Short-Term Success: Junior College Recruits Win Multiple NCAA Titles
March 29th, 2012 - 11:41
Often overlooked amid UCLA's amazing run of nine NCAA Tournament titles in a 10-year span from 1964 through 1973 was the impact of junior college products on the Bruins' success. They had six J.C. recruits, includng 1970 Most Outstanding Player Sidney Wicks, who were part of multiple NCAA championships.
Kentucky's Eloy Vargas grabbed five rebounds in only seven minutes last year when the Wildcats lost, 56-55, to eventual champion Connecticut in the national semifinals. Vargas, a backup this season to freshman phenom Anthony Davis, will be fortunate to get any playing time at all in New Orleans. But Vargas does join the following alphabetical list of two- or three-time Final Four team members who previously played for a junior college:
J.C. Recruit Pos. Final Four Teams Junior College Warren Baxter G San Francisco '55 & '56 San Francisco City Alex Dillard G Arkansas '94 & '95 Southern Union AL Keith Erickson F UCLA '64 & '65 El Camino CA Larry Johnson F UNLV '90 & '91 Odessa TX Bill McClintock F California '59 & '60 Monterey Peninsula CA Swen Nater C UCLA '72 & '73 Cypress CA Jim Nielsen F UCLA '67 & '68 Pierce CA Mike Preaseau F San Francisco '56 & '57 Menlo CA Terry Schofield G UCLA '69, '70 & '71 Santa Monica CA Dwight Stewart C Arkansas '94 & '95 South Plains TX John Vallely G UCLA '69 & '70 Orange Coast CA Eloy Vargas C Kentucky '11 & '12 Miami-Dade FL Sidney Wicks F UCLA '69, '70 & '71 Santa Monica CA