2015 recruiting class near complete for Miller, UD
By: Daniel Massa – Staff Writer
Practices have begun and the 2014-2015 season for the University of Dayton men’s basketball team draws closer and closer.
While the coaching staff now focuses on preparation for the upcoming season, they remained active in the offseason on the recruiting trail, toiling to capitalize on the momentum the program created with last season’s NCAA Tournament run.
Head coach Archie Miller and his staff currently have four verbal commitments as part of the program’s 2015 recruiting class.
John Crosby, Ryan Mikesell, Sam Miller and Xeyrius Williams will be eligible to sign a national letter of intent, the collegiate athletics’ equivalent of an official contract, beginning Nov. 12, according to the NCAA’s official website.
Barring any unforeseen changes, the four recruits will make up Dayton’s 2015 recruiting class.
Crosby, the most recent player to give his commitment to the Flyers, announced his intention to join the Dayton program Sept. 22, a day after he finished an official visit on campus.
According to Matt Bracken of the Baltimore Sun, Crosby—a Baltimore, Maryland, native who as a point guard stands 6 feet 3 inches, 187 pounds—graduated high school in 2014 and is spending this season at the New Hampton School in New Hampshire.
He chose Dayton over new Big Ten Conference member University of Maryland, which had offered him a scholarship in August for this upcoming season. He instead chose to spurn the Terrapins and stick to his plan of attending a prep school after high school.
Mikesell, a native of St. Henry, Ohio, is a 6-foot-7 forward.
According to David Jablonski of the Dayton Daily News, Mikesell committed to the Flyers July 3. His family has strong Dayton connections, with two of his uncles graduating from UD and another owning basketball season tickets.
According to rivals.com, Mikesell was also considering in-state programs such as Miami University (OH), Wright State University, the University of Toledo, and Ohio University before ultimately choosing Dayton.
Hailing from Arlington, Virginia, Miller joins Crosby in adding an East Coast presence to this recruiting class. He is entering his senior season at Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C.
According to the Washington Post, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged just over 12 points per game last season while battling injuries. According to the paper, Gonzaga University, Penn State University and Providence College were his other top choices before he committed to Dayton July 30.
Xeyrius Williams became the first member of Dayton’s 2015 class when he committed to the Flyers June 22. Williams, out of Huber Heights, Ohio, and Wayne High School, is a 6-foot-8 forward and a summer teammate of Mikesell on the AAU circuit.
According to the Dayton Daily News, Williams averaged just less than 12 points and 10 rebounds per game during his junior season at Wayne, when his team made it to the state tournament’s Division 1 regional semifinals. Williams held scholarship offers from other schools such as Wright State University, Kent State University, the University of Toledo and Ohio University.