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OXFORD, Ohio—Former Middletown High School standout Bill Edwards has decided to transfer to Miami University, head men’s basketball coach Charlie Coles announced Tuesday. Edwards transfers from Penn State where he was a freshman with the Nittany Lions last season.
“Bill has indicated he wants to come to Miami University, and we are thrilled he wants to be a RedHawk,” said Coles. “We recruited him in high school, and we believe (he) is a talented and versatile player who will be a great addition to our program.”
Edwards—a 6-foot-6, 235-pound forward—played in 26 games at Penn State, making five starts. He averaged 16.0 minutes per game while averaging 4.2 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game. Nearly one-third of his field goals came from 3-point range, while knocking down a stellar 80.8 percent of his free-throw attempts. He also handed out 26 assist and tallied 12 steals and six blocked shots at Penn State. Per NCAA transfer rules, Edwards will not be available for game duty until the 2011-2012 season.
In 2009, Edwards was tabbed the Ohio Senior Player of the Year and was a first-team all-state selection. He was a two-time Middletown Journal and District 15 player of the year, was twice named Greater Miami Conference Co-Player of the Year, and also was tabbed the Cincinnati High School Basketball Hall of Fame Co-Player of the Year as a senior.
A two-time all-city and all-Southwest Ohio selection, Edwards finished his career ranked seventh all-time on the Middletown High School scoring list with 1,129 points. As a senior, Edwards averaged 17.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 4.0 apg and 1.7 steals per game to propel the Middies—along with current RedHawk Allen Roberts—to a 12-0 conference and 19-3 overall record, the second round of the state tournament and a No. 3 final ranking in the AP Poll. He was a four-year starter and three-time captain for the Middies.
Soderberg and Haddix also return to home states
Edwards joins the program as sophomore guard Kramer Soderberg (St. Charles, Mo./St. Charles West) and junior guard Rodney Haddix II (Georgetown, Ky./Scott County) depart for Lindenwood University and Georgetown College (Ky.), respectively.
“Kramer had mixed emotions about leaving Miami but has strong ties to Lindenwood and has an opportunity to play with his former high school teammate and for his father and also his former high school coach,” said Coles. “He liked Miami, but it was a great opportunity for him.”
“Rodney did a great job for us as a RedHawk but felt like he wanted to play closer to home, and Georgetown is in his hometown,” said Coles.
Miami returns nine players, including four starters, from the 2009-10 roster and returns honorable mention all-MAC selection Julian Mavunga.
Courtesy of MU Athletics |
