Hoops Preview | Some rookie transitions are rougher than others

The men's basketball team doesn't have an organized hazing ritual for incoming freshmen, but 6-foot-8 power-forward Jack Eggleston had a unique initiation onto his new team.

"Brennan [Votel] broke my nose on the first day of classes," Eggleston said. "I had to sit out a couple of weeks . but other than that nothing too intense."

Eggleston is just one of six new players from the Class of 2011, and with the losses of Ibrahim Jaaber and Mark Zoller to graduation, it is especially important for the freshmen to contribute immediately this season.

"The roles throughout the entire roster are still being defined as we speak," Penn coach Glen Miller said. "We don't have those two or three established players that stand out [from] the pack."

However, it is sometimes difficult for new players to transition their successes from high school to college.

The consensus among the freshmen was that the speed of the game and the overall athleticism of players in the college game are on a whole different level.

"For most of us in high school, we were the biggest or the strongest or the most athletic," Eggleston said. "But now, coming here, everybody's on the same level, so you gotta adjust your game accordingly."

Eggleston, who is still working on developing a consistent shot and post-up game, could provide some much-needed size and interior defense this season.

Swingman Tyler Bernardini, a first-team All-California selection in high school, may get the chance to do even more damage.

As a 6-6 swingman, Bernardini was recruited by several Pac-10 schools and has been touted by Miller as "maybe the best shooter on our team."

"I like to hear that," Bernardini said when informed of Miller's comments. "[But] just because he thinks that now doesn't mean anything. I've got to go out there and really prove it."

6-0 point guard Harrison Gaines and 6-7 forward Conor Turley join Bernardini as fellow Californians who made the trip to the East Coast to play for Penn.

In the fifth grade, Gaines' cousin gave him the nickname "The Goo" because of his uncanny ability to slip through opposing defenses. Gaines fits well into the Quakers' up-tempo offense and should add stability to a team that played without a natural point guard last season.

Turley, who spent two years on a Mormon mission before coming to college, turned 21 this month.

In his senior year of high school, Turley averaged 17.1 points per gameand 8.8 rebounds per game, but he may have to shake off rust after two years removed from competitive basketball.

Remy Cofield, an athletic 6-4 guard, was the runner-up for the 2007 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year as well as a McDonald's All-America nominee.

Cofield strengths lie in posting up smaller guards and driving to the basket, areas in which his athletic ability shines. Although he has all the tools to be a very successful player, Cofield is still working on his ball-handling and outside shooting.

Dan Monckton, a 6-6 forward and converted football player from Illinois, rounds out the Quakers' Class of 2011 recruiting class. Monckton's athleticism could be an asset on defense, but he has been hampered in practice by an ankle injury and a viral infection which may limit his playing time early in the season.

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