FIU head men's basketball coach Jeremy Ballard announced the addition of three graduate transfers to the program, as the Panthers welcome the additions of Nick Guadarrama, Austin Williams and John Williams.
Guadarrama, a 6-foot-5 forward from Newington, Conn., joins the Panthers after starring as a three-time All-America East selection at the University of New Hampshire, totaling 1,118 points and 577 rebounds for his career at UNH. Guadarrama started all 25 games he played in last season, finishing second on the team in scoring (12.7 ppg), field goals made (119), assists (68), steals (25) and blocks (14), while averaging 5.2 rebounds in 34.4 minutes (Fourth in AE). The forward reached double-figure scoring in 18 contests en route to consecutive All-America East Second Team recognition, marked by a season-high 32-point outburst against Albany on Jan. 8, as Guadarrama also became UNH's 34th 1,000-point scorer with a 22-point performance versus Stony Brook on Jan. 28. In his junior season in 2020-21, Guadarrama led the team in scoring (14.0 ppg) and finished second in rebounds (6.4) en route to his first second team all-conference nod.
Guadarrama also holds All-America East Third Team honors after leading the 'Cats in scoring (12.9 ppg) and field goal percentage (.480), while finishing fifth in the America East in rebounding (7.1 rpg), his sophomore year in 2019-20. A former standout at the Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, Pa. as a two-time Mercury First Team All-Star, Guadarrama additionally previously played for the Puerto Rico U19 team in 2017.
Austin Williams, a 6-foot-4 guard from Roseland, N.J., comes to FIU after also starring within the America East as a two-time all-league selection at Hartford University. A 1,000-point scorer at Hartford, Williams notched All-America East First Team recognition after leading the team with 16.1 points (Fourth in AE) on 50 percent shooting (Fifth in AE) and 3.4 assists (Fourth in AE) this past season. An all-around player, Williams finished second on the team in rebounding (5.2 rpg) en route to notching double figures in 23 games, including a career-high 34-point performance against Vermont on Feb. 14. Williams led Hartford to the program's first-ever America East Championship and NCAA Tournament bid in 2020-21, being named the America East Championship Most Outstanding Player for his 20-point, eight-rebound performance in the title game, in addition to All-America East Third Team, and America East All-Championship Team honors.
The New Jersey native started all 24 games, leading the team at 14.1 points and 6.2 rebounds on 50.8 percent shooting and scoring in double figures a team-best 19 times through the 2021 season. Additionally, he averaged 21.3 points, including three 20-point outings, and 8.3 rebounds during Hartford's four-game run through the America East Championship. Prior to Hartford, Williams played two seasons at Marist in 2017-19, making 60 appearances for the Red Foxes, while starring at Seton Hall Prep in high school as a First Team All-Division honoree for the Pirates.
John Williams, a 6-foot-4 guard from Augusta, Ga., joins the program after starring as a Division II All-American and two-time All-Mountain East Conference First Team selection at Glenville State. Williams consecutively finished second in the nation in scoring amongst the Division II ranks this past season, leading Glenville State with averages of 24.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists en route to first team all-conference recognition. Williams reached double-figure scoring in all but one game last season, including six 30-point outbursts, while shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line. In his junior season in 2021, Williams also finished second in the nation in scoring at 27.8 points on 55.1 percent shooting, 40 percent from 3-point range and 74.2 percent from the charity stripe, landing himself All-MEC First Team, NABC DII All-District Second Team and D2CCA All-American Third Team accolades. The guard reached double figures in all 13 games, highlighted by a career-best 52-point outing against Frostburg State, while notching two double-doubles on the season and finishing third in the league for 3-point field goals per game (3.2). Additionally, Williams led Glenville State to the MEC semifinals, notching MEC All-Tournament Team honors while holding the highest scoring average during the MEC Tournament.