August 20, 2009

Ashland University-Shoecraft, Yates Join Basketball Team

Ashland University head men’s basketball coach John Ellenwood has announced the addition of seven student-athletes to the 2009-2010 roster.  This is Ellenwood’s first recruiting class at Ashland.  He came to the Eagles after serving as the head coach at Thomas More College.

“I always look for quality,” said Ellenwood when describing about how he went about the recruiting process.  “Not only do we want a skilled basketball player, but we want players who bring the intangibles I’ve found you need on a winning team.  You need to care about academics and I want someone who really wants to be at Ashland University.”

Ellenwood said he did not pinpoint any one position during the recruiting season.  Instead, he attempted to build depth up and down the roster.  The Eagles figure to build this year’s team around junior forward Kale Richardson (Carroll, OH/Bloom-Carroll) a first team All-GLIAC selection in 2008-2009.

“We have a good core of guys and they were spread out over all five positions,” explained Ellenwood.  “We knew we could go after the best player at each position.  I wanted to get a little bit bigger and stronger at the guard positions, the wing positions.  I think we accomplished that.”

It appears that the calling card of this recruiting class is versatility. That’s the term that kept popping up as Ellenwood talked about the newcomers.  Information on those players follows.

Micah Fraction (Macungie, PA/Montrose Christian) – Fraction is a 5-9, 165-point guard who knows all about playing with high-quality talent.  Montrose Christian was ranked sixth in the country this past year.  The lineup featured two players who committed to Villanova and another who will attend Maryland.  Fraction was a two-year starter for the Mustangs.

“He’s played against the best competition game in and game out and he went against it in practice night in and night out,” said Ellenwood.  “He was the point guard for a lot of players who knew how to score.”

Fraction averaged 8.0 apg., this past season.  The Mustangs were in the USA Today Top 25 all three years Fraction played.

“He’s a tremendous floor leader,” added Ellenwood.  “He’s tough as nails.  Micah’s a freshman who will do a good job of being a team leader right away.”

Justin Garris (Ledgewood, NJ/New Jersey Institute of Technology) – Garris will be a junior in 2009-2010. The 6-3, 200-pound guard is a transfer from New Jersey Institute of Technology. He appeared in 31 games there last year, starting 27.  He averaged 6.2 ppg., and 3.6 rpg.  As a senior at Delbarton High School in Morristown, NJ, he averaged 15.0 ppg., and earned all-conference and all-county laurels.

“Justin is an exciting player to watch,” offered Ellenwood.  “He also brings a level of toughness we need.  He’s a very skilled athlete.”

Taylor Hobbs (Dublin, OH/Tusculum) – Hobbs, a 6-4, 205-pound guard, comes to AU after beginning his collegiate career at Tusculum.  He will be a sophomore at AU.  Hobbs averaged 3.7 ppg., in 2008-2009 for a team that went 20-11.  Hobbs played in 30 games and was in the starting lineup 21 times.

“Taylor is a versatile wing,” Ellenwood said.  “He can play any position from the two to the four.  He can score.  What makes him valuable is he makes everyone around him better. He understands the team game. Plus, he’s an outstanding student, he has a 3.8 grade point average.”

Hobbs is originally from Dublin, OH, and played at Thomas Worthington High School.  As a senior he averaged 18.0 ppg., 9.0 rpg., and shot 43.5 percent from three-point range and 82 percent from the free throw line.  During his career he was a two-time honorable mention all-state pick, a two-time conference player of the year and an all-district selection. Hobbs was named the team’s defensive player of the year and the most valuable player.

Ryan Janer (Bay City, MI/Detroit Mercy) -  Janer is a 6-0, 178-pound guard who will be a junior in 2009-2010. He began his collegiate career at Detroit Mercy and last season, appeared n 28 games and averaged 2.8 ppg.

At All Saints Central High School in Bay City, MI, Janer scored 1,116 points while earning three letters on the hardwood.  In 2005 he shot 84 percent from the free throw line.  All Saints Central was state quarterfinalist in basketball twice.  Janer was a second team all-state honoree and also earned all-conference laurels. He was named to the Bay City Times Dream Team.  He was also all-conference in baseball and football.

“Ryan has been very consistent throughout his high school and college career,” said Ellenwood.  “He’s an excellent long-range shooter.  Ryan brings us toughness and he’s a talented player. He could play either the one or two spot.”

Derek Shoecraft (Cincinnati, OH/Tennessee State) – Ellenwood believes that Shoecraft, a 6-3, 180-pound guard, could fit into the Eagles’ plans several ways.  He will be a sophomore this coming season after transferring from Tennessee State.

“He can do a lot of things on the offensive end of the floor,” Ellenwood said.  “He’s very versatile, he could play point guard, small forward.  He will really help us out, he’s a very good offensive threat.”

Shoecraft played in 14 games last season at Tennessee State and averaged 1.5 ppg.  At Wyoming High School, he was the district player of the year and a third team All-Ohio selection. He  was tabbed as the Cincinnati Enquirer player of the year.  He averaged 20.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg., 2.0 apg., and 2.0 spg.  Shoecraft also spent a year at Harmony Prep where he averaged a team-high 18.0 ppg.

Danhi Wilson (Niles, IL/Maine East) – Wilson, who will be a freshman this fall, is a 6-3, 190-pound guard-forward.  He was an All-Illinois pick last season when he averaged 17.6 ppg., and 7.3 rpg. Wilson was a three-time selection to the all-conference team and he was rated as one of the top 50 players in Illinois by Suburbanhoops.com.

“Danhi’s just a neat, neat kid,” said Ellenwood.  “He’s tenacious, a top 50 player out of Illinois.  Danhi’s a team player, and he can score in multiple ways.  He’s a tremendous athlete.”

Evan Yates (Cincinnati, OH/Walnut Hill) – In Yates, the Eagles are getting a player who can provide help inside.  The freshman is a 6-6, 230-pound forward-center.  He was the conference’s co-player of the year last season when he averaged 20.3 ppg., 11.4 rpg., and shot 60 percent from the floor.  Walnut Hill went 17-4 last season and won a share of the conference title.

Yates was the team’s most valuable player, was first team all-city, second team all-district and honorable mention all-state.

“Evan had a tremendous senior year,” reported Ellenwood.  “He adds some depth to our post position.  As he matures he could be a force in our league.  Evan’s quick for his size.”

Ashland finished 10-16 last season, 8-14 in the GLIAC.

June 14, 2009

Savannah State University

SSU names offensive coordinator: Eddie Johnson, who coached Savannah State's wide receivers last season, has been promoted to offensive coordinator, SSU head coach Robby Wells said. Johnson, 40, is in his second season with the program. He also served as the Tigers' strength and conditioning coach last season. In addition to being the offensive coordinator, Johnson will be the quarterbacks coach. He fills the void left by Alan Hall, who resigned in March to become Winston-Salem (N.C.) State's offensive coordinator. Johnson is a native of Cincinnati and a 1993 graduate of Georgetown (Ky.) University. He came to SSU from NCAA Division II Newberry (S.C.) College, where he was the defensive backs coach from 2005-07.

June 13, 2009

Fresno State swimming, diving recruits earn national note

Fresno State swimming and diving coach Jeanne Fleck's first complete recruiting class was mentioned in collegeswimming.com's Top 25 list of "other classes of note."

The program was revived in 2009 after being dormant for four years.

Fleck and her staff signed seven swimmers and one diver for the 2010 season.

Jennifer Hicks (Cincinnati), Rayanne Nguyen (Santa Barbara), Kathryn Vietti (Clovis East High), Britney Vogel (Fairfield), Danielle Yoho (Sugar Land, Texas), Tiffanie Boe (Stockdale-Bakersfield) and diver Stacey Luke (Bothell, Wash.) are the newest additions.

"This class is really going to help us and will give us a lot of depth," Fleck said.