Following a 28-6 finish and an appearance in the 2017 NCAA Division II Elite Eight, St. Thomas Aquinas College head coach Tobin Anderson is proud to announce this year’s recruiting class. The Spartans will add six talented players to a core group of returners who have won 76 games in the past three years as they strive to compete for a national championship in 2018.
Here’s a look at the newcomers:
Malik Parker – 6’0” Guard – Chicago, IL (Chicago Christian HS)
1st Team IBCA All-State…team won back-to-back Metro Suburban Conference titles as a junior and senior…two-time Metro Suburban Conference Player of the Year…team finished 22-7 as a junior and 20-7 as a senior…averaged 19.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals as a senior.
Coach Anderson on Malik: “Malik is an excellent combo guard who can do a little bit of everything. He is athletic, can score in a lot of ways, and plays with no fear. He is a hard-worker who loves to compete; he will fit in great with our program and style of play.”
Zac Rzewnicki – 6’4” Guard/Forward – Harwood Heights, IL (Ridgewood HS)
Received 2nd Team Class 3A All-State recognition as a senior…averaged 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists per game as a senior…led the team to a 17-11 record…graduated as the school’s all-time leader in career points with 1,846 and rebounds with 641.
Coach Anderson on Zac: “Zac can really shoot it but he is more than just a shooter. He has a great frame and really knows how to score. He will rebound and is as tough as they come. He adds a dimension to our team that we need.”
Kevin Lynch – 6’5” Forward - Palisades, NY (Tappan Zee HS)
Named Second Team All-State, First Team All-Section 1, and League MVP…team finished with a 22-2 overall record, advancing to the NYS Section 1 Class A Finals…averaged a team-leading 21 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Coach Anderson on Kevin: “We are thrilled to have Kevin “stay home” and be a Spartan. He comes from an excellent Tappan Zee program. He is tough and will not be outworked. He continues to get better every day and we expect big things from him at STAC.”
JR Connell – 6’8” Forward - Brooklyn, NY (National Christian Academy)
Led team to a 21-11 finish as a senior…averaged 11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 5 blocks as a senior…helped team to a 69-19 overall record in three years…team was ranked as high as #45 in the country junior year and finished with a 27-2 record.
Coach Anderson on JR: “We have recruited JR for 2 years and we are thrilled to get him. He has unlimited potential and his best days are ahead of him. He has great hands, can really run, and is able to play inside and out. He will thrive in our up-tempo system.”
Jamar Sudan – 6’6” Guard/Forward - Chester, PA (Chester HS)
Named 1st Team All-Delco…averaged a team-best 15.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals as a senior, with 17 double-doubles…led Chester to the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinals…team finished with a 22-6 overall record…totaled 940 points in his high school career.
Coach Anderson on Jamar: “Jamar is a guy we recruited hard and we think he is a perfect fit. He is versatile on both ends of the floor, and he competes with anyone. Jamar can literally play and guard 4 positions; we think he is going to be a tremendous player at STAC.”
Kameron Murrell – 6’2” Guard – Long Beach, CA (Long Beach Poly/George Mason University)
Transfer from A10 member George Mason…in two years, played in 54 games with three starts…helped team improve from 11 wins as a freshman to 20 wins as a sophomore…totaled 96 points, 58 rebounds, 19 assists, 10 steals while playing nearly ten minutes per game.
Coach Anderson on Kameron: “Kam comes from a 20 win team in the Atlantic 10 so he knows what it takes to win at a high level. He is a strong, competitive guard who makes everyone around him better. His toughness impressed us in the recruiting process and we expect him to have an immediate impact at STAC.”