April 18, 2011
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Last week, head coach Donnie Jones added to UCF's already impressive recruiting class when Michael Chandler signed a National Letter of Intent with the Knights. The addition of Chandler, who is rated as the No. 4 center in the country by Rivals.com, has elevated UCF's class into one of the top groups in the nation.
Dave Telep of ESPN ranked UCF's signees as the top class outside the traditional six "power conferences." In addition to Chandler, the group includes guard/forward Rod Days, forward Wayne Martin and forward Kasey Wilson.
Since the conclusion of the high school season, members of UCF's class have been receiving plenty of individual accolades.
Chandler, who averaged 19.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game at Lawrence North High School earned Indiana Basketball Coaches Association All-State First Team honors and a spot on the Associated Press All-State Third Team. He was one of 13 players named to the Indianapolis Star Super Team, and received a spot on the newspaper's All-Marion County First Team. Chandler was selected to play in several all-star games, including the North/South Indiana All-Star Game and the Eric Gordon Shootout.
Closer to Orlando, Days led The Sagemont School in Weston to the Florida Class 2A state title. After averaging 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists, he was named the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 2A Player of the Year. Days garnered both Miami Herald and South Florida Sun-Sentinel All-Broward 3A-1A First Team honors. He played in the Florida vs. USA Hardwood Classic all-star game at the Amway Center in Orlando and recorded nine points, three assists and two steals.
Martin had a solid senior campaign at Providence Christian in Jacksonville. He was selected to the Florida Times-Union All-First Coast Team. The newspaper called Martin "the best non-guard in the city."
Wilson averaged 21.0 points and 9.0 boards for North Port High School. He was a Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-State Class 6A selection, and was also a Sarasota Herald-Tribune All-Area First Team pick. Along with Days, he played in the Florida vs. USA Hardwood Classic and scored 11 points to go with five rebounds.
The four signees will join a UCF program that enjoyed great success during Jones' first season in Orlando in 2010-11. The Knights won 21 games to post just the sixth 20-victory season since the school moved to the Division I level in 1984. UCF recorded impressive non-conference victories over 16th-ranked Florida, Miami, Princeton and USF, topped Conference USA leaders UTEP and Southern Miss, entered the national rankings for the first time in program history and participated in the postseason where it claimed two games in the CBI.