Men’s basketball head coach Matt Matheny has officially announced three freshmen that will fly with the Phoenix in the upcoming inaugural season at the Schar Center. Chuck Hannah, Andy Pack and Kris Wooten will all be playing under Matt Matheny, looking to add a fresh spark to the Elon program.
Hannah, a 6-foot-6-inch forward from Boston, Massachusetts, will join the Phoenix after a stellar high school career. The Northfield Mount Hermon graduate led the school to NEPSAC AAA State Championships twice, once in 2016 and again in 2018. The McDonald’s All-American nominee also set the Northfield Mount Hermon record for wins with his class, leaving high school with a staggering 113 wins under his belt. The future Phoenix was also a 2018 Esmark All-American, an accolade highlighting athletic, educational and community service excellence.
In a statement, Matheny called Hannah “the prototypical Elon guy," adding that “We are excited about him as a player, and we're also excited about his abilities as a leader. He's a confident, well-groomed and a tough competitor."
Pack will stay in his home state as the Summerfield, North Carolina, native will make the 30-mile drive west to step under the oaks in the fall. Pack is a 6-foot-4-inch guard who, like Hannah, was also a McDonald’s All-American nominee. He walked off the court at Northern Guilford High School as the program’s leading scorer. Pack racked up accolades for his efforts on and off the court as he was a two-time Conference Player of the Year, a three-time All-District selection and a four-time member of the Academic All-Conference team. Pack saved his best for last as he averaged 21.5 points, 3.5 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game in his last year playing for the Nighthawks.
“Andy is a very talented, multidimensional scorer,” Matheny said in a statement. “He has the intangibles that we value here at Elon.”
Hannah and Pack will be joined by Kris Wooten, also staying in his home state. The Kinston, North Carolina, guard found success early, winning a state championship in his freshman year at Kinston High School. Wooten transferred and played at Arendell Parrott Academy for the remainder of his high school career. Wooten was a three-time CRC All-Conference player and an NCISSA All-Star, adding three straight team MVP awards and a member of the 1,000-point club to his resume. In his senior year, Wooten averaged 21 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal per game.
In a statement, Matheny said Wooten had branded himself “as a winner early in his career.” He added, “Kris is known as an explosive shooter, but he is a lot more than that."
These three will look to fill into a roster that is returning three starters from last year. They will also be joining a coaching staff with a new face as J.B. Tanner was recently promoted from Director of Basketball Operations to Assistant Coach while Bryson Gibson will take over Tanner’s old position. Gibson joins Elon after two years at William Peace University as the Pacers' assistant coach.