Valparaiso men’s basketball head coach Bryce Drew announced today that Vashil Fernandez, a 6’11” center from Kingston, Jamaica, has joined the Crusaders’ men’s basketball program for the 2011-2012 season.

“We feel very blessed to have Vashil as part of the Valpo family,” said Drew.  “He is a tremendous young man with potential to be a very special player at Valpo.  He brings great size and length to our program, which is a premium in college basketball.  We are very excited to get him started in the classroom and on the basketball floor.”

Fernandez attended Calabar H.S. in Jamaica, averaging nearly a triple-double on the court in the points, rebounds and blocks categories.  Fernandez also had the distinction of being one of the founding players of the Jamaica Basketball Academy.

Fernandez concluded his prep career last season in the United States, enrolling at Princeton Day Academy in Laurel, Md. for the 2010-2011 school year.  He came on strong later in the season, posting a double-double for Princeton Day over the second half of the year while also registering nearly five blocks per game.  Fernandez also helped Princeton Day to the National Christian Schools Athletics Association (NCSAA) regional title.

“Jamaica Basketball Association is proud of Vashil’s accomplishments as a stellar student-athlete,” said Ajani Harris-Williams, president of Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA).  “We believe that with his discipline and drive, he will continue to make steady progress towards success.  We are pleased Vashil chose Valpo, and look forward to him getting the chance to work with newly-appointed head coach Bryce Drew in the years to come.”

Fernandez will become the second Jamaican native to suit up for the Crusaders, following in the footsteps of Michael Rogers, who played for Valpo from 2007-2011.