DETROIT— University of Detroit Mercy Head Men's Basketball Coach Ray McCallum signed a pair of student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, announced Thursday during the NCAA's early signing period.  Brent Calhoun (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) and Akinyemi Solanke (Lagos, Nigeria/Arkansas Baptist JC) will enroll at UDM and join the team in the 2012-13 season.

The focus was on post players with the early signing class and the Titans got the bodies they needed with the 6-foot-8 Calhoun and 6-foot-10 Solanke.  Both will be charged with replacing a frontcourt that boasts centers Eli Holman and LaMarcus Lowe as well as power forward Nick Minnerath.  All three of those Titans will graduate following this season.

Calhoun, a lefty post player, comes to Detroit from Indianapolis, Ind. and Warren Central High School.  The southpaw had a seven-block game as a junior (against IHSAA Section-finalist Avon) and notched double figures in rebounding three different times last season. 

“Brent's a big-bodied kid," Coach McCallum said.  "We need him to be a physical presence: a rebounder, a shot blocker and screener.  He's a player that has tremendous size and big hands and a guy that we'll look to develop into a good player in this league."

“He's the anchor of our defense,” Warren Central High School Head Coach Greg Graham said.  “He worked his way into a leadership role.  He'll be a great fit at Detroit. I'm glad that he made a choice that was a benefit  for him and his family playing close and being in the Horizon League where they can watch him play.”

Solanke is an imposing center in his sophomore season at Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Ark.  He will transfer to Detroit following this campaign and will have two years of eligibility remaining.  He played an abbreviated season last year due to injury but managed to grab a half-dozen rebounds per game in the second half of the campaign.

"He's a big guy, 6-foot-10 with good length,” McCallum noted.  "He's smart, a 4.0 student. He's a physical presence and loves contact, plays really hard and is developing as a big man.  He's a real presence in the post," McCallum said.

“We can't wait to get him back for this season after how hard he's worked this summer,” Arkansas Baptist Head Coach Charles Ripley said.  “He was real raw but he's worked on his game and he has tremendous potential.”

The Titans open the 2011-12 campaign on Friday, hosting Lake Erie College at Calihan Hall.  Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.