4/27/2004 football Edit

Virginia Shooter Scores Offer

Justin Young

RivalsHoops.com Recruiting Analyst

The class of 2006 is a balanced group of players. The big men are strong. The point guards are deep and the shooters are a plenty. So Stefan Welsh is doing what he can to make his game stand out more than his peers. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard from Woodside High School in Newport News, Virginia has made believers over the last three weeks with his dead-eye range.

Welsh averaged 18 points as a sophomore and came alive in the state playoffs, putting in 25 points and six assists a game. On a talented and deep Boo Williams Summer League (BWSL) team, Welsh has the opportunity to grow even more as a player, he says.

“Playing against the best of the country will help me go back to my high school season being that we won a state championship last year,” Welsh said. “It will help me with my leadership and help me build that team chemistry for year.”

His game hasn’t changed, he says, just intensified.

“Usually I’m on the back light role and last year I was trying to find my ticket,” Welsh said. “Now I’m playing the role of the shooter and scorer. That works for me just fine.”

Welsh is boasting a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech and many more schools are getting into the mix early with the young prospect.

“Florida State is real high on me, Stanford is real high on me, Virginia is real high on me. Clemson - I’ve got letters from them. Man, I’ve got so many letters,” he said.

But there is one school that he hopes to hear from.

“I want to go to UNC,” Welsh said. “I love UNC. That’s my dream. That’s where I’ve wanted to go since I’ve been young. I’ve been telling (BWSL teammate and UNC pledge) Marcus (Ginyard) that’ll I’ll be there with him. As soon as they offer me, I’ll commit.”

Welsh was quick to say that the Tar Heels are evaluating him at the moment and even made it out to Newport News for a regulars season game. Members of the Tar Heels staff watched a handful of the BWSL games at the Capitol Invitational event two weeks ago in Washington D.C. and last weekend at the Kingwood Classic.