Wake Forest Athletics
Austin Arians to Join Wake Forest Basketball Program
4/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@TieDyeNation)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Wake Forest men's basketball program announced Wednesday (Apr. 20) the addition of Austin Arians, who will compete as a graduate student in 2016-17. A 6-6 forward, Arians transfers to Wake Forest from Milwaukee, where he averaged 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Panthers last season.
Arians will graduate from Milwaukee this spring with a finance degree and will be immediately eligible to play for the Demon Deacons in 2016-17.
"We are excited to welcome Austin into our program," said head coach Danny Manning. "He is a forward who can stretch the floor with his excellent shooting and his experience will help our younger student-athletes. His teams at Milwaukee have had success, he knows how to play the game the right way and he is the product of a great AAU team, the Wisconsin Swing, led by Justin Litscher. Austin will be able to obtain his graduate degree here at Wake Forest. As we have gotten to know Austin, along with his family, Dad - Andy, Mom - Jen and siblings, during the recruiting process, it was apparent what a great fit their family was for our basketball family."
Arians appeared in 97 games over three seasons at Milwaukee, making 69 starts. He averaged 9.8 points per game and made 186 3-pointers, while shooting 35.2 percent from behind the arc during his career.
Last season he averaged 11.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game as the Panthers won 20 games for the second time in three seasons. He started all 33 contests, made 79 3-pointers and shot 84.6 percent from the free throw line. His 79 long-range field goals ranked sixth in the Horizon League.
Arians sat out the 2014-15 season due to injury. In 2013-14, he averaged 11.1 points per game as the Panthers won the Horizon League championship. He scored a game-high 17 points in their opening round NCAA Tournament game against Villanova, one of 22 double-figure games on the season. Arians also had a career-high 28 points at Youngstown State that year.
As a freshman in 2012-13, he averaged 6.6 points and made 42 3-pointers.
"I really enjoyed my visit to Wake Forest," said Arians. "I liked the coaches and players and I am excited for the opportunity to join this program. When I saw what the school had to offer, I knew it was a great fit for me. Hopefully I can be a guy who can help knock down some shots next year."
A native of Stoughton, Wis., Arians was an all-state honoree at Madison Edgewood High School, where he averaged 17.2 points per game his senior season.
