USF men’s basketball loses two recruits

Coach Orlando Antigua has reportedly lost 2016 recruits Troy Baxter Jr. and Andres Feliz. 
ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU

Missing at Saturday’s USF Fan Fest among the faces of USF’s nearly 500 student-athletes were two highly recruited men’s basketball players: Troy Baxter Jr. and Andres Feliz.

According to a report by The Tampa Bay Times over the weekend, Baxter and Feliz are currently not on roster. The fall semester at USF began August 22. 

Baxter is a four-star recruit and the 90th-best player in ESPN’s top 100 recruits for 2016. As a senior at Oldsmar Christian School last season, Baxter averaged 17 points and seven rebounds. 

A three-star recruit out of West Oaks Academy in Orlando, Feliz led the Dominican National Team in scoring with 18.9 points per game at the 2015 FIBA World Championships.

With the losses of Baxter and Feliz likely related to the ongoing NCAA investigation regarding academic fraud at USF, the Bulls retain freshmen Malik Fitts and Michael Bibby as the only recruits of 2016 currently with the team. 

USF volleyball wins Charlotte Invitational 

Following an 11-21 season in which USF volleyball finished ninth out of 11 teams in the AAC, the Bulls won the Charlotte Invitational this weekend, dropping only one set over three dominating wins. 

Senior right side hitter Elyse Panick earned the title of tournament M.V.P. for her 50 digs, 28 kills and 12 blocks over the three-match weekend. 

“I think it was important for our team to start out strong during the opening weekend to set the tone for the season,” coach Courtney Draper said in a release. “It’s tough to prepare for three teams in two days, but our kids executed well.”

USF (3-0) will look to continue its undefeated season when it hosts the USF Invitational, beginning Friday with a match against Western Carolina at 1 p.m. at The Corral. 

Mike White wins starting WKU QB job

Former USF starting quarterback Mike White, who transferred to Western Kentucky following USF’s switch to its “Gulf Coast” offense, has earned the starting quarterback job for the Hilltoppers.

Replacing record-setting quarterback Brandon Doughty, White was competing with senior Tyler Ferguson and sophomore Drew Eckels over the offseason for the starting job. 

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback threw for 1,639 yards and eight touchdowns with seven interceptions over 11 games in his final season with the Bulls in 2014.