News

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University men's basketball team has signed another recruit for the 2003-2004 season with the addition of Trent Fannin, who has signed a letter of intent to further his education and continue his basketball career with the Cougars.

Fannin, a 6-foot-1 shooting guard from Bucyrus, Ohio, averaged 8.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game as a senior at Bucyrus High School. He shot 53 percent from the field, 61 percent from the free throw line, and 35 percent from three-point land. He also tied the school record for most three-pointers made in a game with seven, and he was only five three-pointers away from tying the single-season school record. For his efforts, Fannin was named to the North Central Conference Second Team following his senior season.

"We are happy to have Trent sign with us," said MVNU head coach Scott Flemming. "In some ways, he has been a part of the MVNU family for a long time. He has grown up coming to our summer camps as well as other activities for high school students. I have seen him grow as a player over that time."

"Trent is a very good perimeter shooter and has good instincts on the court," Flemming added. "He is also an outstanding young man. He is a person of strong faith, and I am sure that he will be a leader on our campus."

In addition to playing basketball, Fannin has also been a state qualifier as a junior and senior in DECA, a marketing competition. As a junior, he placed eleventh in the state.

"There were several reasons why I decided to attend MVNU," said Fannin, who plans to major in Communication and Business Marketing. "One main reason, though, is because the school has such a great Christian and friendly atmosphere to it. Being able to learn from professors who you know really care about you and your future is also important."

"Playing basketball is also a big reason for my college choice," Fannin added. "I feel that anything you do you should give it your best and get the most out of it. Being able to play basketball at the college level is such an awesome thing that I have dreamed about doing ever since I was barely throwing the ball through the hoop in my diapers."

MVNU is coming off a 20-13 season in which the Cougars qualified for the National Christian College Athletic Association National Tournament for the second straight year. The team has posted 20 wins in six of the past seven seasons and also qualified for the NAIA Division II National Tournament three times. The Cougars won the NCCAA national title in 2002.