3/18/08 MISSOULA, MT - The University of Montana Grizzlies head
basketball coach Wayne Tinkle has announced that three players will not
be returning to UM's team next season.
Redshirt freshman Zach Graves, sophomore Cameron Rundles, and
sophomore Dave Vanderjagt have all asked to be released from their
scholarships at Montana following the spring semester.
"These three players will not be returning to the team and will
seek playing opportunities elsewhere," Tinkle said. "I want to thank
all three of them for their time and efforts here in our program with
Grizzly Basketball, and wish them the best in their future endeavors.
"We have a lot of positives in our Griz and Lady Griz basketball
programs right now, and we want to stay focused on those positives,
especially with the Lady Griz and their berth in the NCAA Tournament,"
Tinkle said.
"We are very excited about the prospects of our program right
now, as we return many of our key players next season, have three
quality redshirts, and we also have two quality incoming recruits from
the high school ranks," Tinkle said.
Graves, a 6-2 guard from Sacramento, Calif., played in 10 games
this season and scored 15 points. He redshirted at Montana in 2006-07.
A 6-1 guard from Minneapolis, Minn., Rundles played in 30 games
and started in 13, and was UM's fifth-leading scorer, averaging 6.6
points a game. Rundles played in 62 career games and was the Big Sky
Conference's "Freshman of the Year" two seasons ago.
Vanderjagt is a 7-0 center from Townsville, Australia, who
played in 13 games this season, and has played in 17 career contests.
Montana, which tied for third in the Big Sky this season with an
8-8 league record (14-16 overall), lost two outstanding seniors to
graduation in forward Andrew Strait, and guard Matt Martin, who were
both three-year starters and four-year letterman.
"The future of Grizzly basketball is bright, and we will do our
best this spring to replace the three players who have decided to pursue
other options," Tinkle said.
Coach Tinkle added that he will have no further comment on the
departure of these three players.