April 29, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford University head men's basketball coach Jimmy Tillette has announced that Joe Ross Merritt has committed to play at Samford next season. Merritt is the younger brother of the Bulldogs J. Robert Merritt who earned Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team honors this past season.

Merritt joins Travis Peterson from Glendale, Ariz., and Ryan Woolsey of Valliant, Ok., as Samford's incoming freshman class. Merritt was a 1st-Team 5A All-State performer for Bishop McGuiness H.S. in Oklahoma City, Ok, where he averaged 19.2 points, 6.0 rebounds per game. The 6-5 wing player was a member of two Oklahoma state championship teams and led his team to the state quarterfinals as a senior.

"Joe Ross is a welcome addition to our program. He is a very aggressive player on both ends of the court, and he plays with a toughness and determination that can only benefit our team," says Tillette.