In addition to Division I transfers Brian Grimes (Columbia from La Salle) and Dan McGeary (Harvard from New Hampshire) and 2006 Yale recruit Rhett Anderson (two-year Mormon mission), by the end of the summer 11 members of the 2008 recruiting class had committed to Ivy programs.
The summer’s biggest Ivy recruiting news came in mid-July, when Zack Rosen of powerhouse St. Benedict’s High School in New Jersey opted for Penn. The point guard is widely considered a Top 150 prospect and caught the attention of major conference schools. Glen Miller received more good news earlier this month when Rob Belcore of Loyola Academy in suburban Chicago gave a commitment to the Quakers. The sharpshooting wing chose Penn over Missouri Valley power Southern Illinois.
Up Interstate 95 in New Haven, James Jones already has four members of next fall’s freshman class lined up. Joining Anderson is shooting guard Brian Katz from St. Dominic’s on Long Island, who committed back in May over interest from other Ivy program. This month Yale picked up a pair of commitments from local big man Greg Mangano of West Haven and California guard Reggie Willhite at Phillips Exeter in New Hampshire. Mangano had received interest from Penn, Princeton, Lehigh, and Northeastern.
New coaches Tommy Amaker and Sydney Johnson each received commitments from a point guard and forward. Amaker’s first high school commitment was a solid one, with Bay Area point guard Oliver McNally selecting Harvard over Big West and WCC interest in August. He was joined in the Crimson fold a few days later by suburban Chicago forward Peter Boehm. Meanwhile, small forward Patrick Saunders of New Hampton Prep became Johnson’s first recruit, electing to commit to Princeton over interest from Harvard and Penn and reportedly had some Atlantic 10 offers. He was followed by point guard Max Huc of Brewster Academy — formerly of The Hill School in his native Pennsylvania.
Last but not least, both New York Ivies got a jump on their 2008 recruiting by landing commitments from shooting guards. Joe Jones got Peddie postgrad Noruwa Agho to verbal to Columbia, while suburban Chicago shooter Chris Wroblewski is Cornell-bound over offers from a number of other Ivy schools.
