CEDAR FALLS – University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball head coach Ben Jacobson has announced the signing of four players as a part of the 2014-15 Panther recruiting class.
Aarias Austin (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township HS/DMACC), Justin Dahl (Carver, Minn./Holy Family HS), Spencer Haldeman (Peosta, Iowa/Western Dubuque HS) and Luke McDonnell (Dubuque, Iowa/Dubuque Senior HS) have all signed to become members of the UNI men’s basketball squad.
Austin (6’4, 180 lbs., Guard) helped lead DMACC to the national tournament in 2014 for head coach B.J. McGinn. DMACC enters the 2014-15 season ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA Division II poll. Austin played his high school ball at Warren Township High School in the Chicago area. Austin earned all-state, all-area, all-conference and all-Lake County honors as a prep. He is the son of Cynthia Mays.
Dahl (6’10”, 230 lbs., Center) guided Holy Family High School to the semifinals of the class 3A state tournament in 2014. Dahl averaged 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game as a junior for head coach Matt Thuli. Dahl earned all-conference honors as a sophomore and as a junior. He was named to the all-state tournament team in 2014. He is the son of Janice and Tom Dahl.
McDonnell (6’9”, 205 lbs., Forward) has played on three consecutive state tournament teams at Dubuque Senior High School. McDonnell started as a junior and was the squad’s sixth man as a sophomore. He averaged 12 points and six rebounds a game while shooting 54 percent from the field as a junior. He earned second-team all-conference honors last season for coach Wendell Eimers. Heading into his senior season, McDonnell has scored 443 points, grabbed 253 rebounds and blocked 62 shots. He is the son of Mark and Deb McDonnell.
Haldeman (6’1”, 170 lbs., Guard) was named the 3A player of the year as a junior at Western Dubuque High School. He scored a school-record 534 points (24.3 ppg) last season for coach Dennis Geraghty. Haldeman scored a season-high 44 points against Dubuque Wahlert as a junior. He earned first-team all-conference, all-region and all-state honors last season. He is the son of Steve and Amy Haldeman.
