April 14, 2011
CHICAGO -Head men's basketball coach Howard Moore bolstered his already deep recruiting class Wednesday with the addition of Rob Robinson, a 6-foot-5 wing from St. John's Northwestern Military Academy in Wisconsin. Robinson was a part of Chicago Simeon's 2010 IHSA Class 4A state championship team.
"We're thrilled to have signed Rob Robinson, and to welcome him to our UIC basketball family," said Moore. "He's a kid of great character, is a good student and really has a will to win. Rob is going to be a big addition to our team next year.
"As a staff, we continue to stay committed to recruiting the city of Chicago, and bringing in the type of kids that want to help build something special here. Rob is excited to come home and help lead UIC into the future."
Robinson, who will have four years of eligibility at UIC, led St. John's to a 20-4 record this past season, including a berth in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) regional finals. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for a team that featured six other Division I prospects.
Robinson, who has been familiar with both Moore and assistant coach Donnie Kirksey since his career at Simeon, was impressed by the building blocks being put in place at UIC, and wanted to be a part of the staff's vision.
"I've known Donnie Kirksey since his days at Hyde Park, and he's always been a guy that has been a great mentor to me," said Robinson. "I've always been impressed by Coach Moore; he recruited me when he was at Wisconsin, and he's always been very straight-forward and honest. That's the type of guy I want to play for. I've got a lot of respect for the coaching staff at UIC, and they all made me feel comfortable and welcomed."
A left-handed slasher that is known for his toughness and athleticism, St. John's Northwestern Military Academy head coach Brian Richert was most impressed by Robinson's ability to excel as a leader.
"Rob's best quality is his leadership," said St. John's head coach Brian Richert. "In the past year, he's really learned the value of being a leader and that will be an advantage to UIC with the young team that coach Moore and his staff will have next year.
"On the court, his strength is what stands out, both physically and mentally. He put on about 15 pounds of muscle during his year in our program, and will be ready for the rigors of Division I basketball. We're just honored to be passing Rob onto UIC. He'll be playing for a great coach and a great man in Howard Moore."
Robinson becomes the sixth member of a Moore's first recruiting class at UIC. He joins Chicago Public League standouts Jerome Brown (6-4, SG, Morgan Park H.S.), Ahman Fells (6-5, G/F, Simeon) and Greg Travis (6-0, PG, Curie); along with 6-foot-5 shooting guard Marc Brown, out of Dallas, and Will Simonton, a 6-11 center from Fishburne Military Academy in Virginia.
