FSU Guard Transfers to FIU

[FIUBlue82]

Although he won't be eligible until 2008-09, gaining a guard with ACC experience is probably a good thing.

www.miamiherald.com/588/story/107001.html

FSU guard transfers to FIU

By PETE PELEGRIN
[e-mail]

Former Florida State freshman point guard Josue Soto transferred to Florida International and will be eligible to play in the 2008-2009 season for the Golden Panthers.

Soto was Florida's Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Jacksonville's Arlington Country Day. He led the Apaches to the first two state titles in their history, earning Florida Class 2A Player of the Year honors both years.

A former member of the Miami Tropics on the Nike Travel Team circuit, Soto was the second leading scorer at the 2005 Peach Jam, averaging 25.4 points per game and trailing only future North Carolina star Ty Lawson.

''We fully expect Josue to have a great career at FIU,'' Tropics president and CEO Art Alvarez said. ``We think he will have a major impact from Day One.''

Soto becomes the sixth member of FIU's 2007 recruiting class, following center Russell Hicks (Pepperdine), center/forward Badara N'Diaye (Senegal), guard Kenneth White (Texas A&M), swingman Sadell Ayala (Iowa Western CC) and point guard Tremayne Russell (South Dade, MCI Prep).

[The OC Panther]

No word on homeboy from Venezuela yet!?! .... he could have made the difference between us making a run at the SBC title.

but that aside this is an AMAZING PICK-UP,

Gatorade player of the year basically means he was the best high school in the state of Florida his senior year.

OK Rouco is shifting this into high gear, this is blue chip talent.

NCAA tournament here we come.

[The OC Panther]

Just saw on Pete's blog we lost Colomenares. doh!

[FIUBlue82]

Oh, well...seems like we have a good class coming in 07-08.

miamiherald.typepad.com/fiusports/2007/05/recruiting_fast.html

From the blog (above): For those interested in Nestor Colmenares, no, he did not sign with FIU and will not sign with FIU.

[fiu12]

indeed a solid pick up.. Rouco and staff will win despite his own Athletic Director not wanting him to. Its no secret that ole Pedro Garcia wants Rouco out because he is not one of "his guys".

[FIUFanatic]

Good pick up for the 08-09 season!! Important is that it seems Art Alvarez appears to have let "his players" back into FIU....that could be huge for our program, with his control over those players....

I'm kind of disappointed Colmenares won't make it to FIU. He would have filled a void instantly. I did read he had some academic issues to resolve in order to make it to a 4 year program. I wonder if this was the reason for his not coming to FIU at all....Oh well....we will have Hicks at the 5, and Galindo playing extensively at the 4, depending if Ndiaye and or Essola can pick up minutes at the 4, so that Galindo could move to his more natural 3....Anyways, we will have, most likely, then 3 guards playing at the same time, manning the 3, the 2, and the point guard positon.

Good for Sergio and staff on the Soto signing.....Galindo, Ayala, Soto....... ;D

[FIUFanatic]

More information on Soto. Both rivals and scout services ranked Soto as the #23 top high school point guard in the nation!! Rivals had him as a 3-star player, while scout had him with 4 stars... According to Scout, he was also offered by UCG, while rivals says he picked FSU over Indiana and Wake Forest....

He was a 1st Team 2A All State two times...as a Junior and a Senior as well....

[The OC Panther]

d**n!that is impressive

[fiurulez]

He sounds great and all, but why is he coming to FIU?

[FIUFanatic]

He didn't play much for FSU. It seems he is kinda short...Anyways, here's a story on Miami Tropics' website about his signing with FIU....


www.miamitropicslive.com/news/newsview.php?getstory=1009

Soto To Sign With FIU

May 14, 2007





By: Walter Villa



Point guard Josue Soto, one of the most outstanding young players to ever come out of the Miami Tropics program, decided on Monday to transfer to Florida International University.

As per NCAA transfer rules, Soto will have to sit out one year but will eligible to play the 2008-2009 season.

"He will be a sophomore and have three years of eligibility left," said Tropics President and CEO Art "Pilin" Alvarez. "We fully expect Josue to have a great career at FIU. We think he will have a major impact from Day One."

Alvarez said that Soto will follow in the footsteps of other great Puerto Rican point guards such as Carlos Arroyo (FIU) and Jose Juan Barea (Northeastern), who have rocketed to the NBA from mid-major college programs.

"Colleges from major programs wanted Josue," Alvarez said. "We're talking about Seton Hall, Indiana, Marquette, South Florida, Duquesne and others such as FAU, Wichita State and Central Florida.

"But we felt FIU was the right spot. (FIU Coach) Sergio Rouco is ecstatic to get him. Josue is the biggest recruit FIU has landed since Alex Galindo transferred from Kansas a couple of years ago. I feel that a point guard like Josue is the missing piece that FIU has lacked the past few years.

"And for me, personally, it will be great to have Josue play 5 minutes from my home in Miami."

Alvarez will get to see what has already been an amazing amateur career. Soto was Florida's Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Jacksonville's Arlington Country Day. He led the Apaches to the first two state titles in their history, earning Florida Class 2A Player of the Year honors both years.

Soto averaged 17 points and 7.5 assists in his high school career as he helped ACD become a national power.

But he was even better playing for the Tropics on the Nike Travel Team circuit. He was the second-leading scorer at the 2005 Peach Jam, averaging 25.4 points per game and trailing only future North Carolina star Ty Lawson.

Soto, a native of Arecibo, also became the first Puerto Rican to make the all-star game at the annual Nike Camp, which invites only the best 100 players in the nation.

Soto was recruited at that time by FSU, Illinois, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Indiana and others. And after helping the Seminoles reach the NIT quarterfinals this past season, Soto decided to transfer to the Golden Panthers.

FIU, in the past, has had a great tradition of recruiting some of the top Tropics players. That was certainly the case in 2001, when Carlos Morban signed with FIU. And it was also the case in 2002, when Junior Matias signed. Both had played for Alvarez at Miami Christian High, and both became stars at FIU.

But in the past few years, the top Tropics stars have gone elsewhere. Barea went to Northeastern University and is now in the NBA. Guillermo Diaz went to the University of Miami and was drafted by the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.

In fact, the Tropics have sent players to nearly every major college in the state with the exception of Central Florida. David Huertas signed with Florida, Soto with FSU, Jesus Verdejo and Orane Chin with South Florida, Sammy Hernandez with Florida Atlantic, and Diaz, Denis Clemente, Edwin Rios and Freddy Asprilla with Miami.

Now FIU is back in the game.

The Golden Panthers have struggled the past three years with records of 12-18 in 2004-2005; 9-19 in 2005-2006 and 12-17 last year. But fourth-year coach Rouco just made a big signing in getting Soto.

FIU's best player currently is Galindo, a 6-7 forward who will be a senior by the time Soto is eligible. Galindo, who is also from Puerto Rico, was a second-team All-Sun Belt Conference performer. No other FIU player made any of the three Sun Belt teams last season.

Soto, a very smart and mature player, is expected to run the FIU team for three years. He is a master at the pick-and-roll play and can hit from the perimeter. And despite his small frame - he is listed at 6-0 - Soto is fearless going to the basket, often taking a hit and still finishing his drive.

"Josue is one of the most well-versed point guards we have ever had in the program," said Ed Auricchio, the Tropics' Director of Player Personnel. "He can score if need be. But what sets him apart is how well he understands the game, how he sets up teammates for easy baskets. He epitomizes what it is to be a point guard."

[FIUFanatic]

Interesting piece of information, where Kansas St. Center, Jason Bennet will transfer this year to another school. However, it seems he needs to get his academics in order to receive a waiver, since it would affect Kansas State's APR. Bennet, a 7-3/240 5-star Center from Jacksonville, comes from the very same High School that Josue Soto played in (ACD in Jax) and is also one of Pilin Alvarez's "players" of Miami Tropics. He was listed by rivals as the 6th best Center and 30th overall ranked player in the nation...

Could there be a reunion at Pharmed Arena? Doubt it, but...just a thought.

[roaryismyhomeboy]

fiurulez said:

He sounds great and all, but why is he coming to FIU?

Who cares? i hope it starts a trend ;D