LA JOLLA, Calif. – Three standout transfers have joined the UC San Diego men's basketball program as the Tritons make the jump to NCAA Division I this fall.
Matt Gray,
Jake Killingsworth, and
Toni Rocak make up the newest members of the Triton basketball squad as the program enters a new era.
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Both Gray and Killingsworth are eligible to play for the Tritons this season, while Rocak is expected to sit out due to transfer rules.
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"We are excited to add Matt, Toni and Jake to our program," said UC San Diego head coach
Eric Olen. "They each bring unique skill sets but all three have experience playing at a high level. We feel like this group will be a terrific complement to our returners and help elevate our team. I am thrilled to welcome them to the Triton Family and can't wait to get started."
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MATT GRAY
6-8 Forward
Orange, Australia
Salt Lake Community College/Drake University
• Enters UC San Diego as a redshirt sophomore
• Played last year at SLCC after redshirting his freshman year at Drake
• Averaged more than seven points and four rebounds per game last season, making 31 starts
• Earned NJCAA Academic All-America honors
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JAKE KILLINGSWORTH
6-5 Guard
San Carlos, Calif.
Columbia University/Serra HS
• Enters UC San Diego as a graduate transfer
• Started every game as a senior last year at Columbia
• Averaged 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Lions as a senior, both career highs
• Made 66 starts in 84 career games, averaged 25 minutes per game
• Was a WCAL and
Mercury News Player of the Year as a senior at Serra HS
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TONI ROCAK
6-8 Forward
Geneva, Switzerland
Regis College/Phillips Exeter (NH) Prep
• Enters UC San Diego as a junior
• Played past two seasons at Regis College in Denver, Colo.
• Averaged 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds last season at Regis, making 24 starts
• Honorable Mention All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
• Selected to RMAC Honor Roll
The three transfers join a highly successful unit which shattered long-standing program records a season ago. In their final season of Division II play, the Tritons posted a 30-1 record in 2019-20 on the way to their fourth straight conference tournament title, a No. 4 national ranking, and the top seed in the West Region.
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UC San Diego has begun a four-year transition to Division I and will play as a member of the Big West Conference beginning this season. The Tritons are scheduled to open their Division I era by hosting Cal at RIMAC Arena on Nov. 10.
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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program begins a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide more than 1,300 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 82 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.
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