Recruiting 2008

NORMAL -- Counting up his scholarship offers to play Division I or Division II basketball took some doing for University High School’s Eric McCullough on Tuesday.

He eventually settled on 14, a list that includes Niagara, Holy Cross, Army, Eastern Illinois, Youngstown State, IUPUI, Tennessee-Martin and North Florida.

Still, counting up the benefits of staying close to home coupled with the opportunity to play both basketball and baseball led the 6-foot-9 McCullough to commit to Division III Illinois Wesleyan.

“Every school has some great attributes. But Wesleyan fit me the best. I’m really excited about the next four years,” McCullough said. “It’s worth whatever we’re going to pay to play both sports and stay home and share it with my family.”

A right-handed pitcher with a mid-80s fastball, McCullough also burst onto the basketball landscape with a breakout senior season.

Averaging 13.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks, McCullough earned Pantagraph All-Area and Corn Belt Conference first team honors.

“There aren’t many kids at our level in the country who possess his size and athletic ability,” Wesleyan basketball coach Ron Rose said. “Not only is he 6-9, but he’s long and athletic. His great timing really enhances his ability to block shots and rebound. The fact he has shown so much improvement in the last year or two is also an exciting prospect.”

The addition of McCullough helps fill a great need for the Titans, whose starting post players were 6-5 and 6-4 this past season.

“One of the areas we need to get better at to make the next step to compete for a conference championship is to get bigger, stronger and more physical,” Rose said. “Certainly, Eric possesses those characteristics.”

McCullough credited U High coach Bob Fitzgerald for his development on the court.

“None of this would be possible without Coach Fitzgerald,” McCullough said. “He never let me slack off in practice. He kept pushing me to make sure I got the most out of every day.”

McCullough hopes to assist a Titan team that had five freshmen among its top nine players in a 16-11 season.

“I need to improve on my high post game and be a little more versatile,” he said. “Hopefully, I can block some shots, rebound and maybe get lucky on some jump hooks.”

As a junior baseball player, McCullough posted a 4-4 record, a 2.73 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings.

“He’s been anywhere from 84 to 89 with his velocity, and he’s scratching the potential of what he can be,” Wesleyan baseball coach Dennis Martel said. “He’s a real big recruit for us. I see him filling out as he throws more and matures more. His ceiling is tremendous.”

While McCullough has received more notoriety in basketball, he has played baseball since he was 5 years old.

“I wasn’t ready to give it up,” he said. “I’ve got a pretty solid fastball, but I need to develop two or three solid offspeed pitches.”

Jordan Zimmer (6-4 G/F - Delavan)

Titan Tidbits (4/2/08)

Thursday April 3, 2008

Delavan's Jordan Zimmer will continue family legacy at IWU

By Randy Reinhardt

rreinhardt@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON — The Zimmer legacy of competing for Illinois Wesleyan will continue with Wednesday’s commitment of Delavan High School basketball standout Jordan Zimmer to the Titans.

The 6-foot-4 Zimmer follows in the footsteps of father Doug, uncle Ron and grandfather Duane Sampen as IWU athletes.

A consensus first-team Class 1A all-stater, Jordan Zimmer averaged 23.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals as a senior to help Delavan to a school record for victories in a 28-4 season.

“We targeted Jordan very early in the recruiting process. We thought he was the type of person, student and player who was a natural fit at Illinois Wesleyan,” Titans’ coach Ron Rose said. “We’re excited he feels the same way.”

Zimmer attended basketball games at IWU, Augustana and Elmhurst this winter. After the season was over, he made another visit to each school.

“My decision maker was Wesleyan was close to home. I’ll get a chance to watch my brother (Brady) play and watch my sister (Maddison) run,” Zimmer said. “And people will be able to come watch me (at Wesleyan).”

Zimmer led the Pantagraph area in 3-pointers (123) and free-throw percentage (91.3). He shot 42 percent from 3-point range. His 347 career 3-pointers rank fifth in state history and he holds other Delavan school records of 2,045 career points and 44 points in a game.

“Jordan is certainly a fantastic shooter. But I like the fact there is more to his game than shooting,” said Rose. “As a long, tall wing, he gives us a lot of versatility, especially with defensive matchups.”

Zimmer, who also visited Saint Louis University but was not offered a scholarship, is the second member of The Pantagraph All-Area team to pick IWU. He joins University High center Eric McCullough as future Titans.

“I really like the coaching staff. It’s a strong program with a great tradition,” Zimmer said. “I’m definitely looking forward to being a part of it. I want to get bigger and stronger. The college level is more physical and intense.”

Doug Zimmer is the former Wesleyan school record holder in the 400-meter dash. He was the Titans’ track and field most valuable player three times during a career that ran from 1983 to ’86.

Ron Zimmer also was a standout track athlete at IWU from 1988 to ’92. A basketball player, Sampen graduated from Wesleyan in 1959.

“A little bit of tradition goes into it, too,” said Jordan Zimmer.

Ryan Connolly (6-8/255 C, Springfield Lanphier)

Titan Tidbits (5/6/08)

May 7, 2008

Normal West's Seibring among 3 IWU men's basketball commitments

By Randy Reinhardt

rreinhardt@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON -- The Illinois Wesleyan basketball recruiting class got bigger in more ways than one on Tuesday.

Along with landing Normal West High School guard Sean Seibring, Evanston guard Stephen Rudnicki and Morton forward Dexter Walker, IWU also added 6-foot-9, 270-pound Ryan “Big Country” Connolly of Springfield Lanphier.

A Big 12 Conference all-star, Seibring is the third member of the Pantagraph All-Area team to opt for Wesleyan. He joins University High’s Eric McCullough and Delavan’s Jordan Zimmer.

The 6-foot-2 Seibring averaged 12.0 points for the Wildcats and was a 77 percent free-throw shooter.

“I’ve been around there so much as a fan. Now that I’m an actual Titan, It’s pretty special,” said Seibring, whose father Steve is IWU’s associate vice president for advancement. “It’s a great school with great academics. Coach (Ron) Rose is a great coach and it’s a real fun team. I’m really excited.”

Seibring helped the Wildcats to a Class 3A regional championship.

“It’s great to have someone who is well aware of the tradition and how special it is to be a Titan,” Rose said. “Sean really showed great improvement as the year went on and finished out his senior year very strong.”

The 6-5, 210-pound Walker hails from Rose’s hometown and played for Coach Steve Schupp, who was Rose’s sophomore coach.

“Dexter is really a physically strong kid,” said Rose. “He has great court awareness and can score in a variety of ways.”

Walker averaged 18.1 points and 6.1 rebounds while earning first team all-Mid-Illini Conference honors for the Potters.

“It’s a really good education and the basketball program is really solid. Even when they were rebuilding last year they got second in conference,” Walker said. “I’m versatile. I can post up and do things down low and I can shoot the ball pretty well, too.”

A 6-3 guard, Rudnicki was a co-captain and the leading scorer of an Evanston team that finished 30-4 and took third place at the Class 4A State Tournament.

“I can play both (point and off guard). I’m a versatile player offensively,” said Rudnicki. “I can shoot the ball, and I try to set up the offense so everyone gets goods shots.”

Rudnicki averaged 10 points, five assists and four rebounds for the Wildkits.

“What stood out about Stephen was his ability to pass the ball. He has a high basketball IQ,” Rose said. “He really thinks the game through. He played against (former Titan) John Camardella’s Prospect team, and John said he had a propensity for hitting big shots.”

Connolly and the 6-9 McCullough give the Titans needed height. IWU started no players over 6-5 last season.

“I think I can go right in and fit into their program. I should be able to compete for some playing time,” said Connolly. “I’m good at using my size to post somebody up. At the Division III level, not too many people should be able to match up with me one-on-one.”

Connolly, who had 37 points and 21 rebounds against Peoria Notre Dame in a December game at U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington, averaged 16.8 points and 9.8 rebounds his senior year at Lanphier and was a Central State Eight Conference all-star.

Rose could not comment on Connolly because he has yet to receive his admissions contract.

Steve Rudnicki (6-4 PG/SG, Evanston)