New Offers Added as Recruits Return to School
While college coaches are in the process of helping acclimatize incoming freshmen and transfers to campus this week, recruiting efforts across the country have not faltered.
New York area recruits and New York-based AAU products continue to garner Division-I offers as the fall semester awaits. Coaches continue to scour the country for talent and upside-rich prospects capable of upgrading the roster and elevating the culture of the program.
Among those headed back to school with new offers are Long Island native Preston Edmead and PSA Cardinals product Darius Adams.
Edmead was recently offered by Hofstra, one of the best mid major programs in the tri-state area and beyond. Hofstra is coming off a sizzling 25-9 campaign in 2022-23, one in which they ascended into the upper tier of the Colonial Athletic Association and simultaneously generated national visibility with the scoring pace of Aaron Estrada (20.2 PPG, 47.8 percent FG). The Pride piled up a 16-2 record in conference play and earned an NIT berth for just the seventh time in program history. Hofstra scored a pulsating 88-86 overtime victory over Rutgers before falling to Cincinnati to conclude a banner season.
Edmead has upped his profile this summer, as the blur-like 6-foot point guard is able to quarterback a team with his flashy handle and shifty style. Playing for the New York Jayhawks,
Edmead has been a consistent 3-level scorer who is in constant attack mode. Edmead applies a sustained relentlessness to his game, attacking the rim in full throttle fashion. Defensively, he has established himself as a certifiable on-ball pest. The energy and swagger he plays with are appealing, notable factors to his game.
They have also allowed Edmead to establish additional recent offers from the likes of Seton Hall, Alabama-Birmingham, Utah Tech, Manhattan, Alabama-Birmingham, UC Riverside, and others. Hofstra has a long history of featuring transcendent guard talent from the New York area. That includes current head coach Speedy Claxton, who spearheaded the program to a 2000 NCAA tournament berth under then-coach Jay Wright.
Adams, who broke out this summer with his long range 3-point shooting and heady offensive play for the PSA Cardinals, was offered by the University of Florida on Friday.
Florida underachieved during the 2022-23 campaign under first year head coach Todd Golden. The Gators were marred by inconsistent play, mustering a 16-17 overall record. They were romped, 67-49, by University of Central Florida during the NIT. Despite a rocky transitional year for Golden, a young coach known for his analytics, the Gators seized recruiting momentum in the off-season. They brought in a highly sought after transfer in Walter Clayton Jr., a 6-foot-2 guard who averaged 16.8 points while propelling Iona to an NCAA tournament berth as a sophomore. The Gators also returned Riley Kugel, a rising 6-foot-5 sophomore guard who showed promise with multiple games of 20+ points last season.
The Class of 2025 Adams was recently offered by Indiana. A legitimate lead guard who can play both back court positions, Adams averaged 15 points for the PSA Cardinals this past season. He led Manasquan (NJ) to its first ever state championship as a sophomore, scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 boards during the title game. With his know-how and passing arsenal, Adams is a big and wiry guard with positional versatility. He is active on the offensive and defensive glass and has improved incrementally as a defender.
This season, Adams will play at La Lumiere Prep in Indiana.