Fort Hays State men’s basketball coach Mark Johnson announced the signing of eight more players for the 2012-13 season after two players signed early with the program in November of 2011. The latest recruits include Dwayne Brunson, Nick Capiti, Tomislav Gabric, Rundell Mauge, Andrew Victoria, Marty Wendel, Austin Brown, and Scott Ochs. Early signings in November 2011 included Craig Nicholson and Carson Konrade.
Brunson was a standout performer at Barton (Kan.) Community College, where he earned All-Region 6 Second Team and All-KJCCC West Division Second Team honors for the 2011-12 season. Last year, he averaged a double-double of 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. He had double-doubles in 16 contests and recorded 83 blocked shots for the season, averaging 2.9 per game. He also had a solid freshman season with an all-conference honorable mention nod, averaging 14.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game to go along with 93 blocked shots, averaging 3.2 per game. Brunson is a 6-foot, 7-inch, 220-pound forward from Queens, N.Y.
Capiti comes to the program from Merritt (Calif.) College, where he played for two years. He led Merritt in scoring in 2011-12, averaging 14.9 points per game, and pulled in 5.6 rebounds per game. He shot the ball really well from the field, hitting 53.6 percent of his shots overall and 51 percent from beyond the 3-point line. Capiti also led his team in steals with 46. He is a 6-foot, 1-inch guard from Oakland, Calif.
Gabric comes to FHSU from Palm Beach (Fla.) State College, where he played for two years. He appeared in 20 games as a sophomore in 2011-12, averaging 4.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. As a freshman in 2010-11, he averaged 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. Gabric stands at 6-feet, 6-inches and is a native of Split, Croatia.
Mauge is a senior transfer from the University of Pacific, standing at 7-feet tall and 270 pounds. He played in 17 games for Pacific in 2011-12, averaging 1.9 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. He redshirted the 2010-11 season at Pacific after transferring from North Platte (Neb.) Community College, where he played for two years. He was a NJCAA All-Region 9 Tournament selection in 2009-10 as a sophomore in a year where he averaged 5.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game and helped his school to its first-ever Region 9 championship. He ranked eighth in total blocked shots and sixth in blocked shots per game in the NJCAA that year. Mauge is a native of Cedros, Trinidad and Tobago.
Victoria transfers to FHSU from Butler (Kan.) Community College, where he played for two years. He averaged 9.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in 2011-12 as a sophomore, shooting 58.3 percent from the field. As a freshman in 2010-11, he averaged 2.9 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 66 percent from the field. Victoria is a 6-foot, 8-inch, 230-pound native of Bridgeport, Conn.
Wendel joins fellow teammate Carson Konrade in transferring from Colby (Kan.) Community College to FHSU. He played two years at Colby after a standout prep career at Ingalls High School in Ingalls, Kan. Wendel averaged 4.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2011-12. As a freshman in 2010-11, he averaged 2.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Wendel is a 6-foot, 6-inch, 210-pound forward.
Brown is a freshman from Olathe East High School in Olathe, Kan. Last year as a senior, Brown averaged 7.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, helping his team to the state tournament. He helped Olathe East to a third-place finish in Kansas Class 6A as a junior, with 7.6 and 5.9 rebounds per game. He is a 6-foot, 5-inch forward.
Ochs is a junior transfer from Colby (Kan.) Community College. As a sophomore in 2011-12, he appeared in 19 games for the Trojans, averaging 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. As a freshman in 2010-11, he played in 29 games, averaging 2.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. The 6-foot, 7-inch, 240-pound forward hails from Quinter, Kan.
Nicholson, a 5-foot, 8-inch guard from Wichita Northwest High School, who signed with the Tigers in November, had a great end to his prep career. He was a Kansas Class 6A All-State First Team selection by the Wichita Eagle and a Second Team selection by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association. He was also part of the ESPN Preseason All-State Team for Kansas. The Wichita, Kan., native averaged 20.2 points per game as a senior.
Konrade, a 6-foot, 3-inch guard from Colby (Kan.) Community College, led his team in scoring as a sophomore at 14.3 points per game, while pulling down 6.1 rebounds per game. He shot 44.2 percent from the field and 38.8 percent beyond the 3-point line in 2011-12, draining a team-high 78 3-point field goals. He also reached the foul line 115 times, where he shot 74.8 percent. Konrade is a native of Spearville, Kan.
– FHSU Sports Information –