Juco california. California Community Colleges: A Comprehensive Guide to JUCO Football Programs

What are the benefits of JUCO football programs in California. How many JUCO football teams exist in the United States. Which are the top-ranked NJCAA football teams. How can student-athletes explore junior colleges with football teams.

Understanding JUCO and Its Role in College Football

JUCO, short for junior college, plays a significant role in the landscape of college football. These institutions offer student-athletes unique opportunities to develop their skills, improve their academic standing, and potentially transition to four-year colleges. But what exactly makes JUCO football programs so appealing?

What is JUCO Football?

JUCO football refers to the football programs offered at junior colleges. These programs serve as a stepping stone for many athletes, providing them with a chance to compete at a high level while working on their academic and athletic skills. For numerous players, JUCO football teams act as feeder programs for powerhouse Division I college football teams.

Benefits of JUCO Football Programs

• Affordability: Junior colleges typically offer lower tuition rates compared to four-year institutions.
• Increased playing time: Freshmen often have more opportunities to get on the field at JUCOs.
• Academic improvement: Students can boost their GPA and complete general education requirements.
• Physical development: Extra time to grow and strengthen before moving to a four-year program.
• Competitive experience: Opportunity to play against older, more challenging opponents.

Is JUCO football a good option for all student-athletes? While it offers numerous benefits, the decision to pursue JUCO football should be based on individual circumstances, goals, and academic standing.

The Landscape of JUCO Football in the United States

JUCO football has a significant presence across the United States, with numerous teams competing at a high level. Understanding the scope of JUCO football can help prospective student-athletes make informed decisions about their athletic and academic futures.

How Many JUCO Football Teams Exist?

There are 65 JUCO football teams in the United States. These teams are spread across various conferences, each offering unique competitive environments and opportunities for student-athletes.

JUCO Football Conferences

1. Independent
2. Iowa Community College Athletic Conference
3. Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference
4. Minnesota Athletic Conference
5. Mississippi Association of Junior & Community Colleges
6. Northeast Football Conference
7. Southwest Junior College Football Conference
8. Western States Football League

Do all states have JUCO football programs? While JUCO football is widespread, not all states have programs. California, Texas, and Mississippi are known for their strong JUCO football presence.

Top-Ranked NJCAA Football Teams

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) conducts regular polls to rank the top JUCO football teams. These rankings provide valuable insights into the competitive landscape of JUCO football and can be a useful resource for prospective student-athletes.

Top 10 NJCAA Football Teams (as of December 2022)

1. Iowa Western
2. Hutchinson
3. Northwest Mississippi
4. Snow
5. Coffeyville
6. East Mississippi
7. New Mexico Military
8. Jones
9. Butler
10. Iowa Central

Are these rankings consistent throughout the year? Rankings can fluctuate based on team performance, so it’s important for student-athletes to regularly check the NJCAA website for the most up-to-date information.

California Community Colleges with Football Programs

California boasts a robust JUCO football scene, with several community colleges offering competitive football programs. These institutions provide student-athletes with opportunities to develop their skills while pursuing their academic goals.

Notable California Community Colleges with Football Teams

• Palomar College (San Marcos, California)
• Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, California)
• Santa Rosa Junior College (Santa Rosa, California)
• Victor Valley College (Victorville, California)
• Fullerton College (Fullerton, California)

What sets California community colleges apart in terms of JUCO football? California’s JUCO football programs are known for their high level of competition and success in sending players to Division I programs.

Spotlight on Fullerton College

Fullerton College, located in Fullerton, CA, stands out as a prime example of a California community college with a strong football program. The college offers various benefits to its students, including:

• Two years of tuition-free education through the North Orange Promise Program
• Comprehensive support services for Promise students
• A rich academic environment with over 400 classes offered during summer sessions
• Additional perks such as free parking permits for summer students and daily free meals at the Dining Hall

How does Fullerton College support its student-athletes? The college provides a balanced environment that emphasizes both academic success and athletic development, preparing students for potential transfers to four-year institutions.

The Recruitment Process for JUCO Football

For many high school athletes, the path to playing college football may lead through a JUCO program. Understanding the recruitment process can help prospective student-athletes navigate this journey more effectively.

Steps in the JUCO Football Recruitment Process

1. Research JUCO football programs that align with your academic and athletic goals
2. Create a highlight reel showcasing your best plays
3. Reach out to JUCO coaches and express your interest
4. Attend JUCO football camps or showcases to gain exposure
5. Maintain strong academic performance to ensure eligibility
6. Consider visiting campuses to get a feel for the programs and facilities

Are there specific academic requirements for JUCO football players? While academic requirements may vary by institution, maintaining good grades is crucial for eligibility and potential future transfer opportunities.

Transitioning from JUCO to Four-Year Institutions

One of the primary goals for many JUCO football players is to transfer to a four-year institution, often with the hope of playing at the NCAA Division I level. Understanding this transition process is crucial for student-athletes aiming to continue their football careers beyond junior college.

Key Factors in the JUCO to Four-Year College Transition

• Academic performance: Maintaining a strong GPA is crucial for transfer eligibility
• Athletic performance: Standout players are more likely to attract attention from four-year programs
• Networking: Building relationships with coaches and scouts can open doors to opportunities
• Understanding transfer requirements: Each four-year institution may have specific transfer criteria
• Timing: Planning the transfer to align with remaining eligibility is important

How can JUCO football players increase their chances of transferring to a Division I program? Excelling both academically and athletically, maintaining open communication with coaches, and staying informed about transfer requirements are key strategies.

The Future of JUCO Football

As the landscape of college athletics continues to evolve, so too does the role of JUCO football. Understanding current trends and potential future developments can help prospective student-athletes make informed decisions about their athletic and academic paths.

Emerging Trends in JUCO Football

• Increased visibility: Social media and streaming platforms are giving JUCO programs more exposure
• Academic focus: Growing emphasis on academic success alongside athletic development
• Transfer portal impact: Changes in NCAA transfer rules may affect JUCO recruitment and transfers
• NIL opportunities: Potential for Name, Image, and Likeness deals even at the JUCO level
• Technology integration: Use of advanced analytics and training technologies in JUCO programs

How might these trends shape the future of JUCO football? These developments could lead to increased competitiveness, more opportunities for student-athletes, and potentially a shift in how JUCO football is perceived within the broader college football landscape.

In conclusion, JUCO football programs, particularly those in California community colleges, offer valuable opportunities for student-athletes to develop their skills, improve their academic standing, and potentially transition to four-year institutions. By understanding the landscape of JUCO football, the recruitment process, and the pathways to further opportunities, prospective student-athletes can make informed decisions about their athletic and academic futures. As the world of college athletics continues to evolve, JUCO football is likely to remain an important stepping stone for many aspiring college football players.

Full list of JUCO football schools

What is JUCO?

JUCO is a commonly used abbreviation for junior college. Junior colleges can be a great option for student-athletes for several reasons including affordability and more playing time as a freshman.

What is JUCO football?

JUCO football stands for junior college football. For many athletes, junior college provides an opportunity to improve their academics, develop physically and get more experience competing.

Oftentimes, football players opt to compete on a junior college football programs (also referred to as JUCO football teams) after their senior year in high school. In fact, many junior colleges are feeder programs for powerhouse D1 college football teams.

For many athletes, junior college gives them an opportunity to improve their GPA and knock out some general education requirements. It also gives athletes some time to develop physically and get experience competing against older, more challenging football players. For athletes who aren’t sure what they’d like to major in or don’t have the grades in high school, this is a great way to keep playing football while moving academics forward. 

Make no mistake, junior college football teams compete at an extremely high level! Competing at a junior college gives athletes an opportunity to get two more years of experience playing against college-level athletes, which can help them prepare for the rigors of four-year collegiate football. 

How many JUCO football teams are there? 

There are 65 JUCO football teams in the United States. Teams are classified into the following JUCO football conferences: Independent, Iowa Community College Athletic Conference, Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, Minnesota Athletic Conference, Mississippi Association of Junior & Community Colleges, Northeast Football Conference, Southwest Junior College Football Conference and Western States Football League. To start exploring the wealth of junior colleges across the country, use the following list of junior colleges with football teams. Search by state, conference or school name. 

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JUCO football rankings and best junior colleges for football 

In December 2022, the NJCAA conducted a poll to rank the top NJCAA football teams. Student-athletes can see a full list of the top ranked team and learn more about each program on the NJCAA website.

1. Iowa Western
2. Hutchinson
3. Northwest Mississippi
4. Snow
5. Coffeyville
6. East Mississippi
7. New Mexico Military
8. Jones
9. Butler
10. Iowa Central

Visit NCSA’s Power Rankings to view a list of the best football colleges in all divisions. 

Get Recruited To Play Your Sport in College

To start exploring the wealth of junior colleges across the country, use the following list of junior colleges with football teams. Search by state, conference or school name.

List of junior colleges with football teams

Palomar College

San Marcos, California

Public

Southern California Football Association

JC

Saddleback College

Mission Viejo, California

Public

Southern California Football Association

JC

Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa, California

Public

Bay Valley 19, NORCAL Football Alliance, West Coast Conference

JC

Victor Valley College

Victorville, California

Public

Foothill, South Coast (Wrestling)

JC

Pearl River Community College

Poplarville, Mississippi

Public

Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference

JC

Navarro College

Corsicana, Texas

Public

Southwest Junior College Conference

JC

Snow College

Ephraim, Utah

Public

Scenic West Athletic Conference

JC

Everett Community College

Everett, Washington

Public

Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges

JC

Fullerton College | Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA

More than 900 graduates are preparing to cross the commencement stage to receive their diploma at Fullerton College’s 108th Commencement on May 20 at 9 a. m. This year’s event will celebrate the Class of 2023 and recognize an array of student achievements, faculty accomplishments, and institutional accolades.

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Summer 2023 is just around the corner and Fullerton College is ready to welcome you to a summer filled with learning, resources, and fun. Summer Session 2023 runs from June 5 to August 11. More than 400 classes will be offered in a condensed format for students to reach their educational goals. Registered summer students will receive a free parking permit for the summer session and can enjoy a daily free meal at the Dining Hall with a valid student ID.

View a list of steps to ensure a successful summer session.

Fullerton College offers two years of tuition-free education to all new students as a result of the North Orange Promise Program expansion. The program provides wrap around services to first-time and continuing Promise students. There is no income requirement, just to be a first-time college student and a California Resident.

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Cynthia Olivo Named President of Fullerton College

Dr. Cynthia Olivo has been named as the new president of Fullerton College. She will assume her new position in January 2023. Dr. Olivo’s appointment was announced Thursday morning by the NOCCCD Board of Trustees. The Board will formally approve Olivo’s appointment at its regular meeting on November 8.

6th Annual Males Achieving Success Conference Held in Partnership with Chapman University

The Office of Educational Partnerships and Outreach in partnership with Chapman University held the 6th annual Males Achieving Success (MAS) Conference on Jan. 11. Nearly 600 high school males from four local high school districts (Anaheim Union, Fullerton Joint Union, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, and Whittier Union High School Districts) attended the conference this year.

Hornets are State Champions!

The Fullerton College men’s basketball team defeated City College of San Francisco on Sunday afternoon 83-73 completing the 2022-23 season as the CCCAA State Champions. The victory gives FC its second state championship under Head Coach Perry Webster and its second in two seasons.

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“The Pledge/Promise Program made me feel welcomed and walked me through all the steps I needed to do to get started, and would always send reminders of important dates and opportunities which helped me stay on track and connect with the campus/other students. Pledge influenced my career choice, too, because I realized that I also want to help students like myself who need support as they are starting out on their college journey. ”

This season, 8 Russians play in the NCAA. How are they? – The Interception – Blogs

Editor’s note: You are reading the user blog Interception, which talks about European basketball. Don’t forget that pluses are still the best way to thank the author.

Before the start of last season, I wrote this text. Then I talked to almost all the Russians who were preparing to compete in the NCAA – there were 11 of them at that time – and tried to understand why Russian youth began to leave more massively for American universities. There have never been such a number of Russians in the NCAA.

A year and a half has passed since then, and half of the guys have parted ways: Konstantin Dotsenko is now playing in the Loko farm club, Zakhar Vedischev plays at the base of Krasnodar, Mark Tikhonenko signed a contract with Astana, Andre Toure recently played in Maykop in the second Super League, and Samson Ruzhentsev moved to the Serbian “Mega”.

But some remained in America. They were joined by a few more guys who either just left Russia or got into the NCAA from American schools or the NJCAA. In this text, I will talk about all the Russians who play in the first division of the main student league in the world. If last season I wanted to explain why exactly they are leaving, now I have focused on their career.

If you prefer reading, then below is a large text with comments from the players themselves; but this time you have the opportunity not only to read, but also to watch a video about all of our people in the NCAA. Inside is my story and a video interview with the guys.

If you watch a video on YouTube, don’t forget to give it a thumbs up and leave a comment. This will help promote the channel. Subscribe if you love Russian basketball and want to learn more about it.

And now – the promised text about our guys in America.

What is the NCAA

The NCAA is the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States and Canada. It includes almost 1300 schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions. The teams of these universities are represented not only in basketball – the NCAA also has competitions in American football, wrestling, fencing, bowling, softball, gymnastics, tennis and God knows what else.

But basketball is a very popular sport in the association. Both guys and girls have three divisions, which are ranked by strength. This text is only about those Russians who compete in the first, strongest, division.

The NCAA has a playoff called March Madness. When knockout games start, the whole country switches from professionals to students. Although during the season, the teams also have enough attention from fans: the clubs play in large and good arenas, many people come to the matches, the games are shown on television, and sometimes on national television. There are even universities whose fans spend the night in front of the arena in the hope of having time to buy a ticket.

So the NCAA is a really serious tournament, albeit a student one.

How many Russians are there

I have spent an hour and a half of my life checking the composition of all the colleges that are represented in the first division. There are 358 of them. I broke my eyes, learned about the existence of several countries and even about the presence of basketball in these countries, but still I counted all the Russians.

I got eight people, and now we will get to know them better. The sequence on my list doesn’t mean anything, it’s just that way because I talked to the guys in that order.

I hope I haven’t missed anyone. Please write in the comments if you know someone whom I have overlooked.

Nikita Evdokimov, Charleston Cougars

2021/22 stats: 2 games, 10.5 minutes avg. .5 assists, 1 loss

Evdokimov is the newest member of the NCAA Division I. He joined the Charleston Cougars – the name of the team of the University of Charleston from South Carolina – in early December last year.

This university belongs to mid-major. In the American system, there is a gradation of universities by strength – from low-major to high-major. Mid-major is the middle level. Most Russian guys perform at universities that fall into this category.

Before moving to the USA, Nikita played for the youth team of Lokomotiv-Kuban and for the national team. Last summer, the defender represented Russia under 20 at the Euro Challenger, even though he was only 18.

Evdokimov has an interesting story about how he fell in love with basketball. In fact, it is strange that he did not go into handball, because his dad is the famous Russian handball player Yegor Evdokimov. Six-time champion of Russia, champion of Spain, champion of Belarus, champion of Ukraine, participant of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. At the dawn of his career, Yegor Viktorovich played in his homeland, in the Chelyabinsk region, the city of Snezhinsk. Nikita was born there.

– I fell in love with basketball when I was 9 or 10 years old. My cousin and grandmother and I went on vacation to the Crimea. There was a playground where I constantly ran and played. Grandma suggested trying to sign up for basketball. And before that, I didn’t consider basketball as a sport at all … But I went to a training session and instantly fell in love. Didn’t miss it at all. Then Lokomotiv saw me at the Russian Championship. Together with a team from my city, from Chekhov, we took fourth place, and everyone was very surprised. I was seen by coach Petar Marinkovic, who called me to Loko, ”recalls Evdokimov.

He says that he could have been in the red-green system even earlier. He was invited to the Yug-Basket camp – this is a camp organized by the club and within which it looks for players in its youth system – but then Evdokimov was with relatives in the United States and could not come.

He ended up in the Loko system in 2017. True, Evdokimov says that, even while playing for Krasnodar, he often thought that he actually wanted to try his hand at American basketball. He has relatives living in the USA, he has been there more than once, and when the chance to move to the university appeared, he did not hesitate for a long time.

Evdokimov learned about the university’s interest in him in advance, so he spent the summer with benefit: he trained individually with personal trainers in Moscow and Cyprus, where his father plays handball. There, the defender, at the request of the university coach, worked hard on three-pointers and performed at least 500 long-range shots a day.

Evdokimov will be coached at the College of Charleston by Pat Kelsey, a strong specialist who is widely known in college basketball. He once worked with Jeff Teague and Chris Paul.

Alex Kotov, Illinois State Redbirds

2021/22 stats: 12 games, 8 minutes avg. .9 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.1 blocks, 0. 2 steals, 0.8 losses

Alex is not short for Alexander, but his passport name. He was not born in Russia, but in Canada, his parents went there to give birth to Alex. In this country, he lived the first year of his life, after which he left for Moscow. In memory of Canada, Alex has citizenship (he has a double one).

But he started playing basketball in Russia.

— I started playing basketball at Gloria when I was 10-11 years old. People came to my school – and I studied at an ordinary secondary school – who were looking for young guys who were ready to play basketball. They came into my class, saw that I was tall, did a couple of tests, asked me different questions and invited me to practice. I studied at Gloria for a long time, then I got into the MBA Junior Junior League, from there I was taken to the Super League. I played there for literally a year, and after graduating from high school I decided that it would be wise to go to the United States. I contacted Skryagin (Alexander Skryagin, ProFuturo Sports, – note “Interception”), because he was the only person who knows more about moving to the USA than me. We talked to him, I dropped my highlights to him, and he helped me find a school, – says Kotov.

Alex arrived in the US in 2017 and entered the Montverde Academy. This is a very famous program that prepares players for the NCAA. Kotov spent a year in Montverde and won the championship with this team, the result for the season is 35-0. Among Alex’s partners then were, for example, RJ Barrett, who now plays for the New York Knicks in the NBA, and Turkish Efes center Philip Petrushev.

Alex left Montverde not immediately for the NCAA, but for the NJCAA. It is an association of junior colleges and is also often referred to as Juko. A common story for those who feel like they’re not ready for the NCAA yet, but want to play hard and improve. Kotov spent two years in this association, after which he moved to the NCAA, to the Illinois State Redbirds team. This is also a representative university of the mid-major category.

Alex has six months left to study at the university, but he can play in the team for another two and a half years. This happened because the players have the right to use the redshirt option. In fact, this is the right of the player to extend his career at the university, even if he has already graduated from the university. Plus, there’s also the “cancellation” of the season due to the coronavirus (this happened last year), which also doesn’t count, as well as the “cancellation” of the season due to injury (this happened to Alex in his second year in the NJCAA).

In general, these rules are very complicated.

– Due to an injury in my second year at the NJCAA, I opted to save the year. That’s plus one season. In addition, this year I had a lot of misunderstandings with the coach, it all started last year. I thought that it would be possible to influence it somehow, to establish relations with him in the summer, but it turned out to be much more difficult than I thought. Therefore, after a huge number of meetings, we came to the conclusion that this year it would be easier for me to also take the option to save the year. So this year I’m graduating from university, getting an education, but I still have, roughly speaking, two seasons to play in the NCAA, – says Kotov.

Victor Lakhin, Cincinnati Bearcats

2021/22 stats: 14 games, 14.1 minutes average

6.2 points (56.9% 2-pointers, 0% 3-pointers), 4.9 rebounds , 0.4 assists, 0.5 blocks, 0.7 steals, 1.2 losses

Lakhin is the only Russian who represents a high-major university. This means that the university where Vitya plays often goes to the “March Madness” and has a tangible chance of winning the NCAA.

And the story of Lakhin began in Anapa. The parents wanted to send their sons – Vitya and his brother Vasya – to some kind of team sport so that they would play together. And chose volleyball. But because of the coach, they did not last long in the volleyball section and eventually went to basketball.

Lahin started in fourth grade but quickly rose to the city team. And in the Krasnodar Territory, if you play for the city team, then you are in full view of the Lokomotiv scouts. Vitya did not play Loko on a permanent basis, but by the 7-8th grade he was regularly on the team to participate in the Russian championships. The Railroaders took him as a reinforcement player – this is a common practice in children’s competitions.

Further – a matter of chance. Loko juniors played in the final stage of the Russian championship and met CSKA twice – in the group stage and in the semi-finals. Lakhin gave two good games and … received an invitation from the “soldiers”.

At first he did not think of moving anywhere and stayed to finish the season in the south. But summer came, and he still went to see it. He was offered to stay after the first practice. Vitya talked to his parents and a month later he arrived at CSKA.

– The first season was probably the most emotional, full of some moments, memories. Because my brother and I arrived for the first time in a big city. On the one hand, this is a great freedom, because there are no parents nearby, but, on the other hand, this is also a great responsibility. Because you have never done the things that your parents did for you before, like laundry, cleaning, all sorts of small things. Even a waste of money: you never thought about it before, you were given – you spent it. And here you have money, and you know that if you spend everything, then at the end of the month you won’t have any left, ”recalls Vitya.

Lakhin reached the final stage of the youth Euroleague with CSKA and spent a pretty good season overall. Alexey Zhukov, the head coach of the “army” CYBL, left to work as an assistant in Nizhny Novgorod, and Maxim Sharafan came to CSKA from Lokomotiv. He worked with Vitya for three years, and during this time Lakhin managed to understand that he only wants to play in Russia at the highest level – in CSKA – and if it doesn’t work out, then it’s better to leave.

– I realized that it would be very difficult for me to get into the base. This is a top club with the highest goals, and as a young player I need to be not even the same as everyone else, but better, because I have no experience. It was necessary here and now to show some level and bring results. Let’s be realistic, there were no players who can immediately enter the CSKA system and show something like that for a long time. Probably the Swede was the last one. I realized that I can’t do that, and since my dream is to be in the NBA, I decided to move closer to this league, this Wednesday, to America. That’s why I’m here, – says Vitya.

But not everything was so simple. Back in Russia, Lakhin managed to get injured. He fell in the game moment, and his knee hurt. The medical staff did not suspect anything, and Vitya continued to train. The state of health worsened, but then the pandemic came, everyone went into self-isolation, and the center just went home. The knee was still swollen, but the pain was slowly receding. Vitya did not train and therefore did not feel any signs of deterioration. He already knew that he was leaving for America, and just waited for all the permits.

The injury happened in February and the departure was due in September. In the summer, Lakhin himself did an MRI, which showed that he had … a torn meniscus. He took the results of the examination to the surgeon who scheduled the operation. Vitya went for it and began to recover in Russia, and he came to the USA with an already operated knee.

Everything should have been fine, but when he started running, the pain returned. Lakhin did another MRI, and it showed that the same meniscus was completely torn. The doctors said that it would take six months to recover. Therefore, Vitya simply missed his first season in the NCAA.

— All this time I didn’t train, but I was always with the team: in scouting, in the locker room, in training. All lessons were online, and we lived in an apartment with the team. So that year helped me a lot, because even though I didn’t play, I was in the system and I knew the guys. It was my year of adaptation – to a new culture, to people, to new faces, to food. I had the same feeling as when I came from a small town to Moscow. You leave Russia for any other country – even to America, even to Italy, even to Spain – and you go through the same thing, Lakhin believes.

He adds that the Cincinnati had a new head coach at the end of last season and it was a difficult moment. A new specialist was appointed the day before Lakhin’s departure to Russia, when he did not yet understand whether he would remain in the team for the next season or not. Whether to leave it, decided the new head coach. But in the end, the center managed to meet with him before departure and find a common language. The coach wanted to protect the Russians in the composition.

During the summer Vitya worked in the USA on his body and improved his skills. The season began in October, and in December, Lahin was the best freshman of the week in his conference. By the way, he has a situation similar to Alex: academically, Lahin is a sophomore, but he is considered a rookie in the team.

Andrey Savrasov, Georgia Southern Eagles

2021/22 stats: 14 games, 23. 7 minutes average

11.9 points (51.5% 2-point, 30% 3-point, 73.1% free throws), 6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 block shots, 0.9 interceptions, 1 loss Andrey’s first coach is a well-known Russian specialist Oleg Aktsipetrov.

— I remember that at first I had very different hobbies: football, basketball, taekwondo… But after the first two or three years of training, I realized that basketball is really mine, that I want to do just that. Slowly, I began to play for the sports school of the Admiralteisky district, for the Zenit Junior Junior League, played for the Russian national team U16, U18. We went to different tournaments, and somewhere the scouts saw my game and invited me to the USA, says Savrasov.

Andrey moved to America three years ago – in January 2019of the year. Now he is finishing his third year at the university, in the American education system it is possible to start studying in the middle of the academic year and, accordingly, then graduate also in the middle of the academic year.

Savrasov managed to play for the Texas Tech team, where he spent a year and a half. The first six months he did not play, he spent in redshirt mode – he trained, worked on his body, was with the team, but did not play for it. But the next season already played in the status of a freshman, that is, a freshman.

Andrei didn’t get much playing time, but he still wanted to stay at the university. It was a high-major, and Savrasov wanted to prove that he deserved another role.

But then I talked to the head coach, and together they decided that it would be better to change the university in order to continue their career. The coach even helped find a new team, and that’s how Savrasov ended up in Georgia, in the Georgia Southern Eagles team. This is a mid-major university.

Now in his second year with the new team, he is in the starting five and generally has a good role on the court. In theory, Andrei can play for the university for another two years, although he graduates from the university in a year.

Vladislav Goldin, Florida Atlantic Owls

2021/22 stats: 14 games, 16.5 minutes average

5.7 points (47.9% 2-pointers, no 3-pointers, 52.2% free throws), 5.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.6 block shots, 0.4 interceptions, 1.3 losses He played with his 2001, but at some point the team just fell apart and disappeared.

Goldin was sent to play by the year 2000, and the coach of this team turned out to be familiar with the coach of CSKA-DYuBL. Vlad and another guy were offered to the “soldiers” – just to look at them. But the screening went well, and after one of the training sessions, Vlad was offered to move to Moscow. New school, new surroundings, heavy loads, training twice a day – Vlad says that the first six months in the capital were the most difficult time in his life.

– At that time, I probably did not quite understand where I was moving and how much it changed. To be honest, I didn’t even really know what DUBL was. Wasn’t very knowledgeable. Youth League, Junior Team, Superleague… I knew the tournaments where we played: first the Southern Federal District, then the Russian Championship. When I found out that I was already in Moscow and had to go to the CYBL team for a tryout, I even got scared. But they left me, and I trained at CSKA for another four years. Then he played for the Russian national team U18 and U19, after which he received an offer to try himself in America. I decided to take a chance and moved there to the Prep school,” says Goldin.

Prep school is short for preparatory school. In essence, this is an opportunity to play basketball in the USA before going to university.

In October 2019, Vlad entered Patnam School in Connecticut. This is a small private school about an hour from Boston. Together with the team, Goldin became the champion of America in the championship among preparatory schools.

After that, Vlad was called to Texas, to the Texas Tech team – to the same team where Andrey Savrasov had played for a year and a half. Goldin saw that this was a big and serious high-major team, saw the conditions for training, and accepted their invitation without hesitation.

— In Texas, things are a little different. The way we played there was not like the way I played before, so the first experience was difficult. And then the head coach left us, replacing TexasTech with Texas. Most of the coaching staff left with him, and our team did not quite understand what to do. Only the assistant coach remained with us. And in the end, I decided to move to another team, to Florida, – say Goldin.

Due to the coronavirus, Vlad has the same situation as most student athletes: academically he is a sophomore, but the last sports season did not count, so he is a freshman in the team. Goldin has three years left to study, and he can play four more.

He himself says that his current team plays more European basketball, so he feels great there.

Alexander Glushkov, Appalachian State Mountaineers

2021/22 stats: 7 games, 4. 7 minutes average

2 points (60% 2-pointers, 0% 3-pointers, 33.3% free throws), 1 .1 rebounds, no assists, 0.1 blocks, 0.1 steals, no losses

Born in Vladivostok, Glushkov started playing basketball at the age of 13 when he went to summer camp. I came home and told my father: “I want to play basketball.” Parents sent Sasha to the section.

Glushkov’s first coach is Eduard Sushko. After a year of working with him, Sasha was invited to the Spartak-Primorye system. He played in the Junior Junior League for a year, after which the entire management of the team and almost the entire squad moved to the PSC Sakhalin. At the same time, the base of the club remained in Vladivostok. Glushkov spent a year in the new club, after which he received an invitation from Moscow, from the IBA. His coach Alexander Antipov invited him.

And then it was a matter of chance, and a year later Sasha was already flying to the USA to study at school.

— I came to Moscow and played there for a year. When we were preparing for the Summer Spartakiad in Krasnaya Pakhra at the Trinta base, a coach from the USA arrived there. He was familiar with Alexander Antipov, because before that our guy had already played at the same school. He came just to relax, but he also wanted to look at the players. He probably liked me, and he invited me to school. I took the chance and got into high school. I spent 11-12 classes there, received several offers and decided that I would play in Appalachian State, says Glushkov.

Now Sasha is in his second year, but as you know, last year doesn’t count. So Glushkov is considered a “freshman” in the team and can play for the university for another three and a half years, while he has two and a half to study.

When Sasha arrived at the university, he weighed about 90 kg. But now he has noticeably added muscle mass. He began to grow muscles during the last season, but he did the main work in the summer. Due to problems with visas, he could not go home to Russia, and he went to a friend in Houston. There he lived for a month, ate a lot and rocked. As a result, he entered the new season in excellent physical shape. True, the coach still does not really trust him.

Glushkov University is a mid-major who, last year, entered March Madness for the first time in 20 years. Sasha was not released then, but he nevertheless felt the atmosphere of the main student event of the year. Here’s what he says about it:

– It was … unbelievable (unbelievable – approx. “Interception”). Very cool feeling. 64 top teams, all at the highest level. We had two or three hotels, each floor was dedicated to a specific team. I don’t know how much it could be called the same “March Madness”, because, of course, all the measures were taken anyway. We had a quarantine, we had to be tested every day. And so everything was at the highest level,” recalls Glushkov.

David Didenko, UT Martin Skyhawks

2021/22 stats: 11 games, 17 minutes average

6.2 points (37. 3% two-pointers, 37.8% three-pointers, 33.3% free throws), 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.3 blocks, 0.2 steals, 1.7 turnovers

David has probably the most atypical fate among all our guys who now play in the first division of the NCAA.

Didenko was born in the north, in the city of Yakutsk. He remembers his childhood quite vividly: he says that the city authorities allowed not to go to school at -45 degrees Celsius, and if the thermometer was only -43, you had to pull yourself together, stick yourselves into a thick down jacket and stomp to school.

— I had a healthy down jacket, maybe five centimeters. I walked around like a big bubble. When I was 8 or 9 years old, we had -57 degrees in winter. Very cold. I didn’t leave the house for two days,” Didenko recalls.

David ended up in the USA in 2010 even before he started playing basketball. He was 10. The older sister was leaving for New York to study English, and David just went with her for a month.

While still in Russia, they found him something to do in the USA. On the classifieds website, the family looked at a message from a Russian coach who lived there, his name was Boris Karebin. The coach was needed so that David would not just mess around in the States.

But the boy got so caught up in basketball that he eventually wanted to stay. Parents allowed, and he went to an American school. Karebin trained him in Brighton Beach, this is a Russian-speaking area, so immersion in American culture was gradual.

— I first lived in New York, where I arrived, and then I traveled. Lived in Florida, then studied in Georgia, in Tennessee. I travel a lot around the country – sometimes I live there, sometimes there. Somehow I quickly learned English, apparently because I was still young. Literally in a year. In Russia, I studied English for three classes, but could not learn it. Here I first lived with my sister, she pushed me to talk to people, and somehow everything turned out by itself, – says Didenko.

David spent his first year after school in Juko. Remember the story of Alex Kotov? This is the same league that prepares players who have not yet grown up to the NCAA. But already in the second year, Didenko ended up in the first division, at the University of Georgia.

He is currently a UT Martin Skyhawks player, where UT is the University of Tennessee. Accordingly, David now lives and studies in this state. He has a year and a half left at the university, and he can still play the same amount at the university level.

At the same time, he is 21 years old and automatically enters the NBA draft next year. In mocks – that is, expert predictions – he is not drafted, but he still has to play the whole season, so everything is in his hands.

Pavel Zakharov, California Baptist Lancers

2021/22 stats: 4 games, 10 minutes average

1.3 points (14.3% two-pointers, 0% three-pointers, 60% free throws), 1 .5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 1 block shot, 0.3 steals, 1 turnover

Last on the list – not by value, but simply because he is the only Russian I could not contact – Pavel Zakharov from California Baptist Lancers.

Zakharov was born in Sør-Varanger, Norway. In Russia, Pasha played for the Zenit youth team and helped CSKA play in the youth Euroleague, and in 2018, after playing for the Russian U18 team at the European Championship, he left for the Montverde Academy. We talked about it a little earlier.

He was considered a four-star recruit. In American sports, when they want to talk about the prospects of this or that player, they talk about him in terms of stars, and four stars is very good. Such an assessment helped him get into the Gonzaga College in the NCAA – this is one of the top programs, which, for example, reached the NCAA finals last season, having suffered its first loss of the season in this very final. Pasha then did not go to the parquet. A year before, the team did not get into the “March Madness” only because the championship was stopped due to a pandemic.

Zakharov spent two seasons at this university and moved to the California Baptist Lancers in the summer of 2021. Most likely due to playing time, because, obviously, it was much more difficult to get it in Gonzaga. But even at the new university, he still has an average of 10 minutes on the floor and one and a half rebounds. By the way, about the game on the shields: the height of the Russian center is 213 centimeters, in America these guys are called seven-footers.

This is almost all I know about Pavel Zakharov.

It seems that the Russians in the first division of the NCAA are over. If you know someone else that I forgot, please write in the comments.

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Photo: official websites of clubs, personal archives of players; twitter.com; instagram.com; cskabasket.com

History of Daido-Juku kudo