A recruit for the future has tie to UH past
Cheri Boyer is considered one of the all-time great setters in University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball history. The UH men’s basketball team would like her to provide a huge assist for the future.
Boyer’s son, Evan Fitzner, is a coveted prospect for the 2014 class, and he has Hawai’i on a long list of possibilities.
“My mom’s got the University of Hawai’i alumni license plate and she’s got some stuff around the house,” Fitzner said. “I like all the schools that are recruiting me, obviously. But I guess there’s some sort of an advantage there because she was really happy when she found out that (Hawai’i) was recruiting me and she likes the school a lot.”
Fitzner is a 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward at Francis Parker High School in San Diego. He is about to enter his junior year, and is considered a prospect for the 2014-15 season.
College coaches notice quality players across the country early, and Fitzner appears to fit that category. Several programs have been recruiting him for more than a year, including Cal, Colorado, New Mexico, Rice and Stanford.
Fitzner plays summer basketball with Double Pump Elite – one of the top AAU programs in the country. Earlier this summer, Double Pump Elite won the 16-under championship at a big national tournament in Anaheim, Calif., and also placed third at the Las Vegas Fab 48 tournament in Las Vegas.
Fitzner sprained an ankle early in the Las Vegas tournament last month, so his playing time and performance were slowed somewhat. Still, he displayed a nice shooting touch – with range beyond the 3-point line.
“I’m like a face-up (power forward),” he said. “I can also post up – that’s something I also need to work on is getting stronger in the post. I like to rebound and block shots and I think I have a pretty good shot on the perimeter.”
Keep in mind that he still has two years of high school remaining to improve – and grow. His mother can relate to what he is going through. During the late 1980s, Boyer was one of the top volleyball recruits in the nation, before she signed with UH. She became an All-American setter for the Rainbow Wahine, and still ranks fourth on the program’s career list of assist leaders.
“That really was like my family away from home,” she said. “I can’t say enough about Hawai’i.”
Of course, dad will likely have a say in the decision as well, and Mark Fitzner is a former basketball player at … Stanford.
As stated above, a sprained ankle at the Las Vegas tournament hampered Fitzner so his highlights in the video at top are limited. Below is another video from his sophomore season at Parker High.
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Special thanks to Pacific Risk Solutions, Tony Schmidt and family, for travel sponsorship for WarriorInsider.com.
This will be the final report from the Las Vegas Fab 48 tournament. It was a last-minute scramble and WarriorInsider.com was in Las Vegas for less than 48 hours, but we were able to profile recruits from the 2012 class (Aaric Armstead), 2013 (Kaiako Kaluna) and 2014 (Evan Fitzner). There were obviously many more prospects at the tournament, but these were the only ones we were able to track down during our time there.
A huge mahalo again to Pacific Risk Solutions and Tony Schmidt and his family for the continued support and travel sponsorship for WarriorInsider.com.
Awesome job Dayton and staff.!! Much Mahalo to Pacific Risk Solutions and Tony Schmidt family, Thank you so very much in behalf of UH MBB fans. You have given us so much to talk about, and look forward to in regards to UH MBB the past going on couple of years. Much thanks again!!
hey, Cheri Boyer:
it really warmed my heart to see this beautiful picture showing how happy you are & how wonderful you looked!
you’re one of the “Wahine Volleyball Immortals” from the amazing old days. your smooth, efficient settings are always remembered by your fans!
Evan is so handsome, 6′-10″ & GROWING.. wow, sky is the limit?
we hope Mr. Mark Fitzner is a ladies first gentleman, and let you send Evan to Hawaii to experienced the Aloha spirit as well as you had had!
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plenty Mahalo again to Dayton & supporters!
Yes. Cheri Boyer, one of all time favorite setters for Wahine VB team! She was 6’1″ I think, great setter and at her height could block and put down overpasses, believed she played in old Klum gym! Yes would be great get to see Evan with Isaac, and Caleb as upperclassmen. UH MBB team would be really moving on up. Great to see video of your son Cheri, always a class act ..Aloha to you , your husband and family!!
Thankyou Tony Schmidt for keeping all of us informed – even when we live “down under”
I like the idea to go after players that have ties to Hawaii. Polynesian roots, kids of parents that played or lived in Hawaii, relatives living in Hawaii, etc. In this sense we have an outside shot at landing them and keeping them. And I think if parents know that they can go online and follow their sons or daughters, they will not be too disappointed that their child decided to go to some distant school thousands of miles away. Indeed they might even agree with them. We live in a global community and thanks to technology and Warrior Insider, families and friends can just log in and enjoy watching their kids play.
Kid looks really good for being just a sophomore , could grow to 7′ 0 too. Will be hard to beat out USC and Stanford for him though.
already a 3 star 76 rating by espn as a sophomore…if we become a BW powerhouse we’ll have a good shot at him
Nice! Good to see that we’ve got targets two years out or more.
There is some serious competition for Fitzner but at least the coaches are putting in the work and showing interest in him. I’m sure it means a lot to parents when their son/daughter are being recruited by “their” university. Hopefully we can recruit more players with UH connections.
It looks like being in the BWC is starting to pay off. Cheri Boyer and her husband will be able to see Evan play alot with UH now in the BWC.
Cheri looks like see can still play volleyball, the years have been good to her, still looks outstanding.
We want to thank those for the kind comments on our sponsorship to the WI website and to Dayton and his team for all their hard work and committment to this website, basically out of their love for Hawaii Basketball. Our small contirbutions, enable Dayton to give us all a peak into the team as well as the parents of our student athletes to see their sons when many are so far from home. All the kudos to Dayton for his hours and hours of work on WI without any true compensation. – Tony, Valerie and Hunter Schmidt
Shot MB. All the hard works Dayton and the team, we all appreciate it living so far away. Even Isaac’s uncle who haven’t caught onto the internet and cable technology will be getting it ready for the begining of the season. Uncle might have to get Isaac’s 8 year old brother to run through the instruction manual with him…lol
GO THE MIGHTY WARRIORS
Dayton Morinaga…..EXCELLENT PIECE on Chery Boyer and son. I had to share this on my twitter and facebook page!!!
THE TONGANATOR: On behalf of UH MBB fans and this wonderful site, welcome and Aloha! Hope for a great season, and thanks to warriorinsider, it is global coverage! Dayton, and Tony , Valerie and Hunter Schmidt ohana and sponsors, Mahalo plenty. Thank you!!
Coach Norman Chow:
sorry that “Ako” is concentrating on basketball only but,
Bryce, who is 6′-7”, 240lbs, plays tight-end, catches the ‘bullet’ like a wide-rcvr, an uncommitted sr.
his mom is a three-time All-American former Wahine setter Cheri Boyer (1989-1992).
would you be interested? if you got him in, Coach Arnold will thank you!
Aloha!
Can’t tell you how excited I was to see the Hawaii coaches on the sideline of my sons games this summer. My years at UH were magical all thanks to the people of Hawaii, Dave Shoji and staff, and my patient teachers at UH. The experience that the student athlete gets at UH is unique. The Aloha spirit had a profound affect on who I am today. Thank you Dayton for a wonderful article that I will cherish forever.
P.S.Hawaii Football coaches are also recruiting my older son Bryce (6’7 245 lbs TE) high school senior. He is #33 in the Francis Parker video above and quite a good basketball player too!
Coach Dave Shoji:
does NCAA allow you to recruit sophomore?
otherwise, keep away for another year.
and don’t retire until she graduated.
the challenge to you is: make her a four-time All-American winner!
Emily, who has the genes of a three-time All-American fame.
Mrs. Mark Fitzner of San Diago, Ca. (the former Miss Cheri Boyer, remember?).
a World Record forever!?
Aloha to you to Cheri!
Thank you for your memorable years at UH for we sports fans! You have a great athletic family, and are nice people! Wish the best for both of your sons, and hopefully, one or two will enjoy the UH experience.!
Mahalo Cheri and Family Fitnzner!!
Apologies Cheri, I meant , Mahalo Family (ohana) Fitzners! Brings back many good memories of you and the Wahine playing in old Klum Gym! Hopefully Evan, and Bryce could enjoy playing in Hawaii too. !
Thank you again for sharing! Great site by Dayton, Warriorinsider, and sponsors Tony Schmidt and Ohana, you can always follow children’s athletic progress through the years!
hey, Evan Fitzner:
how’s your grade situations? (sorry, just in case, can’t imagine your Mom gives you slack!)
congrats to you for being a member of an outstanding athletic, gifted family, which admired by everyone!
do you valued the honor of an All-American Award? Medical Doctor degree..?
it’s all for you for the taken.. plus the Aloha spirit, which is unique in the world. (read your Mom’s post.)
now is the time to start preparing for your college career. you get for what you earned!
on your spare-time.. check out what UH Warriors Basketball under Coach Gib Arnold is all about.
a few of the possibilities are:
1. a coaching staffs that treat you like a part of their family. honest & open to your needs.
2. the TEAM is similar to an international brotherhood, which emphasized fair & square completing.
3. total individual developments for goals achievement.
4. enhance & encourage talents for academic, athletic or both for achievement honor(s).
5. closely co-operating with family for your utmost progress.
possibilities unique to you:
1. international friendships found nowhere else.
2. all-in attitude, hardworking, serious academics awareness.
3. playing in the same conference as your mom’s
4. playing with a conference Champion/ranked Warriors TEAM (by then).
5. All-American style of coaching from Gib Arnold.
6. first second-generation All-American Honor.. (Mom-Son, Mom-Son-Son, Mom-Son-Son-Daughter) !!!
Do you want to be an All-American?
ps: please take a look at Hauns’ video “King of Memphis Workouts II”
Aloha, Coach Arnold:
just saw Cheri’s post about Evan’s older brother Bryce, 6’7, 245lbs, “.. quite a good basketball player too!”
“Hawaii football coaches already recruiting him”.
Bryce probably will be lengthen too, in time!
part-timely may we have the chance to see “The Fitzner Brothers Towers Front”?
Com’on D1 PG(s), the bigs will be here, jump on the BANDWAGON.. showtime is yours!
Aloha, Cheri:
my throat is choking, my eyes are wet..
was really hoping that you and Evan will be kind enough to even bother to take a look at our posts!?
sure you’ve looked; sure you’ve joined us! given your royal fans your humble words full of feelingly describing
the Aloha influence upon you. positively reconfirmed that the wonderful lady, who you truly are!
can’t hardly believe my own eyes that is really you posting!
Hawaii was honored to have had you spend your whole college/athletic career with us. we proud of your triple
All-American achievement as much as your family did.
you know, Cheri, in time Coach Arnold can be just as good as Coach Shoji to some extend, especially the capabilities to produce All-American Winners. With Evan’s talent (plus some Bryce’s help) and some luck..
our dream come true headlines could be: “First second-generation All-American playing in the same conference as his Mother’s won by Evan Fitzner!”. How unique & historical is that?
May you all be healthy, strong & happy!
…o.k….to re-state in one line …
AS YOU and Coach Shoji elevated the Volleyball Program
it would seem You, Your son(s and daughter) and
coach Gib may be able to elevate the Basketball Program @ UH …
it’s a choice … i can’t imagine “Stanford” would EVER appreciate your family’s contributions the way that you KNOW Hawai’i Can ….
HOW to convey THAT to Hubby & Sons …?
Thanks for joining the WI.com Ohana !
hey, Warriors:
hope your ten-days Summer break going well, enjoying every minutes of it!
when you’re in the mood for some outstanding HS MBB video, check this one out as recommended by their mom of your prospective future TEAM-mate(s).
“The Magnificent Fitzner Brothers”. Bryce the 6’7 TE #33; Evan the 6’10&growing #4..
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Mahalo, to Hunter, “The #1 fan” & parents!