FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Maurice Barrow, a former forward for the Fairfield University men's basketball team, became the latest Stag to sign a professional contract when he became a member of WBC Raiffeisen Wels, a member of the Austria A-Bundesliga. Wels advanced to the league semifinals in the 2014 playoffs.
Barrow became the fifth Fairfield student-athlete to sign a pro contract under Head Coach Sydney Johnson. He joins Ryan Olander (Lithuania), Rakim Sanders (Italy), Derek Needham (Ukraine), and Colin Nickerson (Canada).
“Mo's dream to become a pro is a heartfelt one for me,” Johnson said. “He expanded his game in our system by being very coachable and extremely dedicated. I am so proud of his growth as a young man and as a player here at Fairfield. I have purposefully stayed connected to European coaches and scouts and was certain that Mo could thrive over there. He deserves this."
Barrow finished the 2013-14 campaign as the Stags' top scorer, averaging 14.0 points per game. He led the team in scoring despite playing primarily as a reserve, enabling him to earn the 2014 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Sixth Man Award for the second straight season. He also collected All-MAAC honors as a senior. He finished his career with 1,309 points which places among the top 15 scorers at Fairfield, and added 709 rebounds throughout his career. He appeared in 137 games during his four-year stay.
"I am extremely blessed to be given this opportunity,” Barrow said. “Even though the wait was long, it was worth it. I want to thank my coaches, family and agent for believing in me and guiding me through the entire process. It is time to start this new chapter of my life, officially a professional basketball player."
The Fairfield University men's basketball team, under Coach Johnson, will open its season by competing in the sixth annual Connecticut 6 Classic, hosted by Quinnipiac University. Fairfield will play Central Connecticut State University on November 14 before heading to Duke University for a November 15 match up. The Stags' home opener will be on November 21 against Wofford College, part of the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament. Fairfield will host the three-day event at Webster Bank Arena, also playing Sam Houston State (November 22), and South Dakota (November 23) over the weekend.
Tickets plans for all Fairfield University men's basketball games can be purchased online by visiting the athletic ticket page. For ticket information, please call the Fairfield University Athletic Ticket Office at (203) 254-4136.