The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN high school gridiron star Michael Cartwright brought his lengthy recruitment process to an end when he committed to one of the many NCAA Division I football programmes seeking his services.

Cartwright announced his commitment to join the Indiana Hoosiers for the upcoming Fall 2018 campaign.

The 6'7" 300-pound offensive lineman for the Champagnat Lions out of Hialeah, Florida, made the announcement via Twitter.

"First of all I just want to thank God for everything he has done for me because without him none of this would be possible. I would like to thank my mom and dad for raising and grooming me into the person I am today and my grandparents, aunts and uncles and everyone who helped along the way," he tweeted.

"I would like to thank 'Miss A' and the Champagnat family for taking me in and showing me love and affection the past three years. I also want to thank coach Dennis, coach Stubbs, coach Guardo, coach Hector and coach Danny for always believing in me. So today, on July 29th 2018, I'm really proud to say that I'm 1,000 per cent committing to the University of Indiana. Go Hoosiers."

In the month of May alone, Cartwright has received a new slate of eight offers from the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Kent State Golden Flash, UCF Golden Knights, UAB Blazers, Georgia State Panthers, Temple Owls, UMass Minutemen and Nebraska Cornhuskers.

He previously received offers from the Tulane Green Wave, FIU Golden Panthers, Indiana Hoosiers, Marshall Thundering Herd, FAU Owls, Southern Mississippi Eagles, Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions and the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Last season, the Lions won their second Class A Florida High School state title 24-7 over eight-time state champion Jacksonville University Christian.

Cartwright, a former student at Aquinas College, has also blossomed into a three-sport star for the Lions.

On the basketball court he averaged 12.6 points and 15 rebounds per game and in athletics, he became the school's first multiple district champion in the shot put.

Cartwright was also a member of the Bahamas' 2016 Caribbean Basketball Confederation under-16 team that won gold in the British Virgin Islands.