Dylan DeFeo Signs National Letter of Intent to Attend UT

TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa men's basketball program has announced its first signing for the 2008-09 season as Dylan DeFeo signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Spartans.

A 6-3 guard from Marco Island, Fla., DeFeo currently attends Lely High School in Naples. In his third year at Lely, DeFeo played varsity basketball for national powerhouse Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., as a freshman. He also plays club basketball for the South Coast AAU team.

A first-team all-area selection in 2006-07, DeFeo was named to the Scouts, Inc., (ESPNU) Top 10 Points Guards in Florida list. As a sophomore, he was named honorable mention all-conference as he helped his team to a regional playoff appearance. As a freshman at Mater Dei, he was a member of the California state runner-up squad.

DeFeo is currently averaging 13 points, six assists, seven rebounds and two steals. He has also led his team in assists for three consecutive years at the varsity level. In the summer, he averaged 14.5 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and two steals.

He has also been selected for a number of all-star games and camps, including the Pangos All American Camp at the University of Southern California from June 1-3, 2007. DeFeo was also chosen to compete in the Hoop Dream in Atlanta (July 7-18, 2007) and the Fullcourt Press All-West Camp in Los Angeles (July 10-12, 2007).

In 2006, he was chosen to the Full Court Press all-West Camp and was selected as a top 90 all-star in the field of 380 players. He also played in the Nike Invitational (Clearwater, Fla.) and the Pangos All-American Camp (Cypress, Calif.).

An excellent student, DeFeo is a four year member of the Honor Roll and the recipient of the President's Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence in 2006.

He has also been active in the community as a volunteer for the Habitat for Humanity and Soup Kitchen and a reader at Lely Elementary School. He also served as a volunteer assistant basketball coach for a YMCA boy's youth team and donated his time as an assistant to the basketball coordinator at the YMCA.

"In Dylan, we are getting a heady, gritty and resilient type player that can play either guard position," says assistant coach Decarlo Deveaux. "We expect him to come in and compete. While nothing is given, he will have the opportunity to compete. Dylan is able bodied and his mind is mature and prepared to succeed at the collegiate level."