Recruiting - 2016

[Phoenix]

Eek...not sure why he did that other than maybe to be close to home.

 

Isn't he from Toronto?

 

Disappointing we lost out on him. Looked like a pretty good recruit at a position we have a need for. The Horizon League is a solid mid-level conference..but UIC isn't exactly a top-level program. Haven't reached the NCAAs..or had a 20 win season..since 2004.

[DanesRGood]

anyone know who the official visits are this weekend?

[Dane96]

 

Eek...not sure why he did that other than maybe to be close to home.

 

Isn't he from Toronto?

 

Disappointing we lost out on him. Looked like a pretty good recruit at a position we have a need for. The Horizon League is a solid mid-level conference..but UIC isn't exactly a top-level program. Haven't reached the NCAAs..or had a 20 win season..since 2004.

 

 

Yes. Porter air is a really short flight to Chicago Midway. Take it all the time.

[UAalum72]

From a TU+ story by Wilkin on Saturday night: Will Brown optimistic about UAlbany men next season

 

Will Brown, the coach of the Great Danes, can't wait for them to come. He wants to hear the people who say the Danes, after a marvelous run, are going to slide backwards.

"I hope people will think we'll be vulnerable next season," Brown said. "Trust me. I will use that with my players. No one thinks we will be any good next season. .. But, you know what? We will compete for the America East Conference championship next year."

He has four scholarships to give and it could be five if junior Travis Charles does not return. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Charles only played nine games after being diagnosed with a heart condition. Brown said he may know whether or not Charles will be cleared to play in the next few weeks.

Brown spent time at Times Union Center for the New York State high school Federation Tournament this weekend. He said there are scheduled visits on campus for potential new Great Danes.

"We have guys lined up in the bushes," Brown said. "We have been recruiting like crazy."

Even though the Danes lose the heart of their team in the departing seniors, Brown doesn't want to hear the word rebuilding.

"It won't be a rebuilding year," he said. "Wait and see. We have a culture and a tradition and an expectation here. It's just next guy up for our program."

[Eli]

I'm with Brown. We're going to be a solid 18-20 win team, IMO, if the guys gel. If the guys he brings in integrate like Sanders and Evan did, we'll be super fine. If they take weeks or months to 'get it', we'll be a 15 win team. The guys we have returning are still enough to be an upper AE team.

[justdrastik1]

I was one who was very worried about this upcoming season, but Rowley and Stire have really developed and should continue to be solid contributors. Throw in Cremo, a returning Dallas, and we've got a decent starting 5, assuming we can get some contribution at the PG position.

[Phoenix]

I think this off-season looks similar to the post 07-08 and post 13-14 off-seasons.

 

After the 2007-08 season..the team graduated a big three in Lillis, Iati and Brent Wilson. They returned Ambrose, Hastings, Connelly, Gifford and Covington. They brought in Aronhalt (RS-injury), Raffa, Harris, Allen, McRae, Johnson and Barraza. The team proceeded to go 22-41 over the next two years (8-24 in AE play).

 

After the 2013-14 season..the team graduated Evans, Johnson, Puk and Devlin..plus a few graduates/transfer from the bench. They returned Rowley, Hooley, Rowley and Ennema. They brought in Singletary, Sanders, Stire, Baker, Peters, Green, McKay, Twyman and Wells. The team proceeded to go 48-18 over the next two years (28-4 in AE play) with NCAA and CBI bids.

 

Now we graduate a big three in Hooley, Singletary, Sanders and also Reece. We return Cremo, Rowley, Stire, Ennema, Peters, Andrews and Nichols (and add/return McKinley). I think the class we lost is closer to 07-08..but the class we return is closer to 13-14. Hopefully we can follow the route of 2013-14.

 

This class will be very important.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Phoenix

[Dane314]

Was up late last night and actually made it through the 11 o'clock news. Roger said we have five scholarships to offer next year and he expects three to be JUCOs.

[Eli]

Was up late last night and actually made it through the 11 o'clock news. Roger said we have five scholarships to offer next year and he expects three to be JUCOs.

 

So...Charles is done that means?

[Dane Pound]

Some bad news and some good news maybe.

 

We've been interested in Jaleel Wheeler but he recently committed to Tulsa.

 

According to the interweb, we are looking at Nathan Johnson, a 6'4 guard from Florida who looks pretty good. Other schools showing interest have been Delaware, Murray State, Davidson and Indiana State.

[Dane4ever]

I wonder if this tweet from Will earlier today refers to Wheeler: "Sad when u recruit a kid for months and put in the time and & effort and as soon as a higher level school offers he takes it"? Certainly would make sense . . . this must be a frequent frustration for mid-level major coaches . . .

 

Speaking of WB tweets, I had a momentary (paranoid) panic when I saw this one earlier today, too: "Think a trip to Long Island is in the very near future!" . . . yikes! surely he wouldn't drop such a large hint if he was going to SB for a look-see and/or interview??? But then I realized the two hashtags were #Pizza and #Deli, so maybe he's referring to his favorite food stops while recruiting down there . . . right? right?

[DanesRGood]

I wonder if this tweet from Will earlier today refers to Wheeler: "Sad when u recruit a kid for months and put in the time and & effort and as soon as a higher level school offers he takes it"? Certainly would make sense . . . this must be a frequent frustration for mid-level major coaches . . .

 

Speaking of WB tweets, I had a momentary (paranoid) panic when I saw this one earlier today, too: "Think a trip to Long Island is in the very near future!" . . . yikes! surely he wouldn't drop such a large hint if he was going to SB for a look-see and/or interview??? But then I realized the two hashtags were #Pizza and #Deli, so maybe he's referring to his favorite food stops while recruiting down there . . . right? right?

 

Someone responded to the recruit tweet with "Grass isn't always greener" and WB responded with "Nope. Not for players or coaches!" so there is that.

[Dane4ever]

You're right, I saw that one, too, and there's hope in that one. Maybe a lot of hope (no knowledge, just hope!).

[UA'08]

Some bad news and some good news maybe.

 

We've been interested in Jaleel Wheeler but he recently committed to Tulsa.

 

According to the interweb, we are looking at Nathan Johnson, a 6'4 guard from Florida who looks pretty good. Other schools showing interest have been Delaware, Murray State, Davidson and Indiana State.

Maybe we should stay away from anyone with the name Wheeler!

[Dane Pound]

I think it happened last year too with DaShawn Robinson. He committed and then a C-USA school came in and offered him.

 

On the bright side, it's good to know that's the level we're recruiting now.