First-year Detroit Titans head coach Ray McCallum added a former local prep star to his basketball roster with today's announcement that ex-Central Michigan guard Chase Simon has transferred to UDM. 

Simon started classes at the University yesterday, and will redshirt this winter in compliance with NCAA transfer rules. He will have three years of eligibility remaining as a Titan, beginning with the 2009-10 season.

A 6-5, 190-pound guard, Simon starred at Detroit Community High School before embarking on his college career. He was selected first-team Class C All-State as a senior by the Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Associated Press and the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan after averaging 23 points and seven rebounds a game. Simon led his team to the quarter-finals in 2007 state tournament play.

"It's exciting to bring Chase back home to the City of Detroit," coach McCallum said. "He was one of the most talented players in Michigan out of high school, a Top 10 player in the state. He'll be able to get his college degree in Detroit. He'll have a positive impact on our University community and on our team, athletically.

"Chase's high school coach, Tony Woods, was instrumental in Chase's decision to transfer to UDM. He was very supportive of Chase coming back home and taking the opportunity he had here."

Simon played 24 games at Central Michigan a year ago, starting three times. He averaged 4.1 points and 1.5 rebounds a game. Simon posted career highs for points (15) and rebounds (7) in the same game, against Central Missouri.

Simon is the fifth heralded recruit to sign with UDM since McCallum's hiring in April, following 6-7 junior college forwards Thomas Kennedy (Flint [MI] Mott CC) and Xavier Keeling (Wallace State [AL] CC), 7-3 Tallahassee (FL.) Community College center Jason Bennett, plus Indiana University transfer Eli Holman, a 6-9 center and, like Bennett, a former Top 100 recruit in high school. Kennedy was a second-team NJCAA All-American in 2008 after leading Mott to its second straight national championship. Keeling, who began his college career at Indiana, helped Wallace State to a 32-1 record and a berth in the Alabama Community College Conference championship game last season.