The Collegian

Issue date: 8/29/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Courtesy of www.smcgaels.com Jason Walberg has left Saint Mary's to play for conference rival, Pepperdine. He leaves the team with two others, including junior Rafael DaSilva and red-shirt sophomore Kevin McCaughey

The Saint Mary's men's basketball team has tweaked its roster this off-season as the program had great opportunity to bring in new names. Red-shirt senior Jason Walberg left the Gaels to pursue playing for Pepperdine University under his father, Head Coach Vance Walberg. Rafael DaSilva will now be playing basketball for Concordia University, and Kevin McCaughey will be heading over to Citrus Junior College. Head Basketball Coach Randy Bennett said that the departures were bittersweet since the players were great for the program; however, their new ventures will bring "great opportunity to play."

With the departures of Walberg, DaSilva, and McCaughey, the Gaels have brought in five new talents to this year's team. Dubois Williams comes to Saint Mary's after red-shirting one year at Arizona State and playing the following year at Fresno City College. Yusef Smith will be a red-shirt sophomore, coming from Hartnell Junior College, the same school that former point-guard E.J. Rowland attended before attending Saint Mary's. The Gaels also welcome Tron Smith, a junior from Citrus Junior College, who started at Arizona State his freshman year. And with the departure of graduated senior Daniel Kickert, the men's basketball team looks to keep the Australian tradition alive by bringing in two transfers, Carlin Hughes and Lucas Walker. Both Australian natives join the Gaels from Montana State-Billings and will red-shirt one year for the Gaels due to transfer regulations.

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