ELMHURST, Ill. - Elmhurst men's basketball coach John Baines has announced the first five recruits of his 2017 class that have made a commitment to attend Elmhurst College and also play basketball for the Bluejays.
 
"We were extremely pleased with our recruiting class last season, as we injected a large level of talent into our program," said Baines. "The beginnings of this year's class makes me equally as happy, as the athleticism and work ethic of these student-athletes is tremendous. It is an exciting time to be a Bluejay player, as well as a being a fan watching our team."

Additional recruit profiles may be added as they become available. 
 
Will Batts III - North Port, Fla./Charlotte (6-6, 230 lbs. Forward/Center)
Earned three varsity letters from Charlotte High School...named his team's Most Improved Player as a Freshman...helped his team win a regional championship and reach the final four during his sophomore year...ranked as one the top-three area leaders in rebounding and top-10 area scorers during his senior season...three-time scholar-athlete award winner.
Baines on Batts: "Will is a tremendous find for our program. He oozes with raw potential on both ends of the floor. Will has a college body coming right out of high school and that will help him make a quick impact in our program. Will is a strong, physical player but also possesses good feet and hands. He has a great motor and gets a ton done. Will's combination of leadership skills, hard work ethic, and talent are going to be seen right away in a Bluejay uniform."

Justin Fox – Emington, Ill./Dwight (6-5, 190 lbs. Guard/Forward)
Earned four varsity letters from Dwight High School...three-time Sangamon Valley Conference all-conference selection, including unanimous first-team selections as a junior and senior...named to first-team all-state team from the IBCA and second-team all-state squad from the Associated Press during his senior year...earned first-team all-area honors from the Pantagraph, Chicago Sun-Times, Champaign Gazette and Joliet Herald News as a senior...named to all-area team and honorable mention all-state squad as junior...on the ballot for Mr. Basketball in Illinois during his senior year...earned team MVP and leadership awards during his junior and senior seasons...Named MVP of the Maresilles Holiday Tournament and set record for most points scored at the tournament...Named MVP of the Riverton shootout as a junior and MVP of the Route 17 Thanksgiving Tournament as a senior...Finished his career ranked third in school history with 1,520 career points...helped his team earn a pair of regional titles. 
Baines on Fox: "Justin is a huge recruit for us and we couldn't be happier. He does so many things well as a player and he is going to continue to blossom in college. Justin has the ability to guard multiple positions, can handle, can be a plus rebounder, and has range on his shot. Even better than his versatile skill set, Justin is a wonderful teammate, smart person, and an absolute winner. We've had many small school all-state players make a name for themselves at Elmhurst College over the years and I believe Justin will surely be another in that line."

Evan Miles - Houston, Texas/Travis (6-0, 175 lbs. Guard)
Earned a pair of varsity letters from Travis High School...helped his team earn a 6A Area Championship during his junior season...served as team captain as a senior.
Baines on Miles: "Evan is really going to be a great player at Elmhurst. He has played against a very high level of competition in Texas and has the game to make an immediate impact for us. He is a long armed, athletic guard that possesses quickness and the ability to knock down the open shot. Evan is a high-character person from a good family and will fit perfectly with our talented returning group. We are ecstatic about Evan coming up here to play for us."

Peyton Sampson - Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru (6-4, 200 lbs. Forward) 
Earned three varsity letters from LaSalle-Peru High School...earned first-team all-conference honors during his senior year...named to a pair of all-tournament teams during his senior year...Named NewsTribune's Player of the Year and first-team all-area honors during his senior year...named his team's MVP and best rebounder during his senior season.
Baines on Sampson: "Peyton is an absolute warrior. He has a 'take-no-prisoners' attitude on the court and his teammates are going to love playing with him. He has the ability to guard both forward positions and is going to be plus rebounder for us. Peyton has a huge upside in his game offensively and he is just now tapping into that potential. Fans are going to enjoy watching him, as he is a fun-loving person and a truly max-effort player."

Jamison White - Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central (6-8, 210 lbs. Center) 
Earned a varsity letter at Lawrence Central High School during his senior year...served as team captain as a senior...earned his team's Kenny Randle Mental Attitude Award as a senior.
Baines on White: "Jamison is a true post player with loads of potential. He is a lefty with developing post moves and appreciates physical play. He plays very hard and his body will change dramatically at the college level. He is already competing at a high level in Indianapolis. Jamison has the ability and drive to be a fine player at Elmhurst. He's a wonderful person and we can't wait to get the opportunity to help Jamison reach his potential as a player."