Razorbacks expect to sign more 4 stars
University of Arkansas basketball Coach Eric Musselman is expected to continue his string of signing 4-star prospects with the signatures of wing Chance Moore and junior-college forward Akol Mawein today, the first day of the early signing period.
The Hogs inked four 4-star prospects for the 2020 class, including guards Moses Moody, Khalen Robinson and Davonte Davis, and forward Jaylin Williams.
Mawein, 6-10, 220 pounds, of Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas, is rated a 4-star recruit by 247, the No. 1 power forward and No. 4 junior-college prospect.
He lived in Australia before coming to the United States, and he attended Southwest Christian Academy in Little Rock as a junior and senior. He also played for the Woodz Elite program on the Nike EYBL circuit.
Arkansas associate head coach David Patrick, who grew up in Australia, has known Mawein since he was a sophomore at Montverde Academy in Florida.
Mawein committed to Patrick and the University of California-Riverside on July 1 before Patrick accepted his new position in Fayetteville. Mawein reopened his recruitment July 8.
Mawein, who will sign at 11 a.m. Central today, has two cousins from Australia with connections to Patrick. Kouat Noi played forward for Patrick when he was an assistant at TCU, and forward Duop Reath signed with LSU before Patrick left for Fort Worth.
It’s been a long road to get to this point, and Mawein is ready to sign on the dotted line.
“I’m just really excited about the big day,” Mawein said. “This is something I’ve worked hard for, and I can’t wait to be there. But there’s a lot more work to do.
Moore, 6-5, 192 pounds, of Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern, is an ESPN 4-star prospect, the No. 9 small forward and No. 44 overall prospect.
He and Mawein will ink with the Hogs without the benefit of an official or unofficial visit to Arkansas. Moore and his father visited and explored the Fayetteville area on Aug. 8, the same day Moore pledged to the Hogs.
Moore chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from LSU, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Florida, Ole Miss, Clemson, South Carolina and others.
He and his family will hold a live ceremony on Instagram and Facebook Live at 10 a.m. Central.
Arkansas women’s basketball Coach Mike Neighbors is expected to ink four prospects today, including Fort Smith Northside guard Jersey Wolfenbarger, an ESPN 5-star recruit.
Wolfenbarger, 6-5, picked the Razorbacks over more than 30 scholarship offers from schools such as Oregon, Oregon State, Baylor, Southern Cal, Texas, Notre Dame and others. ESPN ranks her the No. 1 wing and the No. 7 overall prospect in the nation.
Guard Samara Spencer, 5-7, of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; guard Ashlyn Sage, 6-2, of Weatherford, Okla.; and post player Emrie Ellis, 6-2, of Ada (Okla.) Vanoss are also expected to sign.
Ellis and Sage are rated 4-star prospects by Prospects Nation while ESPN rates Samara a 3.5-star recruit.