|
Neltner Joins Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball Program 5/18/2005 Ross Neltner is transferring to the Vanderbilt men’s basketball program after playing the previous two seasons at LSU, Commodore Head Coach Kevin Stallings announced Wednesday. “We’re excited to have Ross coming to our program,” Stallings said. “We looked at him when he was coming out of high school and we’re happy to get him at this point in his career.” Neltner, a 6-9, 235-pound forward from Fort Thomas, Ky., earned Kentucky Mr. Basketball honors averaging 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds in 2003 as a senior. The Fort Thomas Highlands product was the top vote-getter for First Team All-State accolades by both the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Louisville Courier-Journal. At LSU, Neltner played in 51 career games with one start. Neltner averaged 2.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in 13.5 minutes as a sophomore, shooting 44.1 percent from the field (30-of-68) and 42.9 percent from 3-point range (9-of-21). His tip-in in the final second helped the Tigers edge then-No. 14 Alabama, 61-59, on Feb. 22, in a key Southeastern Conference Western Division matchup. Neltner also was named to the 2005 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll. Neltner scored as many as seven points five times during his sophomore season at LSU, including contests against both Auburn and Kentucky at the SEC Tournament. He grabbed a season-best seven rebounds at Auburn on Feb. 26. “He is an outstanding shooter and rebounder and the type of player that compliments what we do at Vanderbilt,” Stallings said. “He plays very well on both sides of the floor.” Neltner will sit out the 2005-06 season due to NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility remaining beginning with the 2006-07 campaign. |
