Welsh ready for challenges at Hargrave

After winning back-to-back state titles at Woodside High School, Stefan Welsh is leaving his home in Newport News, Va., to attend Hargrave Military Academy. While there, the four-star prospect is hoping to improve his versatility while at the same time putting his recruitment on cruise control.

At the Southern Invitational, no one wore a t-shirt prouder than the No. 58 ranked player in the class of 2006. Welsh sported a black and orange Hargrave shirt all weekend and made sure everyone in attendance saw it. Changing schools is a decision the rising senior is thrilled about.

"I feel like the move I'm about to make is going to put me where I need to be at for wherever I choose to go to school and make an impact as a true freshman," Welsh said.

The move to the military school will allow Welsh to improve the areas in his game he needs to improve on, he says.

"Coaches question if I can play the point or not so I feel like I can go there and develop my ball-handling skills and see the floor," Welsh said. "I can play the point guard. I just don't have to with my team.

"As far as me getting stronger, I'm going to get there. The word out on me is that I'm a streaky shooter. I'm going to be able to work on that because all you do there is work on school and play basketball."

Welsh said his top seven included Illinois, Boston College, Xavier, Miami, Clemson, Arkansas and St. Joseph's. College coaches seem to like the idea of him moving to the school three hours away from his home.

"They tell me that this is one of the best moves I could have made for my future because they really prepare their players," Welsh said. "My high school feels like it's a good move. I've already won two state championships. There is nothing really left to prove. If I stayed home, I'd just get box and oned all the whole year. The competition at Hargrave is going to be more challenging and that is another reason why I'm ready go to go there."

Welsh recently took an official visit to Xavier and spoke highly about his time in Cincinnati but with a change of plans for next year, he said he's going to take the recruiting process a little slower now.

"It went really well and I'll probably take at least three more some time after the Peach Jam (in July)," Welsh said. "I was ready to jump on some things but now I'm going to sit back a little bit and I'm going to work on my game and then I'll take a look at what is in my best interest later."