May 5, 2004

CLEVELAND - Steve Gansey, who helped lead his high school to four straight conference titles, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Cleveland State and play basketball beginning in the fall of 2004. Vikings head coach Mike Garland made the announcement on Wednesday.

"Steve is a tremendous basketball player and an even better person," Garland said. "He brings with him a wealth of experience in a successful high school program and a toughness that you can't teach. Steve is exactly the kind of player we are looking for at Cleveland State."

A 6-3 shooting guard, Gansey earned Associated Press first team all-Ohio honors en route to leading Olmsted Falls HS to a 22-3 record, its fourth consecutive conference title and a berth in the Division I regional final. He averaged 22.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 3.2 apg as a senior, earning conference player of the year honors for the second consecutive season as well as district player of the year accolades. He was named MVP of the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association North-South All-Star game in April.

The fifth-leading scorer in school history with 1,311 career points, the team posted an overall record of 78-15 in his four years as a starter, including a 54-2 mark in conference play.

Gansey is the third Viking signee, joining Frashon McGee (Waterloo, Iowa), who committed last week, and Mike Redell (Rockford, Mich.), who the Vikings inked during the November early signing period.