Nate Garth, a point guard who played the last two seasons at the University of New Mexico, will transfer to UCSB, head coach Bob Williams announced Tuesday.
By NCAA rules, Garth will sit out the 2010-11 season as a redshirt and will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2011-12.
“Nate is a highly skilled, extremely quick, and very athletic point guard,” Williams said. “He is a leader and should be a great addition to our program.”
As a sophomore in 2009-10, Garth averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 rebounds per game. He played in 34 of the Lobos’ 35 games, missing one because of illness, and averaged 15.6 minutes per game. New Mexico, which was ranked among the top-15 for most of the year, finished with a 30-5 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
In 2008-09, his freshman campaign, Garth averaged 17.8 minutes and played in all 34 Lobo games. He averaged 4.1 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 rebounds per outing and became just the sixth freshman in school history to dish out more than 100 assists in a season, finishing with 106. In his two seasons, Garth made 35 3-point baskets, hitting as many as four in a game. He also had a career-high of 10 assists in a win over Ole Miss, becoming the Lobos’ first freshman in nearly 10 years to have double-figures in assists in a game. In all, New Mexico went 52-17 in his two seasons.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to play at UCSB,” Garth said. “With the team they already have it should be fun. I’m hoping to come in, make plays, and help the team be the best that it can.”
It quickly became apparent on Garth’s visit to UCSB that it was a program he wanted to be a part of.
“I want to be part of a good family-type program,” he said. “When I was there on my visit, I felt like I was in the right place. Coach Williams and (Assistant) Coach (Matt) Stock made me feel at home and that, along with the opportunity to play with the guys already in the program, helped me make my decision.”
“Garth is a great kid and will fit right in personality-wise,” Williams said. “He seems to be a perfect fit for our program as a player and person.”
Garth is a native of Sacramento, but he graduated from Hamilton High School in Memphis, Tenn. As a senior, he averaged 24 points and seven assists per game. As a junior, Garth played at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas. He averaged 15.1 points and 8.4 assists that year. Prior to his freshman season at New Mexico, Garth was deemed the top incoming freshman point guard in the Mountain West Conference by Rivals.com.
In 2010-11 UCSB will return all five starters and most of the key players from a team that won the Big West Conference regular season and tournament titles for the first time in school history. Included among the returnees are 2010 Big West Player of the Year Orlando Johnson, Second Team All-Big West choice James Nunnally, starting point guard Will Brew, starting forward Jaimé Serna, and 7-foot-3 center Greg Somogyi. All five will be juniors and will still be on the team when Garth becomes eligible in 2011-12.
