HARROGATE, TN -- Louis Maniacci has signed his scholarship papers to join the Lincoln Memorial University men's basketball program, head coach Josh Schertz announced Tuesday morning.

Maniacci, a 6'8 and 205 pound power forward/center from Cooper High School (Union, KY) enters the 2012-13 season ranked among the top 5 players in Northern Kentucky by the coaches in the preseason poll. He is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 10.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game.

"Louis has enormous potential," Schertz said. "I think he's just now starting to figure it out and get confidence. The way we play, we can move him around and he has the length, athleticism and toughness to develop into an elite big man at our level.

"I think he will adapt quickly to the college game as his development from when I saw him in the summer until now is extraordinary. I just think he's going to continue to get better and better at an accelerated rate.

"Lastly, just like our other signees in the class of 2013, they (the Maniacci's) have a beautiful family and he's playing at a basketball program that is one of the premier programs in Kentucky. Louis is a great addition to the LMU family."

The Railsplitters were ranked 14th in the most recent NABC Division II poll, as they are off to a 4-0 start behind a 34-point scoring margin of victory. Lincoln Memorial is set to begin South Atlantic Conference play this week with a pair of league battles on the road, heading to Tusculum College (Nov. 28th, 8 p.m.) and Newberry College (Dec. 2nd, 4 p.m.).

For complete coverage of Lincoln Memorial University athletics, head over to www.LMURailsplitters.com.