Waterloo Native Dale Jones To Play Basketball At Iowa

Former Waterloo West stand-out Dale Jones will be playing basketball at Iowa starting next season, Head Coach Fran McCaffery announced on Monday (April 20, 2015).

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward signed a national letter of intent with the Hawkeyes this week, claiming the sixth and final scholarship available for the 2015 recruiting class.

Jones has spent the last two years at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. As a sophomore last season, he averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. Jones also shot 45 percent (99-of-218) from 3-point range and 84-percent from the free throw line (99-of-118).

“Dale is a versatile front court player who can score, rebound and shoot at a high percentage,” said McCaffery. “He played for one of the top junior colleges and coaches in the country in Mike Marquis. This is a great opportunity for Dale to come back home. We’re thrilled that he’s going to be a Hawkeye.”

Jones averaged 9.2 points and 6.1 rebounds his freshman campaign in 2013 before being sidelined with an injury in 2014.

As a senior at Waterloo West in 2012, Jones was a second-team and third-team all-state honoree by the Iowa Newspaper Association and Des Moines Register, respectively, while also earning all-conference laurels.

Jones should help Iowa make up for the loss of forward/center Gabe Olaseni, and his ability to hit 3s could help the Hawkeyes develop a more consistent attack from the perimeter.

Jones will be a junior this fall, while Iowa’s other five commitments will be freshmen.

2015 IOWA RECRUITING CLASS

Andrew Fleming     G   6-5/205   Nashville, Tenn. (Oak Hill Academy - VA)
Brandon Hutton      F   6-6/210   Chicago, Ill. (De La Salle)
Dale Jones            F   6-8/220   Waterloo, Iowa (Waterloo West HS/Tyler JC-Texas)
Ahmad Wagner       F   6-7/215  Yellow Springs, Ohio (Wayne)
Isaiah Moss            F   6-5/175   Chicago, Ill. (Simeon)
Christian Williams  G   6-6/195   Decatur, Ill. (St. Teresa)