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SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah basketball program announced the signing of center Jakob Poeltl Friday morning.
Poeltl, an 18-year-old 7-foot center from Austria, will add depth and size to a Utes roster that was ranked No. 3 in the Pac-12 in rebounding and No. 5 in blocked shots last season.
“We are really excited to have Jakob join our program as he will give us versatility at the power forward and center positions,” Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak said in a statement. “He is committed to coming here and maximizing his basketball potential.
"Over the past year he has been playing against men so he is a little more seasoned as far as level of competition," Krystkowiak added. "Adding Jakob, a coveted big man, to our mix of international players, is something we feel is a blueprint to success in the Pac-12.”
As a center in Austria's domestic league, Bundesliga, Poeltl shot 72.2 percent from the field and averaged 12.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game for the Arkadia Traiskirchen Lions.
"We are really excited to have Jakob join our program as he will give us versatility at the power forward and center positions. He is committed to coming here and maximizing his basketball potential. -Larry Krystkowiak
“Jakob has made great sacrifices to get to this point,” Krystkowiak said. “He has been burning the candle at both ends in order to get here and experience the college atmosphere. We can’t wait to have him here in this environment because he has a terrific future ahead of him. It’s a great day for our program.”
Poeltl will be eligible to play for the 2014-15 season. He was a captain on the U-18 Austrian team at the European Championship in 2013 and was named to the second team by Eurobasket.
Prior to committing at the University of Utah, Poeltl was recruited by the Arizona Wildcats and the California Golden Bears.
