Spradlin Adds Eddie Ricks III and Elijah Hutchins-Everett

HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Head Coach Preston Spradlin announced the signing of two more transfers in forward Eddie Ricks III and center Elijah Hutchins-Everett for the 2024-25 men's basketball season.

Ricks III follows Spradlin and his staff to Harrisonburg after spending his freshman year at Morehead State, while Hutchins-Everett comes to JMU with one season of eligibility after spending last year at Seton Hall with a previous stop at Austin Peay.

Eddie Ricks III | Forward | 6-7 | 205 | Clarksville, Tenn./Clarksville Academy (Morehead State)

Transfers to JMU after one season Morehead State (2023-24)
Appeared in 28 games, making four starts in 2023-24
Averaged 7.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game
Shot 41.6 percent from the floor (72/173)
Also tallied 26 blocks and 22 steals
10 games in double figures, including season-high 21 points at UT-Martin
Recorded two double-doubles with season-best 11 rebounds vs. Midway and Alice Lloyd
Had four assists in three games and three steals twice
Prior to MSU, ranked as #3 senior in Tennessee and was Tennessee Mr. Basketball finalist in 2021-22 and 2022-23

Spradlin on Ricks III: "We are extremely excited to bring Eddie to JMU! Coming from Morehead State, he will bring with him some of the championship culture that led to experience in the NCAA Tournament. Eddie is just scratching the surface on his development as a player, and it is all driven by his humility and character as a person!"

Elijah Hutchins-Everett | Center | 6-11 | 255 | Orange, N.J. | Putnam Science Academy [CT] (Seton Hall)

Transfers to JMU after one season at Seton Hall (2023-24) and two at Austin Peay (2021-23)
Appeared in 91 games with 54 career starts, playing in 31 games for the Pirates and starting 54 of 60 games for the Governors
2021-22 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-OVC and NABC Second Team All-District
Has a career average of 9.0 points per game while shooting 49% from the floor, 31% from three-point range and 71% from the free throw line
Also has accrued 4.9 rebounds per game, while adding 60 assists, 41 blocks and 39 steals
Led Austin Peay in scoring, rebounding and shooting percentage as a freshman
Led Peay in total points, rebounds, field goals, free throws and blocks as a sophomore
Last season at Seton Hall, averaged 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds while adding 11 blocks and shooting a career-best 80.5% from the free throw line
40 career games in double figures, including career-high 25 at Dayton in 2021-22

Spradlin on Hutchins-Everett: "Elijah is one of the more skilled big men that we have seen in recent years. We competed against Elijah when he was the freshmen of the year in the OVC and are excited for the opportunity to coach and develop his already talented abilities. He will give us a strong inside presence to balance out the talented group of perimeter players in place."

Ricks III and Hutchins-Everett become the sixth and seventh members of the 2024 signing class, joining transfers Luke Anderson (Florida Southern), AJ Smith (Southern Indiana), Ebenezer Dowuona (Georgia Tech) and Justin Taylor (Syracuse) and high school senior Redd Thompson (John Marshall HS).

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