7-foot-2 center, '12 guard made visit to USF

You've probably read by now that 6-foot-10 center Waverly Austin made an official visit to USF this past weekend, liking things enough that he committed to play for the Bulls next season. Turns out he wasn't the only big recruit taking in the USF-West Virginia game with Bulls coach Stan Heath.

Four talented players from Montverde Academy in Orlando made unofficial visits to take in the game, according to Montverde coach Kevin Sutton. It's a very international group, one that could be part of USF's recruiting efforts for the next three seasons.

"They had a great time," Sutton said. "Any kid at a boarding school is going to enjoy the chance to take in a big college football game on ESPN(2) and meet people like Ozzie Guillen before the game."

The first name is one we've mentioned here before -- Haukur "Hawk" Palsson, a 6-foot-6 senior guard from Iceland who has a scholarship offer from USF but isn't likely to make his decision until the spring signing period. Sutton said Palsson is also considering Vanderbilt, Central Florida and Idaho but won't take official visits until after his season at Montverde.

Literally the biggest of the group is Mark Overdevest, a 7-foot-2, 260-pound junior center from New Zealand who just enrolled at Montverde this past month, Sutton said. Overdevest is "wide open" in the recruiting process, but USF was the first college campus he's visited. "He just got here," said Sutton, whose team opens its regular season on Nov. 27.

Another intriguing name is Michael Avery, a 6-5 sophomore guard who transferred to Montverde from Thousand Oaks, Calif., and has already made a name for himself in recruiting circles. Avery made headlines when he committed to Kentucky as an eighth grader, essentially picking a college before he had picked a high school. Coach Billy Gillispie is no longer at Kentucky, but one of his assistants, Jeremy Cox, is now on Heath's staff, giving the Bulls a close connection beyond the proximity to Montverde.

Also taking in the USF game was Caleb Clyburn, a point guard at Montverde who is from Winter Garden and was a teammate of USF recruiting target Keith Clanton at Orlando Christian Prep before transferring to Montverde.

Lots more basketball recruiting to come, so keep checking back for updates on Heath's options for his final scholarship in this class ...

Chicago point guard Dority commits to USF

USF coach Stan Heath has his first oral commitment of the season, getting a pledge Sunday from Lavonte Dority, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Chicago who visited USF last weekend.

"I think the program is on the rise," Dority said Sunday night. "I love the coaching staff, and I just liked the environment. And you can't beat the Big East."

Dority also visited New Mexico before visiting USF, and had visits scheduled for Wisconsin and Baylor, but said he decided this week that he knew where he wanted to play. Dority, who also considered Indiana, attended the USF-Cincinnati football game and the Bulls Frenzy basketball event during his visit, and was hosted by point guard Chris Howard and forward Ron Anderson.

Dority is rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and a two-star by Scout.com. He said he averaged 21 points and six assists last season for Foreman High, which has three other Division I commitments in this class. Asked his strengths on the court, Dority cited his leadership, his ability to create scoring opportunities and the way he can attack the basket.

Heath has two more scholarships available, with the remaining priorities being a big wing and a big man inside. Center Waverly Austin is expected to visit the Bulls this weekend, with USF and Cincinnati as his top choices.

-- USF women's soccer finished its regular season with two losses, and after entering the final weekend tied for first in the Big East's American Division, the Bulls (8-7-3) finish with the division's No. 4 seed. They'll miss out on an opening-round bye, but will get to host a first-round game Thursday against DePaul, a No. 5 seed. The Bulls lost 3-2 on Sunday to a Syracuse team that entered the match 1-8-1 in Big East play.

Oak Hill combo guard Howard to visit USF

Another new name in USF basketball recruiting, as the Bulls' search for a combo guard now includes a three-year starter for one of the nation's top prep programs: Pe'Shon Howard of Oak Hill Academy in Virginia will visit the Bulls in two weeks and likely choose between USF and Marquette.

"He'll be a third-year starter, and he's gotten much, much better. He's just a big, strong, physical guard," Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said Thursday. "He's a real good passer with a good feel for the game. He can drive, but he has good 3-point range, too. I think he'll be a really good player in college."

Howard, 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, is originally from Los Angeles but spent a year in the Cleveland area before enrolling at Oak Hill before his sophomore year. Smith said Virginia and Virginia Tech were recruiting him but have since gotten commitments from other guards, and after initially deciding he would sign in the spring period after his senior year, Smith said Howard now plans on signing early after visiting Marquette and USF in the next two weeks.

Howard has played alongside elite-level players -- as a sophomore, he started in the same backcourt with Brandon Jennings, who is now with the Milwaukee Bucks, and last season, he lined up with Momo Jones, who will play at Arizona this coming season. Howard averaged about 8 points and 6 assists last season, Smith said, but he expects his scoring to be up significantly as a senior.

There are other names we're chasing down, but this appears to be one of the targets the Bulls are focusing on at guard, with two other scholarships going to a big wing and a big man inside. ...

USF hoops coaches out visiting top recruits

USF's basketball recruiting efforts shift to another gear today, as it's the first day NCAA coaches can make personal visits to see recruits this school year. Bulls coach Stan Heath took full advantage of the window, posting on Twitter.com that he intended to make visits the very first minute he could.

"Bulls coaches getting ready for 1st home/school visit tonight at 12:01a.m.," he wrote Tuesday.

Where are the Bulls coaches today? We can confirm a few familiar names and add a few new ones to the pool of potential future Bulls.

-- Assistant coach Reggie Hanson was in Tallahassee this morning to see junior college forward Marvell Waithe, the 6-foot-8 recruit said, and he expected USF and other schools like Arkansas and Alabama to watch him work out in the gym on Wednesday night.

-- USF is in the final four schools for Trae Golden, a 6-foot-2 combo guard from the Atlanta suburb of Powder Springs, Ga., according to Powder Springs coach Mike Thompson. Thompson said his other final schools are Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia -- Vols coaches had just left the Powder Springs campus when I reached Thompson on Wednesday afternoon, and Golden is expected to visit Tennessee's campus this weekend. USF is working to lineup a visit, Thompson said, adding that Bulls coaches are due to visit Golden on Tuesday.

Bulls in mix for juco small forward Olukemi

College basketball coaches can hit the road Tuesday to visit recruits in person, so I've been trying to get a jump on where USF coach Stan Heath will be as he works to make the most of his three available scholarships.

On Wednesday, he's expected to be at Vincennes University, a junior college in Indiana, to get a look at small forward Jean-Paul "J.P." Olukemi, a 6-foot-7, 215-pounder. Olukemi has a scholarship offer from USF and is expected to make an official visit to USF the weekend of Sept. 19, according to Vincennes coach David Ragland.

Olukemi, originally from Sonora, Calif., averaged 14.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season, and Ragland said his strongest assets are his defense and his versatility.

"He's super-skilled. He can pass well and has a really high basketball IQ," Ragland said. "He can defend 1 through 4 really does a good job with guards. His shot is probably what he needs the most work on."

Ragland said Olukemi has been rated as the No. 1 junior college prospect in this class by Mike Mitchell's Midwest Scouting Service. You see that service referenced with a lot of kids, but I can't find it online to verify the ranking. Olukemi is listed as a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, and was a three-star recruit by Scout.com coming out of high school in 2008.

USF went after a Vincennes player two years ago in Zvonko Buljan, who averaged 12.3 points at TCU last season. Ragland said he hasn't had much experience with Heath, but knows assistant Jeremy Cox well, both from his junior college days and his time as an assistant at Kentucky.

Olukemi has a solid list of schools, as he's visiting Oklahoma State this weekend and has other visits lined up for Providence, Oklahoma and UTEP.

Bulls might be match for Lackawanna guard

Another new name to introduce from USF's basketball recruiting efforts -- one possibility for the combo guard Stan Heath is looking for is Shedrick "Showtyme" Haynes, a 6-foot, 185-pound guard from Bradenton who will play this season at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa.

Haynes was a two-sport star at Palmetto High, playing alongside current USF football walk-on Mistral Raymond, and he finished high school at Sarasota Booker. He played last season at Manatee Community College, where he averaged 12.5 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

He's now at Lackawanna, where coach Mike Netti said Heath will visit him on Sept. 12, following up on two unofficial visits Haynes has made to USF's campus. Netti said USF has not formally offered Haynes yet, and said Haynes needs to show that he can complete his associate of arts degree by the end of spring.

"They're very interested," said Netti, who said USF's proximity to Bradenton puts the Bulls at the top of Haynes' list of schools.

Heath has three scholarships available and would like to sign combo guard for one of those spots. It's hard to know where Haynes ranks on USF's recruiting board at the position, but Netti said the Bulls would be getting a playmaker and leader if Haynes can finish up his academic coursework.

"He's extremely fast, can shoot it from deep and he has big-time intangibles," Netti said. "He's a vocal leader, a high-character guy, like a quarterback on the floor."

We're continuing to make calls and try to track down other players USF is targeting. Coaches are allowed to make their first visits to recruits next week, so we'll try to figure out where else Heath is headed.

Rose, Josh Bellamy re-commit to Bulls for 2010

Josh Bellamy and Daron Rose, two former Tampa Bay area prep standouts who have been linked to USF in previous years, are now both committed to join the Bulls next season.

Bellamy, the former Boca Ciega star who signed with USF in 2007 and Iowa State in 2009 but didn't qualify academically either time, said he'll join the Bulls in January, most likely as a receiver or safety. The 6-foot-1, 207-pound recruit said he only needs a three-hour science class he'll take online this fall to get his associate of arts degree. He said Iowa State had held a scholarship for him for next season, but the desire to stay close to his family in St. Petersburg won out.

"I started thinking about it, talking to my mom, and I know I'd like to be closer to my family, closer to my son," said Bellamy, who is close friends with USF safety Jerrell Young. "I've been away from home for two years, and I talked to Coach (Jim) Leavitt today. I'll be there in January."

Rose, the former Jefferson and Florida State offensive tackle, had hoped to be at USF this fall, but didn't finish the courses needed for his AA degree. He's enrolled now at ASA Institute, a new junior college football program in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he is the starting left tackle, ASA coach Dennis Orlando said.

Orlando said Rose will finish classes at ASA next spring and will then take a scholarship at USF, where he'll have one year of eligibility. He started 11 games at FSU in 2007, but was declared academically ineligible in spring 2008 and didn't play football last fall. He still has three games remaining from a four-game NCAA suspension levied against him from the academic scandal at FSU.

Both players were highly rated out of high school -- Rose was a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and Scout.com, ranked by the latter as the No. 2 offensive tackle in the nation for the Class of 2006; Bellamy was rated as a two-star recruit last season after totaling 80 catches for 1,307 yards and 17 touchdowns in two seasons at Butte (Ca.) Community College.

Bellamy and Rose are the 10th and 11th commitments for USF's 2010 recruiting class, and the Bulls have enough returning players that only 17 scholarships are currently available for next year's class.

Recruiting heating up for USF men's basketball

USF men's basketball coach Stan Heath has three scholarships to use in this recruiting class, and with summer evaluations completed, the Bulls are starting to bring in recruits for visits as they try to address a few key positions in the early signing period. Heath has said he wants to sign a combo guard, a big wing and a big man in this class.

The first name we can mention is Cady LaLane, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound forward from Orlando Oak RIdge who came to campus Saturday for an unofficial visit, according to Matt Ramker, president of the Florida Rams AAU program. LaLane -- the first name is pronounced like "caddy" -- has three visits set up for September, going to Massachusetts, VCU and Georgia, Ramker said. He's also considering George Mason and Mississippi. Rivals rates LaLane as a three-star recruit.

Coming in Tuesday for an unofficial visit is Waverly Austin, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center who now calls Jacksonville home, though he'll spend this season at Maine Central Institute. Austin just missed qualifying last season, but hopes to use a year of prep school to add bulk to his frame. He has a long list of suitors -- USF, Cincinnati, Florida International, Central Florida, West Virginia, Texas A&M, Marquette, Georgetown, Temple, George Washington and Houston -- but said Heath has been on him persistently.

"South Florida and Cincinnati have recruited me the most, but I'm still wide-open," said Austin, who said his strengths are being able to run the floor well and finish in transition.

Being close to Jacksonville is a plus for USF, and he's originally from northern Virginia, so he has played with Bulls sophomore Gus Gilchrist and trained with Terrelle Woody, now USF's video coordinator, at the Hoop Magic facility in Virginia.

One more name to mention is Marvell Waithe, a 6-8, 205-pound forward from Tallahassee Community College who averaged 18.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Waithe has good range as well, having hit a team-high 45 3-pointers last season, at a 39 percent clip.

"I love to shoot. It's what I do," said Waithe, who said schools are primarily recruiting him as a small forward, but he feels comfortable playing at power forward if necessary. Waithe, originally from Toronto, said what he likes the most about USF would be the chance to play in an elite conference.

"I know they're in the Big East, and I love that," he said. "Them being in that conference has me very interested in them. You're playing great teams every night in the Big East."

Waithe said he is also considering Pittsburgh, LSU, Arkansas and Rutgers, among others, and his coach at TCC, Eddie Barnes, said he expects Heath to make a personal visit on the first day or two once that period opens next month.

This is just three names out of many USF is targeting -- we'll have more this week, trying to get caught up on basketball recruiting before football season sets in.

Signee Joyer gets release after academic issues

Wesley Chapel center Kamran Joyer, who signed with USF in February, has asked for and been granted a release from his scholarship with the Bulls after uncertainty as to whether he'd be accepted academically, his father Jack said Monday afternoon.

Joyer, who has been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse, had agreed to take two courses at Hillsborough Community College this summer, then go before the academic committee that reviews incoming athletes at USF in August.

But Jack Joyer said Monday he received an e-mail from Jason Linders, USF's academic advisor for football, warning him that even if Joyer completed the two HCC classes with high grades, he wasn't guaranteed to be accepted into USF.

The issue, his father said, relates to the practice of "grade forgiveness," as Joyer re-took four classes online to improve the grades he earned in the classroom. Doing so allowed him to meet the NCAA minimum requirements -- his father said he has a 2.59 grade-point average and an 870 on the SAT -- but Joyer was told that USF would weigh the original grades when considering whether to admit him for fall classes.

Rather than face that uncertainty, Joyer asked for and was given his release by USF coach Jim Leavitt, freeing him up to sign with another program where he can be assured of getting into school. Jack Joyer did not name any specific schools Monday, but said last week he was aware that Michigan and Tennessee had scholarships available.

USF's coaches had anticipated some attrition from signing day, when 29 players signed with the Bulls, four over the NCAA limit for one class. Joyer is the sixth signee not expected to be in school this fall -- defensive tackle Khyri Thornton was not admitted and has signed with Southern Miss, safety Kevin Williams did not pass enough junior-college classes to be admitted, running back Adaris Bellamy is headed to prep school in Virginia and tight end Gerard Atkins and safety Ivan Nicholas have not been cleared and are expected to grayshirt or defer enrollment until January.

Even without those six signees, USF is believed to be at the NCAA's overall limit of 85 scholarships, unless other returning players do not stay with the program as expected.

-- Those of you new to the blog might not know of the blog's deep, deep affection for daytime kickoffs. Prime-time kickoffs are exciting, yes, but make for tight deadlines, so you can't do as much with a story. So it's with a mid-season level of disappointment that I report that USF's road game at Western Kentucky -- still sounds weird to say that -- will have a 7:30 p.m. kickoff and broadcast through ESPN Regional -- locally on Bright House Sports Network. Ugh.

And USF's annual Football Fan Fest is tentatively set for Aug. 15 at Raymond James Stadium.

Belle Glade lineman Kibler commits to USF

Tony Kibler, a first-team all-state offensive lineman from Belle Glade, has accepted a scholarship offer to play for USF in 2010, orally committing during Saturday night's "SuperBull" recruiting event.

"I just like the school, like the coaches. I like everything about it," said Kibler, who played at Okeechobee last season but has transferred to Glades Day School in Belle Glade.

Kibler, who said he is 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, chose the Bulls over scholarship offers from Arkansas and Central Florida. He played right tackle last season, but said USF's coaches have told him they see him as an interior lineman at the next level. He was initially recruited by assistant Kevin Patrick but said he has talked the most with co-offensive line coach Larry Scott.

Kibler said he got a scholarship offer from USF last fall and first met USF coach Jim Leavitt at the Bulls' Junior Day event this spring. He said his commitment is a firm one: "I'm not going to back out of it," he said.

Kibler (rhymes with "nibbler," so save the Keebler jokes) said he'd like to drop weight from his current 320 in the next year, and said his strength on the field is his ability "to think on the fly" as a play develops. Last season at Okeechobee, he was part of a line that blocked for Lonnie Pryor, who rushed for 2,295 yards and 20 touchdowns before signing with Florida State.

Kibler was rated as the No. 16 overall prospect in the area by the Palm Beach Post, but is still largely under the radar of the major recruiting sites. Both Scout.com and Rivals.com rate him as a one-star recruit, which typically signifies a recruit who has yet to be fully evaluated.

Kibler is the fifth player to commit to USF for the 2010 recruiting class. Two rising seniors -- quarterback Brion Carnes of Bradenton Manatee and Lake City running back Tiger Powell -- have committed to the Bulls, and two junior college players, defensive end Claude Davis and offensive lineman Justin Green, have also said they will sign with USF.