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MAY 17 — Leafs
Land One Of State's Top Seniors In Stotler
Highly-decorated
recruit gives Goshen another multi-talented option for 2004-2005 |
Goshen,
IN — In perhaps its biggest signing of this year’s recruiting
period, the Goshen College men’s basketball team acquired Blue
River Valley High School standout Tyler Stotler on Monday,
adding to an already talented incoming class. Stotler, a
6-3, 200-pound scoring
wing, comes to Goshen with a variety of awards and accolades
including being a member of the 2004 Indiana North-South
All-Star team and a
Top 40 Workout participant.
“I am thrilled to have Tyler Stotler commit to our program,” said
Stan Daugherty, Goshen head coach. “Tyler has had an outstanding high school
career and is a very athletic player that can score in a variety of ways. I believe
he can be an outstanding defender in our league because of his quickness and
athletic ability, and I believe he will be a good fit with our team and what
we try to do on the floor.”
Stotler finished as Blue River’s third all-time scoring leader with 1,363
career points and the school’s second all-time rebounding leader with 610
rebounds — averaging 23 points per game and 9.1 rebounds per game during
his senior season. During his four-year varsity career, Stotler led Blue River
to a 64-29 overall record, helping his team advance to the IHSAA Class A State
Finals as a freshman and making it to the round of the Sweet Sixteen as a sophomore.
He connected on 51.4 percent of all field goal attempts throughout his career — Stotler
made 54 percent of his tries as a senior — and was in Blue River’s
starting lineup in 85 of 93 total games in four years of varsity action.
“There are a
lot of high school coaches that are glad Tyler Stotler is off our team,” said
Blue River head coach Barry Huckeby. “He has been a staple of our program
for four years, and has done everything you expect a great player to do — make
a defensive stop, get a big rebound, make a big play on the offensive end. I
can’t say enough good things about him as a player, and he’s an even
better kid off the court.”
In addition to competing in the Indiana North-South All-Star Classic and Top
40 Workout, Stotler was also named to first team All-Mid-Eastern Conference and New
Castle Courier Times All-Area honors following both his junior and senior
seasons, and was named the Courier Times Area Player of The Year following
his senior year. He set a new Blue River Shelton Gymnasium scoring record against
Muncie Burris on Feb. 27 with 40 points this season, and notched 38 points in
a 61-54 win over Monroe Central on Feb. 12. In addition to his offensive capabilities,
Stotler took 23 charges in his senior year, leading his otherwise undermanned
Viking team to a 15-7 record.
“He is like a son to me, and his leadership in the past two years have
been a major reason for our success,” Huckeby said. “You don’t
get many kids like Tyler at a small school, and he’s a classy kid and a
fine young man. He will be a tremendous worker and player for Goshen, just like
he has been for us.”
Highly recruited, Stotler chose Goshen over schools such as Anderson University,
Bellarmine University and Georgetown College. He also received interest from
NCAA Division I Akron University, Wright State University and Kent State University.
In the end, though, Goshen was simply the right fit.
“The family environment that the coaches have with the players at Goshen
was probably the most important thing to me,” Stotler said. “I like
the small school environment and the educational and Christian value of Goshen.
At first I was hesitant about a small college. I was all about going (NCAA) Division
I no matter what, but I realized I just fit in better here. I really liked the
players I met on my visit, and there is a strong balance on both school and basketball
at Goshen. The basketball program is extremely important here, and you don’t
find that at many small schools.”
Stotler said he plans to major in physical education once at Goshen,
as he has hopes of teaching and coaching one day. He joins Huntington
North senior Sam
Ryan, Elkhart Central senior Brice Hartman and Cumberland Valley (Carlisle, PA)
senior Tyler Springer in Goshen’s 2004 incoming class.
“I’m excited about the travel, the better level of competition and
college life, but probably the most excited about making new friends and the
bond you get with your college teammates,” Stotler said. “They will
be your friends for life, and I’m anxious to get to know these guys even
better. They really seem like the type of people I’m already friends with.”
Goshen finished with an overall record of 21-12 in 2003-2004, the best finish
in school history. Daugherty said he hopes Stotler can help the team improve
in the ever-tough Mid-Central Conference next season.
“I was very impressed with Tyler’s overall attitude and outlook during
his visit here,” Daugherty said. “He is anxious to join our program
and seems eager to learn and experience a new level of basketball. I look forward
to working with him and seeing him continue to develop his game at the college
level.”
Goshen may still add yet another player to its roster this spring. Check back
to this website for the most up-to-date recruiting and team information.
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 Tyler
Stotler
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