Nittany Lion Basketball Team Signs David Jackson To National Letter of Intent;
Junior College Guard Commits to Penn State
State College, Pa. – April 21, 2005 – Penn State Nittany Lion head basketball coach Ed DeChellis received a national letter of intent from junior college guard David Jackson (Gaithersburg, Md./High Point). Jackson has played the last two years at Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla.
A 6-3, 215 pound guard for GCCC, Jackson earned All-Conference honors for two straight years. Playing in the tough Panhandle Conference, Jackson averaged 18.0 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game and 3.5 assists per conference over his two years there. He also shot 56 percent from three-point land. An outstanding ball-handler, Jackson is both strong and physical.
“We are excited to have David join our basketball family,” DeChellis said. “He is a tremendous athlete who can play all the perimeter positions and will be a great leader for his teammates here at Penn State. David is strong, athletic and an unselfish guard who will fit well into our Penn State program.”
Described as mature beyond his years, Jackson was a starter for a Gulf Coast team that had five players sign on with Division I squads this season. “David is an outstanding individual who is mature and totally committed to being all he can be in the classroom and on the court,” said Jim Hatfield, Jackson’s coach at Gulf Coast. “He is a tireless worker and a leader by nature.”
Jackson joins Jamelle Cornley (Columbus, Ohio), who signed with Penn State in November, as the second member of DeChellis’ second full recruiting class.
Additional letters of intent are expected soon. Last year’s freshman class featured one member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and three other letter
winners.