Completed Event: Men's Basketball versus No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round) on March 10, 2026 , Loss , 66, to, 73
Final Score
Men's Basketball
66
vs No. 9-Seed Cincinnati (1st Round)
73
The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Men's Basketball Signs Four to Letters of Intent
11/20/2002 12:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah men's basketball program has signed four high school seniors to national letters of intent. The announcement came today from Head Coach Rick Majerus. The Runnin' Utes have landed Justin Hawkins, a 6-6, 200-pound wing player from Mayfair High School and Anaheim, Calif.; Josh Olsen, a 6-1, 175-pound guard from Sandy, Utah, and Alta High School; Ryan Werch, a 6-2, 179-pound shooting guard from Ripon, Wis.; and Stefan Zimmerman, a 6-9, 222-pound center from Lindon, Utah, and American Fork High School.
Hawkins averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season, earning all-CIF and Long Beach Press-Telegram "Dream Team" recognition. He was also honored as Mayfair High's and the Suburban League's MVP. Hawkins led his team to the semifinals of the California 3-AA tournament and a 25-6 overall record. Mayfair also won the league championship for the fifth straight year. Hawkins played with the L.A. Rockfish club team last summer and was one of the outstanding performers at the Adidas ABCD Tournament. Notre Dame, Stanford, Oregon and Marquette also recruited Hawkins.
"Justin, first of all, has a 1000 SAT score, great grades and about as good of a family background as you could come from," said Majerus. "His mother and father remind me of my own parents in terms of their concern for his academics, and we're delighted to have him as much for the character of the man as we are for the athletic ability. There's no question that he can play a couple of spots offensively and defend three spots on the other end of the floor. His feel for the game appeals to me. He's played for a terrific high school coach in Dave Breig at a winning program. We like him on the come, and he is a player we would have lost to another program had we not signed him early. We're certainly looking forward to his arrival on campus next season."
Olsen was the only junior to make his all-region team last season, leading Alta High to the semifinals of the state tournament. He was also named second team all-state by the Salt Lake Tribune and earned honorable mention from the Deseret News in 2001-02. Olsen averaged 13.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He shot 46 percent from the field, 39 percent from three-point range and 81 percent from the free throw line. Olsen chose the Utes over BYU, Utah State and Southern Utah. He may elect to serve a two-year LDS Church mission before enrolling at Utah.
"Josh is a high character kid," said Majerus. "In his junior year he came to a lot of our practices, he's been to our basketball camp and loves the game. He's a highly motivated kid and his desire and his style of play reminds me of Jimmy Soto. He's got a toughness to him and a defensive presence. It's very difficult to play both the one and two guard positions, but I'm confident he'll be able to do that. His versatility on the court attracted us to him."
Werch was named the Player of the Year in his area and conference, and earned honorable mention all-state honors last season. He averaged 18.3 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field, 44 percent from three-point range and 86 percent from the free throw line. Werch also averaged 4.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He led Ripon High School to the sectional semifinals and a 20-4 record in 2001-02. Last summer, he played for the Randolph club team in the Las Vegas Big Time Tournament. Werch chose Utah over Wisconsin-Green Bay, UNC-Wilmington, Drake and Northern Illinois.
"Werch is a terrific athlete," said Majerus. "A good friend of mine, Bobby Gillespie, is the coach at Ripon College, and he and other friends of mine in Wisconsin thought that he was the best shooter in the state, and maybe the best perimeter player. I like him because he's athletic and can shoot. He's played for a coach, Dean Vander Plas, who played under Dick Bennett, and he has an understanding of the importance of defense. He has a real ability to shoot with range and get his own shot off quickly. We're looking for him to come in and be a nice blend with the players that are already here, and help our inside game by expanding the defense."
Zimmerman averaged 12.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game last season, playing for Mountain View High School before transferring to American Fork this fall. An all-region selection, he shot 58 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line in 2001-02. Zimmerman was also recruited by Kansas, Florida and Wake Forest.
"Zimmerman is self-made young man. He attended the ABCD Camp and was a part of the USA West team in Colorado Springs this past summer," said Majerus. "If he gets a better body and brings a sense of strength and quickness, his skill level is excellent and his feel for the game is very good. He appears to be a driven player, Stefan has been to many of our camps, practices and games, and has always wanted to be a Ute."
"We're excited to welcome all of these guys on board," concluded Majerus. "Zimmerman, Werch and Olsen grew up having a special feel and liking for the program, and that makes it better when their passion matches our own."
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