USD transfers already beginning

[SDHoops]

Fitzgerald Transferring to DWU for Basketball



Colby Fitzgerald
MITCHELL, S.D. — Dakota Wesleyan University head men’s basketball coach John Hemenway has announced that Colby Fitzgerald has signed a letter of intent to transfer from the University of South Dakota to attend DWU to play basketball for the 2007-08 athletic season.

Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-3, 190 pound shooting guard, spent the past three seasons at South Dakota. The Dell Rapids, S.D., native redshirted his first season at USD, then came off the bench the past two seasons. He saw action in 39 games while at USD, reaching double figures in scoring in four games. He will have junior eligibility at DWU next season.

“We are extremely excited to have Colby join our basketball program at Dakota Wesleyan,” Hemenway said. “He is a young man that I recruited while at South Dakota and he will be looked upon to score, defend, rebound and be a valuable part of our team right away next season.”

The Dell Rapids St. Mary’s High School graduate was the 2004 Argus Leader Player-of-the-Year as a senior. He averaged 23 points, 5.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds leading his team to the Class “B” State Championship in 2004. Fitzgerald was a two-time Argus Leader First Five selection and was a two-time First-Team All-State pick. He was named to the State B All-Tournament team for three seasons.

Fitzgerald finished his high school career with 2,294 points, 433 assists, 376 rebounds and 314 steals. He holds the school record for career points, season points (637) and points in a game (47). He left high school ranked eighth in South Dakota history in scoring.

Fitzgerald becomes the fourth player to sign with the DWU basketball program for next season. He joins three South Dakota High School All-State performers in the class.

Dakota Wesleyan finished the 2006-07 season with a 24-8 overall record and received an at-large berth in the 2007 NAIA II National Basketball Tournament in Point Lookout, Mo. It is the first time the Tigers qualified for the National Tournament since the 1994-95 season.

[joeboo22]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

I heard that over the weekend and was wondering when it would be announced... I heard there may be a few football players and maybe even a basketball player or 2 too transfer also.

[goon]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

I figured it was bound to happen to atleast loose a few players. Maybe soon they will see the impact of going D-1 and how hard it really can be.

[Jack4Life]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

I figured it was bound to happen to atleast loose a few players.  Maybe soon they will see the impact of going D-1 and how hard it really can be.  

I agree, it is just a fact of life with the transition. You hate to hear it happening when it is happening to you, but it is inevitable. I am sure we are not done losing a few more players and there will probably be the same type of exodus at the U. Not much an administration can do about it. There may be some tough times ahead.

[collegewatcher]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

Fitzgerald leaving has nothing to do with the move up. He would have left even if they stayed DII. For him it was about falling out of the rotation this year. The Skopphamer kid that is moving on to USF from USD also saw the writing on the wall. The transfer of kids due to the DI move have not even begun yet!

SDSU offered Fitzgerald out of high school. That is what makes recruiting so interesting. Sometimes it is good when a kid says "no".

[joeboo22]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

Fitzgerald amuses me he was awsome in high school and alot of fans including myself were like why is he going to the U hes better then a D-II player then it came to college and he never saw the floor. Things at the U confuse me though, Mergan started as a true freshman then saw few minutes if any this year. I don't know if Fitzgerald didn't fit in at the U didn't see eye to eye with coach boots or plain is not as good in college as high school... I think we will see at DWU if he is as good as the kid from Saint Marys I saw in high school. I think the fact that Hemmenway was the coach that recruited him could help both Fitzgerald and DWU both out..

[thebluehatman]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

http://www.ksfy.com/sports/7067407.html

Former Albert Lea High School standout, Parker Skophammer has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Sioux Falls after redshirting his freshman season at the University of South Dakota.

Skophammer, a 6’7” forward, averaged 20.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a senior at Albert Lea.

[collegewatcher]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

Fitzgerald amuses me he was awsome in high school and alot of fans including myself were like why is he going to the U hes better then a D-II player then it came to college and he never saw the floor. I don't know if Fitzgerald didn't fit in at the U didn't see eye to eye with coach boots or plain is not as good in college as high school... I think we will see at DWU if he is as good as the kid from Saint Marys I saw in high school.

Sound like any other high scoring, small town kid we can think of?

[SDSUcks]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

I figured it was bound to happen to atleast loose a few players.  Maybe soon they will see the impact of going D-1 and how hard it really can be.  

USD is getting more talent then ever right now. Alot of the kids that have committed have used USD's move up to D1 as a reason they ARE coming to USD, NOT the other way around. Sorry but the talent on the basketball team is actually getting better not worse since the announcement to move up or at least from the speculation of the move up.

Meierkort already landed a nice D1 transfer from Wisconsin. I am sure them going D1 had nothing to do with him coming in. Anytime the Coyotes do something good some of you will always find a way to critisize it but that is ok the more USD gets doubted the better they end up doing so please keep it up. I am not necessarily saying that in response to this post or this thread but the feeling in general on the board.

[joeboo22]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

[quote author=joeboo22 link=1176877474/0#5 date=1176933739]Fitzgerald amuses me he was awsome in high school and alot of fans including myself were like why is he going to the U hes better then a D-II player then it came to college and he never saw the floor. I don't know if Fitzgerald didn't fit in at the U didn't see eye to eye with coach boots or plain is not as good in college as high school... I think we will see at DWU if he is as good as the kid from Saint Marys I saw in high school.

Sound like any other high scoring, small town kid we can think of?[/quote]

You know i thought about it and ask people who watched both and they all said no comparison, Coby had a good team around him compared to Louie... I wonder if it has too do more with the U then Coby though, if you look though Siem struggled there, Begeman hasn't done much, Tate Pesicka who most people thought was cutting himself short going to the U played little to no minutes.. Rane Mergan who started as a true freshman played lil to no minutes last year.

[collegewatcher]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

[quote author=goon link=1176877474/0#2 date=1176925319]I figured it was bound to happen to atleast loose a few players.  Maybe soon they will see the impact of going D-1 and how hard it really can be.  

USD is getting more talent then ever right now.  Alot of the kids that have committed have used USD's move up to D1 as a reason they ARE coming to USD, NOT the other way around.  Sorry but the talent on the basketball team is actually getting better not worse since the announcement to move up or at least from the speculation of the move up.  

Meierkort already landed a nice D1 transfer from Wisconsin.  I am sure them going D1 had nothing to do with him coming in.   Anytime the Coyotes do something good some of you will always find a way to critisize it but that is ok the more USD gets doubted the better they end up doing so please keep it up.  I am not necessarily saying that in response to this post or this thread but the feeling in general on the board.  [/quote]

Wow. Can your basketball team pick lottery numbers also? If so, maybe they can help fund your move.  The announcement to move up was made in November. I thought your basketball team was already enrolled in classes at your DII university then? The transfers you got this past year came there FROM DI programs! Steve Smith did not come to USD because of the move. Neither did the kid from the Air Force!

You made the move. Good for you. But do not try to use revisionist history on us. We are the kings of it!

And by the way. Nice job of being surprised by SDSU's lack of support for USD. Where have you been?

Sorry. I may have taken this thread to the "smack" level. I promise to get back to basketball.

Oh wait. It IS in the smack thread! Never mind!

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

Last time I checked this was the smack thread!

The

And

Is   'd

SUPERBUNNY

[jacksfaninne]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

Meierkort already landed a nice D1 transfer from Wisconsin.

Right. Like he had a lot of options.

[jackmd]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

Sound like any other high scoring, small town kid we can think of?

Exactly.

[jackmd]

Re: USD transfers already beginning

[
Meierkort already landed a nice D1 transfer from Wisconsin.  I am sure them going D1 had nothing to do with him coming in.  

No, it didn't, in fact he would not have come to USD had they been DI a year sooner. Several DIAA schools expressed interest in Foster when it became apparent that he wouldn't cut it at Wisconsin. He chose a non-DI school for eligibility reasons. Remember, you guys are in your preliminary year and not considered DI.

He wants to be "the man" and USD provides that opportunity for Dion. It remains to be seen if USD will be able to compete at the national level.