After a couple of stand out seasons at St Mary’s University, San Antonio, former Westlake Boys High stand out Yanni Wetzell has committed to Vanderbilt for his final two years of collegiate basketball.
Wetzell was the Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year in 2016 and last season received further recognition when selected for the All-Heartland Conference Second Team. That selection came after leading the St Mary’s Rattlers in points (15.5ppg) and rebounds (6.8rpg) in 2016-17.
The move to the Vanderbilt Commodores will be a step up for the 6’10” forward as he moves from NCAA Division II action to the powerful Division one Southeastern Conference that includes the likes of Texas A&M and Kentucky.
There will be high expectations at Purdue under coach Bryce Drew as the Rattlers made the NCAA Tournament in both 2016 and 2017.
Despite Tai Webster being about to move into the professional ranks Westlake Boys High will still be able to boast four former students at NCAA Division I colleges in the 2017-18 season. 2016 senior Isaac Letoa has recently signed with Dartmouth, Matt Freeman has completed his freshman year at Oklahoma and Jack Salt will enter his third season at Virginia.
Wetzell’s outstanding freshman year at St Mary’s was noted by Tall Blacks coach Paul Henare who selected him for the tour of China by the New Zealand Select Team last year.
Further representative honours would appear to be just around the corner for Wetzell.
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