Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot continued rebuilding a roster hit with transfers and injuries when 6-foot-11, 245-pound center Baylee Steele, a graduate transfer from Utah Valley, said he plans to enroll at the school.
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— Baylee Steele (@Im_Baylee) January 9, 2019
Duquesne will be Steele’s fourth school after he spent his freshman season at Des Moines Area Community College in his native Iowa. He also played at Eastern Michigan in 2016-17, averaging 4.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in 33 games (22 starts). He has one season of eligibility remaining.
At Eastern Michigan, Steele played against Pitt in the Panthers’ double-overtime victory at Petersen Events Center, recording six points and five rebounds. He also played against Dambrot’s Akron team in the Mid-American Conference, totaling 14 points and 13 rebounds in three Akron victories.
Steele averaged 8.4 points and 7.1 rebounds for Utah Valley this season, shooting 59.5 percent from the field.
Duquesne has a need for an experienced player who can become a presence in the paint after 6-11 freshmen Gavin Bizeau and Dylan Swingle were among four players who decided to transfer. Also leaving is guard Eric Williams Jr., the team’s leading scorer this season, and little-used freshman guard Brandon Wade.
Freshmen Austin Rotroff, 6-10, and Amari Kelly, 6-9, are rehabbing knee injuries, but 6-11 center James Ellis of Westinghouse is expected to join the active roster after he sat out last season.
Dambrot also has verbal commitments from high school guards Maceo Austin of Kennedy Catholic, Evan Buckley of Stone Bridge (Va.) and Ashton Miller of Seton Hall (N.J.) Prep.
