May 12, 2005

Contact: Brian McCann

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Renard Fields, who played the last two years at one of the nation's top prep schools, has signed a national letter of intent to attend Cleveland State and play basketball beginning in the fall of 2005. Viking head coach Mike Garland made the announcement on Thursday.

A 6-7, 225-pound forward from Hyattsville, Md., Fields played his junior and senior seasons at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. He played in a front line rotation that included student-athletes who received scholarships for next season at Maryland, UNLV and Pittsburgh.

"I believe that Renard is truly a diamond in the rough," Garland said. "The competition level that he faced every day in practice has prepared him well for the rigors of college basketball. He has learned the game by playing with some of the nation's top prep players, earning every minute that he has played. I like that fighting spirit in him.

"He's a fierce competitor. He loves to rebound, block shots, and run the floor and he is skilled at scoring around the basket. He will fit into our system well."

Fields began his high school career in 2001-02 playing for legendary coach Morgan Wootten at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md. He left for Hargrave Military Academy after his sophomore season.

Fields is the 12th member of his prep school team to sign a Division I scholarship this year and Hargrave had 32 former players competing at the Division I level last year.

Fields is the fifth player to sign with CSU this year. He joins J'Nathan Bullock (Flint, MI/Northern), who signed during the early signing period last fall and Tristan Crawford (Steelton, PA/Highspire), Carlos English (Detroit, MI/Mott CC) and Terry Walker (Grand Rapids, MI/Ottawa Hills). In addition, Ije Nwankwo (Detroit, MI/Country Day) will become eligible in December after transferring to CSU from Purdue in January.