The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Rod Rucker Signs NLI To Continue Hoops Career At UAB
4/25/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
April 25, 2012
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB head coach Jerod Haase announced that forward Rod Rucker, a 6-5, 220-pound junior college standout out of Northwest Florida State Community College, has signed a National Letter of Intent to continue his playing career with the Blazers.
Rucker becomes the first signee since Haase was announced as head coach in late March.
"We are very excited to have Rod join the UAB family," Haase said. "We have a real need for the type of player he is, which is a proven rebounder and a proven warrior. He does all the little things to help his team win games and I think he will be an immediate impact type of player."
Rucker, a first-team All-Panhandle Conference selection this past season, is ranked as the No. 10 recruit among the class of 2012 junior college prospects, according to JucoJunction.com
This past year, Rucker averaged 12.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game for the Raiders' 31-2 season that ended with NWF State reaching the NJCAA national championship game. NWF State's 31 wins marked an all-time high for the program.
In the NJCAA Division I national championship game against South Plains College (Texas), the Elberton, Ga. native had 16 points and 14 rebounds and earned a spot on the all-tournament team.
"He made all the winning plays for us," Northwest Florida State head coach Steve Forbes said to the Northwest Florida Daily News after Rucker's signing, "(He made) all the tough guy plays. He kept everybody together when times were tough. I can't say enough about him. He was one of the biggest reasons we got to the national championship game."
During his freshman season with the Raiders, Rucker averaged 10.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest on his way to second-team all-conference honors.
In 2010 as a senior at Elbert County High School, Rucker averaged 21.9 points, 16.9 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, helping his team to a 27-3 record and advanced to the elite eight of the Class 3A state tourney.
Rucker was a two-time, first-team 3A All-State selection at ECHS and his 16.9 rebounds average during his senior season led the state of Georgia in rebounding for all classifications
A rising junior in 2012-13, Rucker becomes the fifth player off last year's Northwest Florida State roster to sign with a four-year program. Chad Donley (Liberty University), Demetrius Moore (Louisiana Tech), Neiko Hunter (Middle Tennessee State) and Trencya Jackson (Texas Tech) have already signed with Division-I programs.
Rucker is the most recent NWF State CC recruit to play for the Green and Gold, joining Donell Taylor, Ronell Taylor and most recently, Jamarr Sanders.
