Northwest Adds Four to Men's Basketball
KIRKLAND, Wash. - Northwest University’s men’s basketball coach, John Van Dyke announced the signing of four transfer student-athletes for the 2012-13 season. Ryan McIntosh, Nick Crossan, and Brett Skogstad have signed letters of intent to play for the Eagles. Additionally, Michael Russo, committed and enrolled at NU in the spring semester.
Ryan McIntosh, a 6-4, 180 lb. forward, is a transfer from Dominican University (NCAA D-II) in Northern California where he played in the 2010-11 season and averaged 8.8 points per game and had a .463 field goal average. Prior to Dominican, he was also a redshirt sophomore at the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, a National Junior College Athletic Association tournament qualifier in Kansas. He missed part of his freshman season at Green River (Wash.) Community College due to an injury. McIntosh graduated from Rogers High School in Puyallup, Wash., where he earned three varsity letters. At Rogers, he averaged 12 points a game during 2008-09 season in leading Rams to a 16-4 record and a third-place tie with rival Puyallup High in the nine-team South Division of the Class 4A South Puget Sound League. Ryan was named a second team all-league player in his senior year. He is a psychology major.
Said Coach Van Dyke about McIntosh, "Ryan was really looking for a place to call home for the next two years. It will be fun to watch him flourish in our system. Once he understands how things work and gets comfortable I think he will be really good. He can really shoot the ball from the perimeter as well as attack the basket. He reminds me a lot of Jordan Call. Ryan's redshirt year at the College of Southern Idaho paid dividends in helping him improve his all-around game."
Nick Crossan, is a 6-0, 175 lb. point guard from Sammamish, Wash., and is a sophomore transfer from Bellevue College. Nick did not play this season at Bellevue due to injury. Prior to Bellevue, Crossan played a year at Bakersfield College. He graduated from Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash. in 2009 and averaged 18.7 points per game, 3.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds in his senior season.
"I'm really excited for the opportunity to coach Nick” commented Van Dyke. “I am amazed at how much he has matured as a person since he has been out of high school. I believe his maturity will help in leading our team from the PG position. Nick is an excellent passer and will be able to knock down the open shot. He is also a guy who is fearless and loves to compete. He is going to have 3 great years."
Brett Skogstad of Allyn Wash., a 6-1, 170 lb. shooting guard will be a junior transfer from Pierce College in Lakewood, Wash. He played for his father, Larry, at North Mason High School on the Kitsap Peninsula. Larry Skogstad is an NU graduate and a member of the WIBCA (Wash. Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Assoc.) Hall of Fame. Brett averaged 17.8 ppg and 3.3 assists as a senior. His Bulldog team went 16-9 overall and 10-5 in league play. He was a three-time MVP at NMHS and was first team all-league as a sophomore, junior and senior. His team placed fifth in the WIAA state tournament in his senior year. Brother Shawn also attended and played at Northwest U. Oldest brother Ryan played at Western Baptist (now Corban Univ.) and Seattle Pacific. Brett attended Warner Pacific College in Portland in 2010-11 and then transferred to Pierce Community College in Lakewood, Wash., for the 2011-12 season.
Coach Van Dyke about Skogstad, “Brett is an excellent addition to our program. Having spent a year at Warner Pacific he knows what our conference is about and how tough it is. I look forward to watching Brett become comfortable in our system and play fearlessly. He is a great shooter and will stretch the defense. Brett is a winner and will always put the team first. I am glad he is at Northwest."
McIntosh, Crossan and Skogstad will join 6-6, 215 lb., Michael Russo, a sophomore transfer from St. Martin’s University who enrolled at Northwest University in the spring semester. Russo played one year at St. Martin’s after an outstanding high school career at Eastlake High School in Sammamish, Wash., where he led the team in scoring (21.1 ppg/9 rebounds) and was named Kingco 4A Player of the Year as a senior in 2010. He helped lead Eastlake to the WIAA State Tournament in 2010. Russo was a two-time Kingco 4A first team member and played in the Washington-Oregon all-star game in his senior year.
"I recruited Michael very heavily when he was in high school and am thrilled he is here at NU,” said Van Dyke. “I think he will be an impact player in our conference. He is a tremendous shooter and plays with a great deal of passion. He is extremely competitive and leaves it all on the court. However the thing I love most about Michael is his willingness to serve others. Michael will have three great years at NU."
Northwest U. returns seven players from last year’s team which finished the year at 29-5, Cascade Conference Co-Champions and quarterfinalists at the 2012 NAIA Division II National Championships in Missouri. Coach Van Dyke was named 2012 CCC Coach of the Year.