the show,” he said.

A three-year starter at outside linebacker for the Red Men, James also lettered his freshman year while playing special teams. He clicked instantly with head coach Tim Rucks, who passed away in March.

“From the moment I met him, he was giving me a hard time,” joked James, whose West Coast obligations prevented him from visiting Coach Rucks as often as he would’ve liked.

“The Voice” has opened some new doors. Capitalizing on his national exposure, FedEx arranged for James to sing the national anthem at an NBA game in Memphis last month.

Living near Burbank, California, he still hopes to return to Carthage to finish his degree. Just not quite yet — he’s got a dream to chase.