MIAMI – FIU Head Men's Basketball Coach Jeremy Ballard continues to make quite an impact on the recruiting trail for the Panthers, announcing his third addition to the program – and his second to join from the state of Florida – on Tuesday with the signing of 6-foot-2 guard Antonio Daye (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida/Ft. Lauderdale) to a National Letter of Intent (NLI).

Daye joins 6-foot-1 guard Cameron Corcoran (Orlando, Florida/UALR/Orlando Christian Prep) who signed a grant-in-aid earlier this month, and 6-foot-3 guard Marcus Burwell from Richmond, Virginia (Thomas Jefferson High School/Northeastern Junior College {Okla.}), who inked an NLI with the Panthers in late May. Daye, like Burwell, is expected to make an impact during the 2018-19 season, while Corcoran, who played his freshman season at Arkansas-Little Rock, must the sit out the 2018-19 season, due to NCAA transfer rules. He will, however, have three years of eligibility remaining, beginning with the 2019-20 campaign.   

"We are ecstatic to have Antonio Daye joining the Panther family," said Ballard. "Antonio is a high character young man who will be a great addition to the FIU community. He is an aggressive minded attacking guard who thrives in an up-tempo system. His versatility will bolster our backcourt immediately and help enhance our quickness and athleticism. Antonio also marks the first of many signed (NLIs) who played Florida high school basketball."

This past season, at Fort Lauderdale High School, Daye averaged 25.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds-per-game for the Flying L's and was named to the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches/Source Hoops Boys Basketball Class 8A All-State Team as a third team selection.

Daye played his first three years of scholastic basketball at Southern High School in Durham, North Carolina, where he averaged 19.4 points and 1.0 assist-per-game as a junior.

Daye has the reputation of being an explosive playmaking point guard, that gets in the paint, and looks to create for others. In addition, he is known as a tough defender which will be a perfect complement to returning senior point guard Brian Beard, Jr. who led Conference USA in steals during the 2017-18 season.

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