Recruiting Report: Ross Koella (2017)
With good grades and and some skill on the court comes attention, and Grand Haven’s 6-foot-7 power forward Ross Koella has received plenty from Division III and NAIA programs from far and wide. So much so that he’s…
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Continue ReadingWith good grades and and some skill on the court comes attention, and Grand Haven’s 6-foot-7 power forward Ross Koella has received plenty from Division III and NAIA programs from far and wide.
So much so that he’s had to cease contact with many of them, simple because he knew it wasn’t the right fit.
Koella remains in contact with several programs though, and he outlined to PHMI which schools have been in the mix with his recruitment of late.
“I was told by Concordia (MI) and Madonna over the phone that they would me give athletic money to attend their schools, but no official scholarship offers yet,” said Koella. “I’m being recruited by a ton of D3 and NAIA schools from pretty much all over the nation, and I also have a little D2 interest.”
He added: “I have stopped the recruiting process with a lot of schools. The sheer amount of contact can be overwhelming and many schools simply aren’t a good fit for me.”
Several high-level academic schools are involved in Koella’s recruitment too.
“I’m being recruited heavily by MIT, University of Chicago, UM-Dearborn, Illinois Tech, and Calvin College. I have regular phone calls with coaches from these schools as well as frequent texts and emails,” said Koella, who noted academics is his priority.
“I am still keeping an open mind to new possibilities and I’m excited to see what comes up. I’m looking to attend a school that will be invested in my future, and is academically and athletically challenging.”
With some decent height and nice build, Koella is certainly able to hold is own in the paint, but has been working lately to diversify his skill-set.
“I have been shooting a ton, and with the help of my coaches I have changed my shot mechanics – as a result, my jump shot and my free-throw shooting have improved dramatically,” he said. “Also, I’ve been working a lot on having a quicker first step with the ball.”
Now, as he gets set for his senior campaign with the Buccaneers, Koella says his role will increase dramatically this season.
“I was a big part of the team last year, but I will have to be the backbone of the team along with Zac Holman this season,” said Koella. “And I will have to step up as a vocal leader.”