Keith Hornsby, a Williamsburg resident and son of local music legend Bruce Hornsby, announced Monday night over social media he is transferring from UNC Asheville to play basketball at Louisiana State University.
After a breakout sophomore season at UNCA this past winter in which he averaged 15 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting better than 92 percent from the free-throw line, Hornsby said he has spent the past month exploring the possibilities of playing at a larger school.
Hornsby said he received offers from 10 schools in the past week-and-a-half, and had his choice narrowed down to three: N.C. State, St. Mary’s and LSU.
“I felt a great connection with [LSU’s] head coach [Johnny Jones] and the whole staff,” Hornsby told WYDaily on Tuesday afternoon. “They made it clear how much they wanted me and what they expected from me, and that was really important that they had high expectations of me. School-wise, I wanted the experience to play at a bigger school, and the SEC [South Eastern Conference] is one of the best conferences out there. Plus LSU’s campus is beautiful and they have great facilities.”
Hornsby must sit out his junior year, in accordance with NCAA guidelines, but will be eligible for two years beginning with the 2014-15 season.
“I view it as sort of a blessing in disguise,” Hornsby said about having to sit out a year. “Everyone saw how much I improved from my freshman to sophomore year, so I’m going to take that time to get to know the system, get stronger and just see how much better of a player I can become.”
Hornsby, whose family lives in Williamsburg, played three seasons at Hampton Roads Academy before transferring to the prestigious Oak Hill Academy in the western part of the state.
He received a full scholarship offer to play at UNCA in 2011 where he spent two seasons. He will remain on scholarship at LSU.
Off the court, Hornsby was a communications studies major with a film and visual media concentration, and plans to continue in that line of study at LSU.
