Lady Patriots Add Four More to Impressive Recruiting Class

Having already signed seven outstanding prospects to the program for 2010-2011, the Central Florida women's basketball team piled on this week with the addition of four new Lady Patriots. The new recruits include three players from Maryland prep power Henry A. Wise High School, as well as a promising in-state player from nearby Lecanto High School: 

• G Janay Borum (Prince George's County, Md., Henry A. Wise HS) 5-2 point guard produced 13.3 points and 7.5 assists per game.
• F Briana Gibson (Prince George's County, Md., Henry A. Wise HS) 6-0 post notched 8.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
• G Tiara Smith (Prince George's County, Md., Henry A. Wise HS) 5-9 forward averaged 9.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
• F Tiffany Watson (Lecanto HS) 6-2 post prospect played a big role on Lecanto's district-winning squad.

The new additions bring head coach Cheryl Rice's 2010-2011 roster to 13.

Softball's Jessica Chewning to Sign With Georgia Southwestern

Central Florida sophomore Jessica Chewning will continue her softball career at NCAA Division II Georgia Southwestern State University.

A catcher and infielder out of Cross City, Fla., and Dixie County High School, Chewning hit .258 with 12 runs and 12 RBI this season.

Georgia Southwestern, a member of the Peach Belt Conference, finished 20-31 and 5-15 in conference play in 2010.

CF Grad Ebert, South Carolina Set for Run at SEC Title

Former Central Florida Patriots star and current South Carolina senior Nick Ebertt leads the Gamecocks into postseason play today as the 2010 SEC Baseball Championship gets underway in Hoover, Ala.

A former standout at local Belleview High School, Ebert is a former draft pick of the New York Yankees and a 2009 All-SEC second-team selection. The power-hitting first baseman has produced a .275 batting average with 7 home runs and 30 RBI.

Ebert's bat will be needed to navigate through the perennially strong SEC field, topped by regular-season champion Florida. The third-seeded Gamecocks open against Ole Miss today. Several games of the tournament will be broadcast on CSS, while Sunday's 1 p.m. championship game will be carried on ESPN2.

CF Alum Jon Koenigsfeld Named an Academic All-American

Former Central Florida baseball standout Jon Koenigsfeld has earned first-team Academic All-American honors from ESPN the Magazine. The annual award is the product of a vote by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Koenigsfeld, a native of New Port Richey, Fla., was named to the first team squad after ending his Valdosta State career with a 4.00 grade point average as a Middle Grades Education major. Koenigsfeld, who was the VSU Dewar College of Education Student of the Year, batted .386 on the season while scoring 59 runs and driving in 47. He had a team-high 90 hits on the year, including 19 doubles. In addition to leading the team in hits, Koenigsfeld was second on the VSU squad in doubles and third in batting average, runs scored and RBI.

Koenigsfeld became just the third Valdosta State athlete to earn first team Academic All-America honors and the first since Chris Hatcher earned back-to-back first team selections in 1993 and 1994.

CF Softball Adds Two to 2011 Signing Class

The Central Florida fast-pitch softball team has added a pair of players to its 2011 recruiting class in Brittany Baker, a transfer from Division I Florida Gulf Coast University and a former standout at nearby Lake Weir High School, and Taylor Skipper, a pitcher/outfielder out of Ocoee High School.

Baker (pictured) received all-area recognition in each of her four seasons at Lake Weir and appeared in 37 games last season for FGCU, a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Skipper was a two-sport athlete at Ocoee, lettering in softball and weightlifting while collecting numerous awards on the Florida travel-ball circuit.

The signing reunites Baker with former Lake Weir teammate Miranda Anderson, a recent Patriots signee.

College Name Change Becomes Official Tuesday

Central Florida Community College will become College of Central Florida on Tuesday, May 25, and celebrations are planned collegewide.

At 9 a.m. an Official Unveiling Ceremony will be held at the CFCC Citrus Campus, 3800 S. Lecanto Highway. A caravan will move to the CFCC Hampton Center, 1501 W. Silver Springs Blvd. in Ocala, for unveiling at 11 a.m. and then to the Ocala Campus, 3001 S.W. College Road, at noon. Festivities take place outdoors near the main entrance sign at each location.

On Wednesday, May 26, a celebration will be held at 9 a.m. at the CFCC Levy Center, 114 Rodgers Blvd. in Chiefland.

The name change follows a year-long process that included a survey of the community, approval by the CFCC District Board of Trustees and the State Board of Education. During the five-week survey, 580 distinct names were sorted from 1,480 submissions.

The celebrations include unveiling of major signage which will reveal a new college logo. A revised college Web site will also be launched the week of May 25.

CF Signs British Hoops Prospect Alhaji Fullah

The Central Florida men's basketball team has signed Alhaji "Allie" Fullah, a native of London and a veteran of Great Britain's under-20 national team.

Fullah, a 6-8, 225-pound forward, is the third addition to a revamped frontcourt built to withstand the departure of sophomores Josh Proctor, Division I signee Jeff Neal and NJCAA All-American Ricardo Ratliffe. A tough and energetic post player with a wealth of valuable international experience, Fullah projects as an outstanding complement to this summer's earlier Patriot signees, George Mason transfer Kevin Foster and Virginia prep standout Juandrico Walker.

The Patriots also added another piece to their nearly all-new 2010-2011 squad in Steven Shipwash, a 6-0 guard out of Alachua Santa Fe High School. A former high school rival of departing CF guards Travis Johnson and Kenny Williams, Shipwash spent the 2009-2010 season travelling with the Patriots as a practice player.

Along with returning sophomore guards Darius Nesmith and Slobodan Miljanic, the Patriots now have six members of their 12-man roster in place. CF has received a verbal commitment from Ocala Forest point guard Hunter Williams, and expects to sign the local star officially this week.

Ratliffe Helps Missouri to Early Top-10 Ranking

Central Florida sophomore Ricardo Ratliffe is already having an impact on his next team, the University of Missouri Tigers.

In their 2010-11 Top 25 projections, Fox Sports analyst Jeff Goodman ranks Mizzou ninth in the nation while Rivals.com lists them at No. 10, placing the Tigers in the conversation as a legitimate Final Four and NCAA championship contender in the coming season.

With Ratliffe and a number of other elite recruits joining a program that finished 23-11 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, expectations are high for Mizzou. And though it's still very early, it's clear that Patriot fans can look forward to watching CF's all-time leading scorer play some very meaningful basketball in a few months.

Former Patriot Juan Perez Earns All-MEAC Selection

Former Central Florida pitcher Juan Perez has been selected to the All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference first team.

Perez, a junior right-handed relief pitcher at Bethune-Cookman, threw 30.1 innings in 21 appearances out of the Wildcat bullpen, posting a 5.34 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .271 batting average and striking out 35. BCC enters this week's MEAC tournament in Daytona Beach as the top seed with a perfect 18-0 conference record.

Former Patriot Jon Koenigsfeld Named to Academic All-Region Team

Valdosta State University senior and former Central Florida baseball star Jon Koenigsfeld has been named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-Region team. The award is decided by a vote of the South Region sports information directors. Koenigsfeld will now be considered for a national award.

Jon Koenigsfeld earned the recognition for the second straight year as he followed up 2009's second team honor with a first team nod this year. Koenigsfeld owns a 4.00 grade point average as a Middle Grades Education major and is third on the VSU team with a .384 batting average. The senior has scored 58 runs on the season and driven in 44 while starting all 57 games.

Patriots Guard Travis Johnson Signs with West Virginia Wesleyan

Central Florida starting point guard Travis Johnson has chosen a four-year program, signing with NCAA Division II school West Virginia Wesleyan.

Johnson scored 10.8 points per game and shot 42.6 percent from 3-point range in 2009-2010, his second year at the helm of the Patriots after a standout prep career at Gainesville P.K. Yonge. The 6-1 sophomore earned the men's basketball Patriot Award, an honor bestowed on the team member that best represents the ideals of teamwork, dedication, unselfishness and commitment.

Wesleyan is coming off an 8-21 season, including a 7-15 mark in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but looks to field an improved, experienced group in the fall after losing just one senior. Bobcats coach Jeff Price, entering his second season with the program, is excited to add a talent like Johnson at a crucial position. From wvwc.edu:

“We are thrilled to have a player of Travis’ caliber,” Coach Price said. “We feel that Travis will be an impact player for our team and will have an immediate impact in the conference as well.”

CF Alum Yas Gutierrez Makes All-Sunshine State Conference Team

Former Central Florida baseball standout Yas Gutierrez has been named to the All-Sunshine State Conference first team. The Barry University senior outfielder hit .366 with a team-best 14 home runs in 2010.

CF Alum Zach Bove Named Flagler College Athlete of the Month

Former Central Florida baseball standout Zach Bove has been named Athlete of the Month at Flagler College in St. Augustine, the second time this year a CF product has earned the honor.

For the month, Bove hit a team-best .444 with 28 hits, 14 runs scored, eight doubles, a home run, 14 runs batted in and a .619 slugging percentage. He helped lead Flagler to a 9-7 record in the month of April...He finished the season with a team-best .376 batting average and led the team with 74 hits, 19 doubles, 48 RBI and a .563 slugging percentage. Flagler finished the year with a 29-23 record.

Former CF softball ace Kelly Riddick earned the same honor for the month of February.

CF Women's Basketball Unveils Stellar Recruiting Class

Central Florida women's basketball coach Cheryl Rice has added seven players to the program's 2010-2011 recruiting class, including local high school standout Mariel Mayo. The class, featuring three in-state prospects, three from neighboring Georgia and one from Philadelphia, Pa., will join returning sophomores Canvis Scott and Shaunte Forward in a revamped Lady Patriots lineup in the fall.

While the Lady Patriots have reached the state tournament annually and regularly produced All-Americans and Division I players, recent CF rosters have often had to overcome a size disadvantage. Rice said she aimed to address that issue with this class, which features four frontcourt players standing 5-11 or better, while staying true to the program's core values.

"We decided to go with a larger lineup, trying to get players that are still athletic but a little bigger," Rice said. "It's not going to change my philosophy in terms of system. We're still going to be defensive-oriented and run the ball."

The seven new signees and two returning sophomores bring the Lady Patriots' roster to nine. Rice plans to sign five or six more players over the summer to complete the roster.

A look at the new additions:

• F Moniqua Darby (Powder Springs, Ga., McEachern HS)  6-1 post was named the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Cobb County Player of the Year.
• F Charo Fowler (Winter Park HS)  5-11 forward finished her senior season ranked 11th in the Orlando Sentinel's girls' basketball top 20 player rankings.
• F Simone High (Columbus, Ga., Kendrick HS)  5-11 forward enjoyed huge individual and team success in the Georgia prep ranks, earning Georgia Sports Writers Association Class AAA All-State first-team status while guiding Kendrick to a 30-1 record. 
• F Mariel Mayo (Ocala West Port HS)  5-10 wing helped her Marion County powerhouse prep program to a Class 5A elite eight appearance as a senior, capping a four-year career at the varsity level.
• G Nikarre Sesler (Wildwood HS)  5-2 point guard is a lightning-quick presence on the fast break, and a seasoned athlete after starring in hoops and softball at Wildwood. 
• F Yasmeen Thompson (Philadelphia Freire Charter School)  6-2 post averaged a double-double among rugged Philly competition, producing 14.1 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
• G Quinnecia Twine (Atlanta Maynard H. Jackson HS)  5-8 wing earned her school's Female Achievement Award at the 2010 Coca-Cola Scholar Athlete Awards.

Patriots Sign D-I Transfer Kevin Foster, Prep Star Juandrico Walker

Central Florida's frontcourt of the future has started to take shape with the signings of George Mason University transfer Kevin Foster and Virginia prep star Juandrico Walker.

A 6-7, 211-pound forward from Kathleen Senior High School in nearby Lakeland, Foster (left) played in 26 games for George Mason in 2009-2010, posting a career-high 22 points on 11-for-16 shooting against William & Mary on Feb. 16 and earning Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Week honors on Feb. 22. He was a first-team all-state selection and an honorable mention McDonald's All-American in high school, choosing GMU over a list of recruiting schools including Miami and South Florida. He declared his intention to transfer in March, citing a desire to play closer to home.

"He can shoot, he's athletic, and he has a good feel for the game," said CF head coach Tim Ryan, predicting that Foster will be a high-impact player for the Patriots right away. "He has tons of potential."

Walker, a 6-6, 185-pound forward, comes to CF after a standout prep career at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Va., where he was a first-team All-Southeastern District selection as a senior.

"He can really pass the ball, and has tremendous touch," Ryan said. "His upside is very high."

Walker played his AAU ball with the famed Boo Williams organization in Virginia, the same pipeline that produced some of the most accomplished Patriots in history in Ricardo Ratliffe and Darryl Monroe. Ratliffe became the program's all-time leading scorer and is bound for the University of Missouri, while Monroe parlayed an All-American run at CF into a two-year NCAA career at, ironically, George Mason, and a professional career overseas.

The additions of Foster and Walker will help offset the heavy loss of sophomore talent the Patriots are absorbing up front, as Josh Proctor, Justin Cecil and Jeff Neal join Ratliffe in jumping to the four-year level. Ryan expects the new recruits to help continue CF's Mid-Florida Conference success.

"They are going to be powers in our conference," said Ryan.

Jones, Smith Represent CF on All-State Baseball Teams

Central Florida has landed two standout sophomores on the FCCAA All-State teams. Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year Dru Jones made the first team, while Hunter Smith earned second-team honors.

Jones, a power-hitting catcher/outfielder and Kent State signee, hit .432 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs for the Patriots. Smith, a left-handed first baseman bound for Troy University, hit .411 with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs.

Ratliffe Pushes Mizzou Recruiting Class to No. 6 National Ranking

The spring addition of a pair of junior-college stars, including Central Florida all-time leading scorer Ricardo Ratliffe, has elevated the University of Missouri's 2010-2011 men's basketball recruiting class from very good to elite. Rivals.com now ranks the Tigers' incoming group at No. 6 in the nation and best in the Big 12 Conference.

The Jefferson City News-Tribune details why optimism is rampant in Columbia: 

The Tigers have six recruits joining the team for the 2010-11 season, including a pair of players rated in the top 100 from high schools -- Tony Mitchell (No. 12) and Phil Pressey (61). A pair of National Junior College Athletics Association All-Americans -- Ricardo Ratliffe and Matt Pressey -- are in the group. The other two recruits are Ricky Kreklow of Rock Bridge and Kadeem Green of United Faith in North Carolina.


The No. 6 ranking is the highest ever for Missouri from Rivals.com. Missouri returns five players who started multiple games from last season's 23-11 squad, including four of its top five scorers.

NCAA.com Profiles Patriot Alum Jon Koenigsfeld, Brother Ben

NCAA.com has an excellent feature on former Patriots baseball standout Jon Koenigsfeld, now a senior at Valdosta State University, and his brother Ben, a junior at Army. Worth a read.

CF Alum Yas Gutierrez Earns Conference Player of the Week Honors

Former Central Florida standout and current Barry University senior Yas Gutierrez has been named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week. (Regular readers of CFPatriots.com will recall that the Division II SSC is full of former Patriots.) From barry.edu: 

Gutierrez batted .467 with six runs and seven RBI. He tallied three doubles and two home runs en route to a 1.067 slugging percentage. He hit safely in each of the four games to extend his hitting streak to 10 contests. He drove in multiple runs and scored at least one run in three games. For the week, Gutierrez posted a .600 OBP and a 1.000 fielding percentage.

CF Alum Jon Koenigsfeld Caps Valdosta State Playoff Rally

Former Patriot infielder Jon Koenigsfeld knocked a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning on Monday, earning his Valdosta State squad a 5-4 win over Delta State in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference Tournament. The No. 16 Blazers advance to play No. 4 Southern Arkansas at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

CF Baseball Signs Lefty Pitcher Cole Miraglia

Central Florida added to its 2010-11 staff this week with the addition of Cole Miraglia, a left-handed pitcher
from Wesley Chapel. Miraglia joins Tampa Freedom outfielder Dane Moore as new Patriots plucked from the Tampa area.

Stats via TampaBay.com:

Miraglia, a Zephryhills transfer, has gone 8-1 with a 1.43 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 58.2 innings pitched. He faced 236 batters allowing just 37 hits and walking 23. Offensively, Miraglia is batting .466 with 34 hits, 23 RBIs, five doubles and two home runs.