TicketsCINCINNATI – Colgate University graduate transfer Rapolas Ivanauskas (pronounced RAP-oh-liss eye-ven-OW-skiss) has officially signed with the University of Cincinnati men's basketball program, Bearcats head coach John Brannen has announced.
"We are very excited to be able to add Rapolas to our Cincinnati basketball family," Brannen said. "Rap comes to UC as an accomplished versatile big man. He has the ability to score all over the floor and will help stretch the defense with his shot making. He rebounds at high rate and, like many of our young men, knows how to win coming from a championship program like Colgate."
Ivanauskas, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward from Barrington, Ill., played the past two seasons at Colgate after beginning his collegiate career at Northwestern where he saw limited action due to injury. He earned Patriot League Second Team accolades as a senior last season for the Raiders, averaging 13.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 43.2 percent from the field. He poured in 21 points with nine rebounds against the Bearcats last season in a 67-66 Colgate win on Dec. 14 at Fifth Third Arena.
As a junior at Colgate, Ivanauskas earned the Riley Wallace award for the nation's top Division I transfer. The Associated Press honorable mention All-American and Patriot League Player of the Year averaged 15.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from 3-point range.
Born in Kaunas, Lithuania, Ivanauskas was listed as the 89th-best recruit in the nation in Class of 2016 by Rivals.com and was rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. He was listed as the No. 5 recruit in the state of Illinois by ESPN.com coming out of Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He played his first three seasons of prep basketball at Barrington High School in Illinois where he earned Mid-Suburban West Conference Player of the Year accolades and All-State Second Team honors while averaging 18 points and 8.3 rebounds as a junior.
Ivanauskas sat out his freshman season at Northwestern (2016-17) as a redshirt. He played in three games during his second season with the program before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.
"We are very excited to be able to add Rapolas to our Cincinnati basketball family," Brannen said. "Rap comes to UC as an accomplished versatile big man. He has the ability to score all over the floor and will help stretch the defense with his shot making. He rebounds at high rate and, like many of our young men, knows how to win coming from a championship program like Colgate."
Ivanauskas, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward from Barrington, Ill., played the past two seasons at Colgate after beginning his collegiate career at Northwestern where he saw limited action due to injury. He earned Patriot League Second Team accolades as a senior last season for the Raiders, averaging 13.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 43.2 percent from the field. He poured in 21 points with nine rebounds against the Bearcats last season in a 67-66 Colgate win on Dec. 14 at Fifth Third Arena.
As a junior at Colgate, Ivanauskas earned the Riley Wallace award for the nation's top Division I transfer. The Associated Press honorable mention All-American and Patriot League Player of the Year averaged 15.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from 3-point range.
Born in Kaunas, Lithuania, Ivanauskas was listed as the 89th-best recruit in the nation in Class of 2016 by Rivals.com and was rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. He was listed as the No. 5 recruit in the state of Illinois by ESPN.com coming out of Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. He played his first three seasons of prep basketball at Barrington High School in Illinois where he earned Mid-Suburban West Conference Player of the Year accolades and All-State Second Team honors while averaging 18 points and 8.3 rebounds as a junior.
Ivanauskas sat out his freshman season at Northwestern (2016-17) as a redshirt. He played in three games during his second season with the program before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.