INDIANAPOLIS – UIndy men's basketball head coach Paul Corsaro wrapped up his inaugural signing class on Friday, adding four more to the 2020-21 roster for his first season at the helm of the program.
 
"This class is a fine mix of guys who are older with experience, along with terrific multi-year players who will help build the culture of the program and longevity of success," said Corsaro of the class.
 
Corsaro continued: "This class is full of balance; four freshmen and five transfers. And three of the five transfers have three or four years of eligibility remaining."
 
Nine of the 15 players on the roster are newcomers.
 
Dravon Clayborn enters his first season at UIndy with two years left after finishing up his JUCO career at Navarro College in Corsciana, Texas. At Navarro, Clayborn averaged 10.6 ppg and 5.0 apg. 
 
"He's a jet from end to end with the ball in his hands," said Corsaro. "Defensively he's a lockdown defender and takes pride in shutting down the opposing team's best player. He's a tough competitive kid, who has been a winner everywhere he's been."
 
Prior to Navarro, Clayborn spent one year at Missouri State West Plains, where he set the rookie record for most assists in a single season. An all-conference selection at MSWP and Navarro, the Evanston, Ill., product was his league's player of the year as a senior at Niles North.
 
Journeyman Mikail Simmons will conclude his collegiate career as a Greyhound, coming to the Circle City with one year of eligibility remaining. As a junior at D-I Bryant University, Simmons averaged 4.7 ppg and 2.2 rpg in 14 minutes of action. The Murphy, Texas, native played in 24 games at Bryant, including a pair of starts.
 
"Mikail is an extremely versatile forward who could play the 4 or 5 on the offensive end," said Corsaro. "He's athletic enough to switch in ball screens and guard all five positions, and has the potential to be one of the biggest mismatch problems in our league."
 
Prior to Bryant, the 6-9 forward spent time at D-I Loyola Marymount and Bossier Parish Community College. 
 
"He brings a lot of experience, and is a competitive person who brings it every single day," concluded Corsaro.
 
A North Preston, Nova Scotia native, Josiah Tynes will transfer from Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla., to UIndy with three years of eligibility. In his lone season at Santa Fe, Tynes averaged 10.0 ppg, 3.0 apg and 3.0 rpg, earning all-conference second team honors.
 
"Josiah was a highly-touted prospect out of JUCO, being recruited by several DI and DII programs," said Corsaro. "He's a guard who can play on and off the ball. Josiah is a good shooter and incredibly long for a guard, which will help us on both the offensive and defensive ends."
 
Tynes was a Biosteel Futures All-Canadian honoree at Regina Mundi Catholic College before heading to Santa Fe.

At nearly 7-foot tall, Julian Steinfeld will make the overseas trek from Germany to Indianapolis for his collegiate career. A two-time all-conference selection at Grace Christian, Steinfeld averaged a double-double in each of his final two seasons.
 
"Obviously when you think of Julian, the first thing that comes to mind is his height," said Corsaro. "What people don't realize is just how athletic he is; he runs the floor like a guard and catches the ball like a wide receiver."
 
Steinfeld tallied 13.4 ppg and 11.4 rpg as a senior, chipping in a pair of blocks per contest. Steinfeld helped Grace Christian to 51 wins over his final two seasons, while being a member of the National Honor Society.
 
"A common characteristic from a basketball standpoint from the newcomers is versatility; they can play more than one position, which gives our team a chance to be more lethal," said Corsaro. "From a personal standpoint, every newcomer that joins our program fits the UIndy Athletics model: good students, good people, and are winners. Personal traits I look for are people that are tough, driven and humble, and I feel like everyone joining our program exemplifies all of those characteristics and traits."