Smeathers to Transfer from Butler to Mount

Exciting news for the program yesterday when Andy Smeathers announced his intentions to join the Mount from Butler. Smeathers a 6-6 wing, spent his first two years with the Bulldogs after an all-state high school career in Indiana.

Smeathers decided to transfer just prior to the start of the season this year, and therefore will have 1 and half years of eligibility with the Mount. He will arrive on campus in the next few weeks and begin classes in January. He will be eligible at the completion of the fall semester next year. This year's fall semester has already been completed. Therefore, if the Mount had any midseason transfers this year they would be eligible starting with the game on Sunday at Penn State. Marshall transfer Chris Martin will be eligible to play at the start of next season.

Smeathers averaged 15 points a game during his senior season at Center Grove. He chose home state Butler over Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, Indiana State, Miami (Oh) and William & Mary in 2010. You may recall that Mount head coach and assistant Ben Wilkins were both on the Tribe staff then. So it can be assumed that the two of them participated in the recruitment of Smeathers at that time. The IndyStar reported today that Smeathers chose the Mount over IUPUI this time around.

The wing's top ability coming out of high school was his ability to shoot the ball from the deep. He twice knocked down 7 three pointers in a high school game. He played in the Indiana Kentucky All-Star summer series after his senior year. He led Indiana to a win in the first game of the series scoring a game-high 21 points.

With the addition of Smeathers, the Mount will have 7 new faces on its roster when the NEC begins play next January. But both Smeathers and Martin are older players having spent two years at other schools before transferring.

The other interesting fact about the roster next year is that it will feature 10 players 6-6 or better. If Kristijan Krajina is granted a sixth year of eligibility for his medical hardship, that number will increase to 11. Certainly far more on the roster than I ever remember.

The Mount is back in action on Sunday at 2pm at the Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State to take on the Nittany Lions. Several of Penn State's head coach Pat Chambers 11 siblings attended Mt. St. Mary's and his father is a lifelong friend of legendary Mount coach Jim Phelan.

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