cole signs with Texas A&M

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Sean Cole Signs With D-I Texas
A&M Corpus Christi--(Apr. 24, 2001)

We were alerted last week by St. Monica's coach Scott McDowell that Sean Cole (6'-7" Sr. PF) had signed with D-I Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and he promised to send us the press release which was published in the local Corpus Christi newspaper, the "Caller Times." Well, Scott did send us the release, but we neglected to post it over the weekend, which had more to do with which of our computers the message was downloaded to more than it did with anything else. Well, we retrieved the message tonight, so we're posting the press release. We honestly don't know a lot about Texas A&M CC except that last year former LA Valley College player George Walker signed with them, and out of the class of 1998, Brandon Moorer from Manual Arts also signed with the Islanders (who by the way, have one of the strangest internet official athletic sites. . .they have a section devoted to press releases, and amazingly, the only link in the more than 100+ press releases that doesn't work--it's a "dead link" is the one announcing Cole's signing). The only current SoCal players on the roster this past season were senior Lee Denmon III from Inglewood (via LA Southwest College), Dustin Shultz (6'-8" So. F) from Exeter (which is in the Central Valley, still technically part of SoCal if you're looking at it from a CIF point of view), and Shaun Hemsley (6'-9" So. F) from Crenshaw's class of 1999. The Islanders are still one of the few independents not yet affiliated with a conference in Division I, but that will certainly change as the school matures and grows (it's located on the Gulf, and from the photos it sort of looks the way UCSB did about 30 years ago). In any event, Cole will be a great addition to this team. Here's the story:

Islanders land a 6-7 power forward
Private school product Sean Cole is the team's newest member

Corpus Christi Caller Times
Wednesday, April 18, 2001
From staff and correspondent reports

The latest addition to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team jumps out of the gym and usually lands in the weight room.

That's what Sean Cole's high school coach, Scott McDowell, said are qualities that define his best player, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound power forward who signed a letter of intent to play next season for the Islanders. Cole's signing was announced Tuesday by the university. Cole played last season at St. Monica Catholic School in Santa Monica, Calif. He averaged 21 points, 17 rebounds and 3.4 blocked shots.

"He's a monster," McDowell said. "He's the perfect power forward because he's so big and strong. We brought him away from the basket a little. He showed a good 10-foot jumper from the baseline, and he drove to the hoop extremely well from the foul line. And he loves to go to the glass."

St. Monica competes against other private schools in Division IV of the California Interscholastic Federation. The Mariners advanced to the CIF championship game and earned a berth in the state tournament against other public and private schools in Division IV. Cole led St. Monica to the Division IV state semifinals and a 22-9 overall record. Coaches placed Cole on the All-CIF first team for the second consecutive year.

"We weren't sure we were going to take a big man out of high school because we had been looking hard at the junior colleges," Arrow said. "But we had a chance to get a player of very high caliber, who also has a great work ethic and great skills in the classroom. He's the total package. He's the type of kid we want to build our program around."

Arrow said the Islanders have two scholarships remaining, and the coaching staff is searching for one more inside player and the best wing player available. A&M-CC loses five seniors from a team that finished 14-14 last season.