April 17, 2003

ARLINGTON, Texas...The University of Texas at Arlington's men's basketball team has signed Edna High School senior Jay Neukomm to a National Letter of Intent to study and play basketball at the university beginning in the fall semester, 2003. The announcement was made today by UTA head coach Eddie McCarter.

Neukomm is a six-foot-10-inch, 220 pound center from Edna (Texas) High School. His signing makes Neukomm Edna's first ever NCAA Division I basketball recruit.

Last season, Neukomm was a unanimous selection to the first team All-District squad and also earned second team All-Area honors. He averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and two assists per game, while helping Edna to the Class 3A regional semifinals before it lost to Aransas Pass. Edna finished the season with a 19-11 overall record.

An academic, as well as athletic, standout, Neukomm is ranked fourth in his senior class academically, and plans on studying engineering at UTA.

Neukomm is the first player to sign with the Mavericks during the NCAA's late signing period, which began April 16. UTA signed three players during the early period last fall, including 6'4" guard Stephen Floyd of Missouri City Elkins High School, 6'1" guard Courtney Captain of Galveston Ball High School and 6'7" forward Ross Ryden of Hutto (Texas) High School.

UTA is coming off a season in which it finished 16-13 overall and 13-7 in the Southland Conference. The Mavericks finished third in the league and set a team record for most conference wins in a season in 2002-03.

...utamavericks...