SALT LAKE CITY – Head coach Tommy Connor has announced that Ryan Strong has signed a NAIA letter of intent to join the Westminster men's basketball team for the 2009-10 season. Strong, a 6-2 guard from Lewiston, Idaho, led his Lewiston High School team to the Idaho Class 5A State Championship as a senior. It was the first state championship in 61 years for the school.

Strong was the second leading scorer on the team with his 10 points per game average. He also led the 22-4 team with 2.8 assists, and was third on the balanced squad with his 3.7 rebounds per contest. He is also a National Achievement Scholar award winner.

“Ryan is a terrific addition to our program,” Connor said. “He played for one of the better coaches in the state of Idaho and was one of the primary reasons they won a state championship. Most importantly, Ryan exemplifies the Westminster model of being a great student, good person, and a talented basketball player. We are pleased that he chose Westminster College.”

Westminster is coming off the most successful season in school history with a 30-5 record and a trip to the NAIA National Tournament quarterfinals. They won both the Frontier Conference regular season and tournament championships for the first time in school history.