scholarships question

[statefan]

What am i not understanding? I saw Coach Brown on with Andrew Catalon last night as the in studio guest and he said something to the effect of that the staff was actively pursuing adding one or two players during the spring signing period. I had also heard this exact comment over the weekend, but assumed i had misheard something. It is my undersatnding that we are at full scholarship level; that we have three players coming off scholarship (Jamar Wilson, Siggers and Bauman) and three coming on scholarship (Allen, Ambrose and Raffa). What am i missing? Is there a present underclassman(eligibility -wise) not planning on returning?

[ALBANY ALUM '94]

What am i not understanding? I saw Coach Brown on with Andrew Catalon last night as the in studio guest and he said something to the effect of that the staff was actively pursuing adding one or two players during the spring signing period. I had also heard this exact comment over the weekend, but assumed i had misheard something. It is my undersatnding that we are at full scholarship level; that we have three players coming off scholarship (Jamar Wilson, Siggers and Bauman) and three coming on scholarship (Allen, Ambrose and Raffa). What am i missing? Is there a present underclassman(eligibility -wise) not planning on returning?

good Q'

maybe will not be scholly players?

perhaps nice financial aid package?

or even a part time job at a dealership ...aka oKlahoma?

Just kidding....not sure but good for the staff staying focused all year long!

[Dane96]

I sure hope we get Jamar's cloned twin

 

Hey statefan, check your PM's.

[purplehaze]

My understanding of it is the same also--we had 3 leaving and 3 coming in. If they are still looking at adding one, does that mean someone is leaving? Not very clear to me either.

[albanyhoops31]

Is Bauman on scholarship?

[UA_MA_2000]

Is Bauman on scholarship?

 

I think he was. This would be his last semester, as he graduates early and is going to graduate school.

[Zalman B]

*PURE SPECULATION - The following post is not based on knowledge or research, merely throwing ideas out there*

 

How can Brown be "actively pursuing adding one or two players during the spring signing period"?

 

1) Perhaps we simply had a free scholarship spot available. Are we certain that thirteen is the maximum allowed?

 

2) Perhaps Ambrose's scholarship is already somehow accounted for because he is attending the University and so we are losing three (J. Wilson, Siggers, Bauman) and have only two new coming in (Allen, Raffa).

 

3) If Ambrose does, in fact, take up one of the three opened scholarship slots, perhaps Brown is pursuing someone in a similar situation who would come in as a partial qualifier and so does not receive a scholarship for next season.

 

4) Maybe Brown is seeking to get a commitment from a student-athlete who is considering/planning on attending a prep school for a year - therefore not requiring a scholarship until the 2008-2009 season.

 

5) Maybe - and I hate to even suggest it, but it's always a possibility - someone is looking to transfer for any number of reasons: Playing time, homesickness, academic concerns, etc.

 

6) Maybe he's looking at someone who hasn't been offered any scholarships at the D1 level (or any from schools that the student-athlete would like to attend), but Brown thinks might be able to contribute as a walk-on if he were to attend UAlbany.

 

7) Perhaps it's possible to have a 2-sport athlete, that could get a scholarship from another program but that Brown would like to have play on the basketball team as well.

 

8) Can a scholarship be transferred at will? I don't think Brown would do this, but if he were able to land a recruit that would be an immediate high-impact freshman, can he ask a current scholarship player to essentially give up his scholarship "for the good of the team"?

 

It's late, but those are just some possibilities that come to mind. I'm not even sure how many listed are feasible and I'm sure there are others that I've missed completely (it's not like I'm the one who recruits as part of my livelihood). At any rate, I'm excited already about the class we have coming in and if we can another piece or two of the puzzle to what should be an already solid team... well, all the better.

[sarge965]

Good Questions Z-B many answers can be found in the NCAA Division I Manual at NCAA.org

I will try to answer/opine on your questions and speculation

 

1) we have no scholarships to offer 13 is the max and as of now we are at 10 returnees plus Raffa/Allen/Ambrose

15.5.4.1 Men's Basketball

There shall be a limit of 13 on the total number of counters in men's basketball at each institution. (Adopted: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/92; Revised: 4/27/00 effective 8/1/01, 11/01/01, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04)

 

2) Ambrose is a Nonqualifier there is no longer an official designation of partial qualifier - His scholarship will count as soon as he practices with the team.

 

3) You are exactly right about this BUT I think it is unlikely that Coach Brown goes after another nonqualifier right away.

 

4) Prep School is a possibility but alot can change in one year

 

5) Players transferring out is a possibility but I think very unlikely at this point as 5 of the 13 players will be in their last year of eligibility and we would usually begin to hear rumors of this immediately. (ex. josh duell at Vermont last year)

 

6) Walk-on seems a distinct possibility we have no walk-ons in the current make up of the team - having one or two quality walk ons makes a huge difference during practice - especially during the season as injuries begin to nag at players.

 

7) This is the route that Luke Weaver from CBA in Colonie would like to take. He has been recruited to play football and would like to walk-on to the basketball team.

 

8) Oh yeah - scholarships are a one year renewable contract - it is unlikely that a Coach will revoke scholarships on a regular basis - makes recruiting that much more difficult - brings up trust issues between players and Coach

15.3.3.1 One-Year Period

If a student's athletics ability is considered in any degree in awarding financial aid, such aid shall neither be awarded for a period in excess of one academic year nor for a period less than one academic year (see Bylaw 15.01.5). (Revised: 4/27/06 effective 8/1/06)

 

OK - That's what I think

Now we wait and see what comes up

[purplehaze]

I know we will have at least one walk on in Luke Weaver. maybe coach will find another. I know there are already prospects for 2008 on the board too. On Scout.com, in addition to Allen and Raffa, Eion Lewis, a 6-4 shhoting guard,of Bishop Ford in Brooklyn is listed as a 2007 prospect for Albany

[UA_MA_2000]

As far as next year, I just saw this article on the Times Union website (first published 03/18):

 

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp...sdate=3/20/2007

 

New stars for the Danes?

With NCAAs in the past, UAlbany looks for leaders

 

By MARK SINGELAIS, Staff writer

Click byline for more stories by writer.

First published: Sunday, March 18, 2007

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Is there life after Jamar Wilson?

 

The University at Albany men's basketball team began facing that sobering reality on Saturday, Wilson's first day as an ex-Great Dane after an 84-57 loss to Virginia on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

 

UAlbany will return to action next year without Wilson, the senior guard who twice won America East Player of the Year and led the program to back-to-back league championships.

 

"Jamar's the best ever to wear this (UAlbany) uniform," head coach Will Brown said. "Hopefully, some day I can sit here and say there's another kid that's as good as Jamar Wilson. We'll be different next year, that's for sure."

 

The departure of Wilson and all-conference guard Jason Siggers means the Great Danes will have to find reinforcements in the backcourt next season.

 

Wilson and Siggers, UAlbany's top two scorers, averaged a combined 32.6 points per game this season -- 48 percent of the team's offense.

 

"We might be more balanced, but our goal is to get right back here (to the NCAAs) next year," said Brown, who could become a hot commodity in the off-season.

 

To have any chance of a third title, the Great Danes might have to get immediate contributions from two incoming guards. Anthony Raffa of Strathmere, N.J. averaged 30 points per game for Wildwood Catholic High School. Tim Ambrose of Brentwood comes from Our Savior American School, which produced Wilson.

 

Ambrose took classes at UAlbany this season but couldn't play for the Great Danes because he wasn't qualified academically. He said last week he was doing well in school and on schedule to play next season.

 

Forward Brent Wilson and guard Brian Lillis will be seniors next year after serving as captains with Jamar Wilson this season. They head a group of seven returnees who played regularly this year.

 

"(The future) looks bright," Brent Wilson said. "Obviously, we have to fill a big hole with Jamar and Jason, but the way this program has progressed over the past couple of years, it's going to just take hard work. ...The fact we got to the NCAA Tournament but we got blown out by 30, that's going to be extra incentive to get back and get to work."

 

There's no guarantee Brown will be back after building UAlbany into a viable Division I program. He has four years left on a five-year contract but is being linked to the St. Bonaventure opening and could become a candidate for other jobs.

 

"I'm not even thinking about Will Brown right now," Brown said. "My goal is to try to find a way to make the Albany program better. That's with me as the head coach and all these kids returning and a couple of new guys entering our program."

 

Brown said he'll continue to recruit this spring to add one or two players to the roster. Note: After flight delays because of the snowstorm, UAlbany's plane landed at about 7 p.m. Saturday in Albany.

 

[slickwilly]

This may be a moot point with the whole Brown situation at this point, but I thought I'd post it anyway. So I wrote to Mark Singelais and asked him the following in regards to his article:

 

(I read your article "New Stars for the Danes?" and came away with a question I was hoping you could clarify. The last sentence in the article says "Brown said he'll continue to recruit this spring to add one or two players to the roster". This confused me as I thought the 2007 class was completed with Ambrose, Raffa and Billy Allen on their way in and Wilson, Siggers and Bauman on the way out. Add those to the 10 returning players and that gets you to the NCAA limit of 13 scholarship players.

 

So getting to my question - would the one or two players Coach Brown is looking to add this spring be walk-on(s) or is there something I'm missing regarding the scholarship situation?)

 

He was nice enough to give me this response:

 

(Sorry to not get back to you sooner. I've been a little tied up with other UAlbany basketball matters, as you can probably imagine. As far as the scholarships go, I'm not sure that Tim Ambrose is going to be on scholarship next year, he might get some other kind of need-based financial aid, which would open one scholarship up.

 

But the whole argument would be moot if Will leaves and none of these recruits end up coming. And no, I haven't heard an answer on whether Will is taking the Bonnie job.)

 

If Mark happens to read this I just want to say thanks again for getting back to me.

[Clickclack]

This may be a moot point with the whole Brown situation at this point, but I thought I'd post it anyway. So I wrote to Mark Singelais and asked him the following in regards to his article:

 

(I read your article "New Stars for the Danes?" and came away with a question I was hoping you could clarify. The last sentence in the article says "Brown said he'll continue to recruit this spring to add one or two players to the roster". This confused me as I thought the 2007 class was completed with Ambrose, Raffa and Billy Allen on their way in and Wilson, Siggers and Bauman on the way out. Add those to the 10 returning players and that gets you to the NCAA limit of 13 scholarship players.

 

So getting to my question - would the one or two players Coach Brown is looking to add this spring be walk-on(s) or is there something I'm missing regarding the scholarship situation?)

 

He was nice enough to give me this response:

 

(Sorry to not get back to you sooner. I've been a little tied up with other UAlbany basketball matters, as you can probably imagine. As far as the scholarships go, I'm not sure that Tim Ambrose is going to be on scholarship next year, he might get some other kind of need-based financial aid, which would open one scholarship up.

 

But the whole argument would be moot if Will leaves and none of these recruits end up coming. And no, I haven't heard an answer on whether Will is taking the Bonnie job.)

 

If Mark happens to read this I just want to say thanks again for getting back to me.

 

I don't know if Mark will be happy that you quoted his e-mails, I would have asked if he minded.

[slickwilly]

That didn't even cross my mind. It's not like I'm divulging any inside info or anything. I'll email him again though and let him know that I posted his response on this site. I hope he doesn't mind as I didn't think it would be a big deal.

[albanyhoops31]

honestly, why would the guy care? It's not like he's not going to tell us what he said anyway lol...anyway this is getting very interesting to see how this plays out.

[statefan]

i have pasted this from the St. Bonaventure message board string about recruits that Coach Brown might bring with him:

 

A couple of Albany targets (unsigned) that might be of interest are Jason Johnson of Sullivan Community College, a 6-8 power forward who has some interest from UMass and Sean Evans, a 6-6 SF/PF from NE Pa.