The UH-Hilo Men’s Basketball team and fourth-year head coach Kaniela Aiona has announced the addition of six signees as part of the 2023-24 incoming recruiting class.
The new-look Vulcans will have eight returnees, five incoming transfers and one true freshman.
Among those returning are 2022-23 Pacific West Conference Newcomer of the Year Carlos Ramsey Jr. and Defender of the Year Nadjrick Peat.
“We are excited for this year’s recruiting class to get to campus. We tell our recruits how special Hilo is, so it feels good to see them arrive and experience that for themselves,” Aiona said in a UH-Hilo press release. “Each of these newcomers brings a lot to the table. Overall, this is a high-energy group that goes hard on both ends of the floor. Their strengths make them each a great fit with the roster we have returning. We expect to have a deep and competitive roster.”
UH-Hilo replaces five departures — one to graduation — from a season ago.
Team workouts begin late August with first official practices set for the opening week of October.
The Vulcans 2023-24 schedule will be announced shortly.
Zoar Nedd
Nedd is a 6’6 sixth-year senior transfer who spent five years playing for UH-Manoa.
He is a 2018 graduate of Kapolei HS — where throughout his high school career, he earned honors such as two-time Star-Advertiser All-State Fab 15, ScoringLive All-Hawaii Third Team and three placements on the All-OIA West Team.
Nedd told UH-Hilo that he chose to join the Vulcans because “I wanted a fresh start and felt like this was the perfect fit for me after my visit with the coaching staff and players, and I got excited about the thought of experiencing a different island.”
Charles Higby Jr.
A true freshman, Higby is a 6’4 guard and forward from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Higby told UH-Hilo that he chose to join them because his “mother is Tongan/Samoan and my father is Tongan/haole. My parents met at BYU-Hawai‘i. It’s been my dream to experience and learn about my Polynesian side. It is a blessing for this opportunity to enjoy the water, sun and outdoors of island life, but most of all, be part of the Hawai’i Hilo ‘ohana.”
Chandler
Collins-Johnson
A 6’8 junior transfer and forward, Collins-Johnson spent his first two years playing for Texas’ Victoria College.
He played in 56 games with 35 starts for the Pirates — finishing with 430 points on a .454 shooting average with 283 rebounds, 51 steals and 87 blocks.
He notched a career high 29 Points (14-20 FG) versus Hutchinson Community College during November of 2022.
Amiri Crowder
Another junior transfer, Crowder measures in at 6’3 and grew up in Arlington, Tex.
He spent a season playing at Iowa Lakes CC — where he played in 28 games with six starts for the Lakers. He totaled 255 points (.544 shooting), 67 assists, 91 rebounds and 26 steals.
Crowder also played one season at New Mexico Military Institute, where he appeared in 31 games with 18 starts for the Broncos — totaling 173 points (.464 shooting), 58 assists, 135 rebounds and 22 steals.
Jake Kosakowski
Kosakowski is a redshirt junior transfer and a 6’6 forward.
He spent four years at University of California, San Diego, where he played in 65 games with 20 starts for the Tritons. Kosakowski totaled 416 points on .384 shooting and .384 three-point shooting with 99 rebounds.
He finished the 2021-22 season ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division I with a .473 three-point shooting percentage — notching a career high 26 Points (8-14 3FG) versus Long Beach State during February of 2022.
Kosakowski told UH-Hilo that he chose to play for the Vulcans “for the opportunity to reinvigorate myself as a person and basketball player. To experience life in Hawai‘i while also pursuing things that are important to me (academics and basketball) is a combination I would have never thought of.”
Charles Elzie III
Elzie is a 6’1 guard and fifth-year senior transfer who spent four years at The College of Idaho.
He played in 122 games with 52 starts for the Yotes — totaling 878 points on .418 shooting with 202 rebounds, 293 assists and 161 steals.
While playing for College of Idaho, Elzie also collected honors such as 2022-23 NAIA National Champion, three-time Cascade Collegiate Conference Champion,2022-23 CCC/Rize Laboratory Athlete of the Year, NAIA Chuck Taylor MVP and CCC Defensive Player of the Year.
