DUNK CITY, Fla. – Former Bishop Verot High School standout and University of Michigan forward Ricky Doyle will return home as the 6-foot-10 Cape Coral native has signed a Financial Aid Agreement to join the FGCU men's basketball program.
 
Doyle – who has a 7-foot-3 wingspan – will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Eagles, beginning in 2017-18 as a redshirt junior after he sits out the 2016-17 season per NCAA transfer rules.
 
A former two-time First Team All-State selection in high school, Doyle played in 67 of a possible 68 games during his two seasons with Michigan, starting 30 contests. While with the Wolverines, he averaged 4.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and shot 62.4 percent from the field.
 
Doyle made the announcement at a media gathering at Bishop Verot Tuesday, but NCAA rules prohibit institution officials from commenting publicly until the required paperwork has been completed and signed.
 
"It feels great to be home," an excited Doyle said. "I'm looking forward to representing Southwest Florida as best I can. Sitting out for a year will be difficult, but my goal is to help make my new teammates as good as they can be and then get on the court and make a direct impact in 2017-18. Go Eagles!"
 
Doyle reached double-figure points in 10 games while in Ann Arbor, with seven of those coming against BCS opponents. He scored a career-high 16 points as a freshman against Coppin State in just his second-career start. He also tallied 15 points on a perfect 5-5 from the floor and 5-6 from the free throw line at Indiana during the 2014-15 season.
 
As a freshman, Doyle made 19 starts and averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. In addition to the aforementioned freshman performances, he also tallied 13 points versus Illinois, 12 points against Syracuse and Wisconsin and 10 points opposite Oregon. The 12-point performance against Wisconsin came on a perfect 6-6 from the floor in the Big Ten Tournament against the eventual 2015 national runner-ups.
 
This past season, Doyle scored a season-high 10 points on two occasions, with the final time coming at Wisconsin. He once again was perfect from the floor against a team that has finished the last two years in the top 20 in the nation in scoring defense as he connected on all five of his attempts.
 
"We're excited that Ricky decided to come back home," commented FGCU head coach Joe Dooley. "The Southwest Florida community will have the opportunity to watch one of their own, and we're expecting Ricky to be a valuable asset to our program. We're looking forward to working with him over the next few years to help take his game and our program to the next level."
 
Doyle is expected to give the Eagles another strong low-post presence, adding to already firm front line which last year ranked 4th in the nation in percentage of total points from 2-point baskets at 61.1 percent. All four of FGCU's low-post players – Kevin Mickle, Demetris Morant, Marc-Eddy Norelia and Antravious Simmons – will return next season, with Norelia and Morant being redshirt seniors.
 
While at Bishop Verot, Doyle was named to the aforementioned all-state first teams in 2012 and 2014, helping guide the Vikings to 79 wins in four years and three 4A District 11 League titles. As a senior, he posted 19 games of 20 or more points, with seven 30-plus point contests and a season-high 41-point outing.
 
"I think everyone in Southwest Florida is excited to have Ricky home. It's really special when you can have a player, and a person, of his caliber return to the people that care the most about him. I'm glad that after a lot of thought he chose to come to FGCU," added Matt Herting, Doyle's head coach at Bishop Verot. "Dooley's type of play is a tough, hard-nosed, bang-into-the-basket style, and I think it will be a better fit for Ricky's skill set. He'll defend in the half court, post up and face up to the basket; I think the style of play will help Ricky tremendously."
 
Doyle is not the first Southwest Florida product to suit up for the Eagles, with the most prominent players also being Bishop Verot products. Most recently, Eddie Murray – a member of the historical 2013 Dunk City Sweet Sixteen team – played at Verot. Prior to that, Verot alum Reed Baker transferred from Michigan to play three years with the Green and Blue from 2008-11.
 
Doyle will be joining an FGCU program which posted its fourth-straight 20-win season (21-14) in 2015-16 as the Eagles claimed their second Atlantic Sun Tournament Championship in four years. FGCU won its third NCAA Tournament game in four years with a 96-65 victory over fellow 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in the First Four – with the 31-point margin of victory in that round of the tournament being the largest in NCAA history.
 
The Green and Blue are scheduled to return 84 percent of their points, 88 percent of their rebounds and 89 percent of their assists next year as the team will have arguably its deepest and most talented group in program history.
 
SOCIAL CENTRAL
For up-to-the-minute information and behind-the-scenes access to the men's basketball program, follow @FGCU_MBB on Twitter and Instagram, Like us on Facebook at /FGCUMBB and watch us on Snapchat at FGCU_MBB.
 
COACH DOOLEY 
FGCU is led by head coach Joe Dooley, who just completed his 3rd year with the Eagles and has coached eight all-conference selections. Dooley guided FGCU to a 4th-straight 20-win season and 4th-consecutive postseason appearance in 2015-16 as the Eagles claimed the A-Sun Championship and won their First Four NCAA Tournament game. He led FGCU to its first Atlantic Sun Conference Regular-Season Championship and first trip to the NIT in 2014, and in 2015 he led the Eagles to a berth in the CIT. Prior to arriving in SWFL, Dooley spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Kansas under head coach Bill Self. During those 10 seasons, Kansas produced 300 wins, nine-straight Big 12 regular-season titles, six Big 12 Tournament championships, six NCAA Sweet 16s, five NCAA Elite Eight appearances and two Final Fours, including the 2008 National Championship. Dooley just completed his 7th season overall as a head coach and has a record of 122-90 (.575), and in his three years with FGCU is 65-38 (.631).
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.