Mora continues to build momentum on recruiting trail
UConn football continues to build momentum on the recruiting front, receiving two more commitments in the Class of 2022.
St. Thomas More offensive lineman Ben Murawski announced his pledge Sunday night on Twitter, writing, “177% Committed!!!” That came on the heels of a commitment from Maryland wide receiver/defensive back Kylish Hicks.
Both players made official visits to Storrs over the weekend.
The 6-foot-7, 320-pound Murawski is from Harleysville, Pennsylvania, and had several offers from FCS schools, including LIU, Monmouth, Morehead State, New Hampshire,
Presbyterian, and Rhode Island. He is not rated by recruiting sites 247Sports or Rivals.
Murawski is UConn’s 10th commitment in the class and the fifth from an in-state program, following Bristol Central dual-threat quarterback Victor Rosa and Loomis Chaffee tight end Denzel Mountali, safety Derek Spearman and offensive tackle Brady Wayburn.
Hicks, a 6-1, 180-pounder who played for Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High in Baltimore, also had FBS offers from Kent State and Old Dominion. Like Murawski, he is not rated.
Explaining the decision on Twitter, Hicks said he was drawn by the coaching staff and academics at UConn.
“The brand new coaching staff is fun to be around and they are like family to me and so is some of the players,” Hicks wrote, adding that he plans to sign on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA’s early signing period. “I feel like the school fits me and it’s where I want to be and play football.”
Elsewhere, Venson Sneed, a four-star defensive end from Winter Park, Florida, who visited UConn earlier last week, committed to Indiana on Sunday.
TRANSFER PORTAL
Mora scored his first win in the transfer portal, landing former Old Dominion wide receiver Nigel Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald, a 6-foot-5,
225-pound graduate transfer, announced his commitment Monday morning following a visit to Storrs over the weekend. “Keep Grindin’ Boy, Ya Life Could Change in One Year .. 110% Committed!” he wrote on Twitter.
Fitzgerald battled injuries during his time at ODU. He played just one game this past season, making one catch. In 2019, he had 14 receptions for 219 yards, with three starts. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
The Greensboro, N.C., native was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports coming out of high school and had several offers from FBS programs, including Army, Buffalo, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Navy, and Virginia.
Fitzgerald will join a crowded receiver group in Storrs, starting with Keelan Marion, Kevens Clercius, Aaron Turner and Cameron Ross, who missed most of last season with a foot injury.