MIDDLETOWN — Bill Edwards Jr. reached to the middle one of three hats placed on the table in front of him Wednesday morning, May 6, and announced his college decision.
“I want to thank my teammates, family and friends for helping me get through this,” the 6-foot-7 Middletown High School senior forward said as held back tears. “It’s been a hard decision for me. It’s been hard on my family answering the phone every day, but my choice is … Penn State.”
The Nittany Lions were 26-11 last season and were crowned the NIT champions.
Loyalty was a big factor in Edwards’ decision. He was courted by many of the top schools in the country, but when he suffered injuries as a sophomore and a junior that caused him to miss a combined 16 games, Penn State stuck by his side as others lost interest.
“That loyalty meant a lot to me,” Edwards said, adding that Miami University also expressed the same loyalty. “No other schools compared.”
Growing up in Ohio, Edwards said he always dreamed of playing in the Big Ten Conference.
Now he’s getting that chance….