Alex Atkinson, the reigning CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, is making his way to the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) after announcing he is transferring to Towson.
Atkinson reportedly received offers from numerous Division I mid-major programs, including Memphis, Sacramento State, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Georgia Southern, among others, before ultimately committing to Towson.
Beginning his college career at Francis Marion, the sophomore forward transferred to Claflin last offseason after just one season with his former school.
He made an immediate impact for the Panthers, leading his team in scoring (13.5), rebounds (9.0, also finished second in conference), and blocks (1.5). He also led the CIAA in field goal percentage on just shy of 61%.
His best performance came in the second game of the season against West Virginia State, finishing with 24 points, 21 rebounds, and three blocks.
In addition to being named to the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, Atkinson was named All-CIAA First Team and the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) All-Region Second Team, becoming the first player in Claflin history to do the latter.
The standout forward made a significant contribution on a Panthers team that finished second in the CIAA Southern division, leading the conference in total rebounds, finished second in opponent’s field goal percentage, and third in scoring margin.
Atkinson joins Towson with two years of eligibility remaining.
