Transfer plans to visit Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt basketball is set to host a very important visitor this Friday in former Wake Forest center Carson Desrosiers.

The 7-foot, 240-pound post player confirmed his plans on Tuesday night with Adam Zagorgia of ZagsBlog.com and SNY.tv.

Desrosiers chose to transfer from Wake Forest in March following a two-year career with the Demon Deacons that included 38 starts.

As a freshman, he averaged four points and 3.2 rebounds while starting 32 games, including 19 of the Deacons final contests. The New Hampshire native also posted 52 blocks, the second most blocks by a freshman in Wake Forest history, behind future NBA Hall of Famer Tim Duncan. The season total was the 11th best in Wake Forest history overall.

Desrosiers led the Demon Deacons in blocks once again this past season, posting 60 in 31 games. He also averaged 4.8 points and 4.4 rebounds while making 16 starts. His field goal percentage improved from 39.3-percent as a freshman to 44.1-percent as a sophomore. He also tallied 12 three pointers as a inside-outside threat.

A former standout from Central Catholic High in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Desrosiers visited Providence last weekend and has been linked to programs such as Boston College, Harvard, U-Mass and Oregon State.

In a report last week, Desrosiers was believed to be down to PC, U-Mass and Oregon State, but this new visit signifies change in his recruitment. He is believed to be listening to other new teams as well.

Vanderbilt visited Desrosiers on April 5th.

The Commodores were once a suitor for Desrosiers during his career at Central Catholic. Ranked 91st overall by Rivals.com, Vanderbilt was one of the first major schools to show attention prior to his senior year. Rivals.com also ranked Desrosiers at No.10 in its center position rankings that recruiting cycle.

Vanderbilt is in need of post players going forward with the pending graduations of All-SEC center Festus Ezeli and senior backup Steve Tchiengang. The Commodores have targeted several centers on the recruiting trail during the 2012 period and appear to be in the market for one or two big men to enter the program this fall.

Desrosiers will be required to sit out a year due to NCAA transfer rules. As a true sophomore, he will have three years to play two.

His visit caps off what is promised to be a very big weekend for Vanderbilt athletics.

The Commodore baseball team hosts SEC West Division foe Auburn in a very important three-game series that's pivotal to VU's SEC Tournament hopes.

The Vanderbilt football team will stage its annual Black and Gold Spring Football game on Saturday in front of several thousand fans as well as some big-time prospects on the recruiting front.

Vanderbilt will lose five players to graduation this spring as well as junior All-American John Jenkins. The local star recently announced his intentions to enter the NBA Draft.

Vanderbilt currently has four open scholarship spots on its roster. The Commodores signed German wing Kevin Bright and Florida shooter A.J. Astroth during the early signing period last November. The staff is expected to hold on to at least one or two scholarships for the 2013 recruiting period.

Vanderbilt is coming off its third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and fifth in the last six years.