Men’s Basketball Announces 2023 Signing Class
6/6/2023 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Lions welcome Nweke, Arop, and Romanelli to the program
NEW YORK — Columbia men's basketball coach Jim Engles officially announced Arop Arop, Richard Nweke and Nicolo Romanelli as the program's 2023 recruiting class. All three players will enroll at Columbia as first-years.
"With the addition of Richard, Arop, and Nicolo, our roster is brimming with talent, versatility and depth," Engles said. "These young men embody the core values we hold dear at Columbia University - a commitment to academic excellence, strong character and a passion for basketball. They have already demonstrated their dedication both on and off the court, and I have no doubt that they will excel as representatives of our esteemed institution."
Arop, Nweke and Romanelli join 12 returning letterwinners to the 2023-24 Columbia men's basketball team.
2023 Men's Basketball Signees
#24 Arop Arop
Forward | 6-11 | 185 lbs | Fort Worth, Texas | Chisholm Trail / The Hotchkiss School
Arop highlights
High School: A June 2023 graduate of The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut… Played a post-graduate year at The Hotchkiss School for head coach Joseph Busacca… Averaged 10 points and six rebounds his post-graduate year… Won the Founders League high jump event for the track & field team… A June 2022 graduate of Chisholm Trail High School in Fort Worth, Texas… Played four years at Chisholm Trail High School and scored over 1,200 points… Set a school record with six slam dunks in a game… Was a First Team All-District selection and Academic All-State selection his senior year… Was a Second Team All-District selection and Academic All-District selection his junior year… Tied the school's single game scoring record his junior year with 32 points against North Mesquite… Averaged 15 points and six rebounds his junior year… Was a Second Team All-District selection and Academic All-District selection his sophomore year… Averaged 14.2 points his sophomore year.
Personal: Born in Dallas, Texas… Son of Kuol Arop and Nyandeng Philmon who are immigrants from South Sudan… Nicknamed "Lilgoat" and "Isoarop"... Has four younger siblings: brother Nyout, twin sisters Achan and Anger, and brother Bol… Sang in choir for nine years from 4th grade until high school graduation… Enjoys music, fashion, watching movies, hanging out with friends, golfing, going to lakes, and riding jet skis… Has been playing basketball since he was two years old… Has aspirations of playing in the NBA… Chose Columbia over Howard, Vanderbilt, Rice, Harvard, Princeton, California Berkeley, Miami, Stanford, Yale, UCF, UMass, and UTSA… Chose Columbia because of the opportunity to receive a world class education, chase his dreams of being in the NBA, and because of New York City.
#22 Richard Nweke
Forward | 6-8 | 220 lbs | Anambra, Nigeria | Dwight School / Northfield Mount Hermon
Nweke highlights
High School: A June 2023 graduate of Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, Massachusetts… Played a post-graduate year at Northfield Mount Hermon School for head coach Mike Shelton… Averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds his post-graduate year… Posted a season-high 34 points and 16 rebounds vs. St. Thomas Moore during his post-graduate year… Was an All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention in 2023… A June 2022 graduate of Dwight School in New York, New York… Played four years at Dwight School and was team captain senior year… Was a three-time All-PSAA First Team selection… Averaged 28 points and 14 rebounds his senior year… Recorded 38 points and 20 rebounds vs. St. Ann's his senior year… Ranked in the Top Ten of the class of 2022 basketball recruits in New York… Was named Athlete of the Season his senior year… Totaled over 1,500 points during his high school career… Played AAU basketball with Papa Cardinals, West Coast Elite, D1 NYC, NY Lightning, and Riverside Hawks… MVP at Pangos All-American East Coast Camp in 2019.
Personal: Born in Anambra, Nigeria… Son of Sunny and Margret Nweke… Father played Semi-Pro soccer in Nigeria… Has two older siblings: brother Raphael and sister Rita… Moved to the United States when he was 13-years-old… Started playing basketball six years ago after moving to the United States… Hobbies include playing video games, listening to podcasts, biking in Central Park, trying out new delis, and cooking… His mom is his hero… Chose Columbia because he loves New York City.
#5 Nicolo Romanelli
Guard | 6-2 | 175 lbs | Sydney, Australia | Spring Creek Academy / DME Academy
Romanelli Highlights
High School: A June 2023 graduate from DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Florida… Played a post-graduate year at DME Academy and was a team captain… A June 2022 graduate from Spring Creek Academy in Dallas, Texas… Played four years at Spring Creek Academy for head coach Mounir Benzegala and was a team captain his senior year… SWAIC National Champions his senior year at Spring Creek… All-SWAIC Second Team his senior year… TCAL State Champions his junior year… Named to the All-TCAL Second Team junior year… Led the team in assists his junior and senior year… Served as Valedictorian… Was President of the National Honor Society his senior year and Student Council Vice President… Was teammates with current Lions Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa for one season and Zine Eddine Bedri for three seasons at Spring Creek Academy.
Personal: Born in Sydney, Australia… Son of Domenic and Anna Romanelli… Both parents were born in Australia… Father played rugby and cricket growing up and now lives in the Philippines… Mother lives in Australia with his sister… Has an older brother Anthony and younger sister named Emilia… Moved to Singapore with his family when he was 7 years old… Moved to Dallas, Texas when he was 14 to pursue playing basketball in the United States… His role models are his dad and Mounir Benzegala… Favorite part about basketball is the routine and discipline that it instills… Hopes to one day play for the Australian National Team and then play professionally… Is an avid chess player and likes to play cards… Chose Columbia because of the connection he had with the players on the roster, a great coaching staff, and felt he can excel as a student-athlete at the Division I level.
Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia men's basketball, follow @CULionsMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
"With the addition of Richard, Arop, and Nicolo, our roster is brimming with talent, versatility and depth," Engles said. "These young men embody the core values we hold dear at Columbia University - a commitment to academic excellence, strong character and a passion for basketball. They have already demonstrated their dedication both on and off the court, and I have no doubt that they will excel as representatives of our esteemed institution."
Arop, Nweke and Romanelli join 12 returning letterwinners to the 2023-24 Columbia men's basketball team.
2023 Men's Basketball Signees
#24 Arop Arop
Forward | 6-11 | 185 lbs | Fort Worth, Texas | Chisholm Trail / The Hotchkiss School
Arop highlights
High School: A June 2023 graduate of The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut… Played a post-graduate year at The Hotchkiss School for head coach Joseph Busacca… Averaged 10 points and six rebounds his post-graduate year… Won the Founders League high jump event for the track & field team… A June 2022 graduate of Chisholm Trail High School in Fort Worth, Texas… Played four years at Chisholm Trail High School and scored over 1,200 points… Set a school record with six slam dunks in a game… Was a First Team All-District selection and Academic All-State selection his senior year… Was a Second Team All-District selection and Academic All-District selection his junior year… Tied the school's single game scoring record his junior year with 32 points against North Mesquite… Averaged 15 points and six rebounds his junior year… Was a Second Team All-District selection and Academic All-District selection his sophomore year… Averaged 14.2 points his sophomore year.
Personal: Born in Dallas, Texas… Son of Kuol Arop and Nyandeng Philmon who are immigrants from South Sudan… Nicknamed "Lilgoat" and "Isoarop"... Has four younger siblings: brother Nyout, twin sisters Achan and Anger, and brother Bol… Sang in choir for nine years from 4th grade until high school graduation… Enjoys music, fashion, watching movies, hanging out with friends, golfing, going to lakes, and riding jet skis… Has been playing basketball since he was two years old… Has aspirations of playing in the NBA… Chose Columbia over Howard, Vanderbilt, Rice, Harvard, Princeton, California Berkeley, Miami, Stanford, Yale, UCF, UMass, and UTSA… Chose Columbia because of the opportunity to receive a world class education, chase his dreams of being in the NBA, and because of New York City.
#22 Richard Nweke
Forward | 6-8 | 220 lbs | Anambra, Nigeria | Dwight School / Northfield Mount Hermon
Nweke highlights
High School: A June 2023 graduate of Northfield Mount Hermon School in Gill, Massachusetts… Played a post-graduate year at Northfield Mount Hermon School for head coach Mike Shelton… Averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds his post-graduate year… Posted a season-high 34 points and 16 rebounds vs. St. Thomas Moore during his post-graduate year… Was an All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention in 2023… A June 2022 graduate of Dwight School in New York, New York… Played four years at Dwight School and was team captain senior year… Was a three-time All-PSAA First Team selection… Averaged 28 points and 14 rebounds his senior year… Recorded 38 points and 20 rebounds vs. St. Ann's his senior year… Ranked in the Top Ten of the class of 2022 basketball recruits in New York… Was named Athlete of the Season his senior year… Totaled over 1,500 points during his high school career… Played AAU basketball with Papa Cardinals, West Coast Elite, D1 NYC, NY Lightning, and Riverside Hawks… MVP at Pangos All-American East Coast Camp in 2019.
Personal: Born in Anambra, Nigeria… Son of Sunny and Margret Nweke… Father played Semi-Pro soccer in Nigeria… Has two older siblings: brother Raphael and sister Rita… Moved to the United States when he was 13-years-old… Started playing basketball six years ago after moving to the United States… Hobbies include playing video games, listening to podcasts, biking in Central Park, trying out new delis, and cooking… His mom is his hero… Chose Columbia because he loves New York City.
#5 Nicolo Romanelli
Guard | 6-2 | 175 lbs | Sydney, Australia | Spring Creek Academy / DME Academy
Romanelli Highlights
High School: A June 2023 graduate from DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Florida… Played a post-graduate year at DME Academy and was a team captain… A June 2022 graduate from Spring Creek Academy in Dallas, Texas… Played four years at Spring Creek Academy for head coach Mounir Benzegala and was a team captain his senior year… SWAIC National Champions his senior year at Spring Creek… All-SWAIC Second Team his senior year… TCAL State Champions his junior year… Named to the All-TCAL Second Team junior year… Led the team in assists his junior and senior year… Served as Valedictorian… Was President of the National Honor Society his senior year and Student Council Vice President… Was teammates with current Lions Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa for one season and Zine Eddine Bedri for three seasons at Spring Creek Academy.
Personal: Born in Sydney, Australia… Son of Domenic and Anna Romanelli… Both parents were born in Australia… Father played rugby and cricket growing up and now lives in the Philippines… Mother lives in Australia with his sister… Has an older brother Anthony and younger sister named Emilia… Moved to Singapore with his family when he was 7 years old… Moved to Dallas, Texas when he was 14 to pursue playing basketball in the United States… His role models are his dad and Mounir Benzegala… Favorite part about basketball is the routine and discipline that it instills… Hopes to one day play for the Australian National Team and then play professionally… Is an avid chess player and likes to play cards… Chose Columbia because of the connection he had with the players on the roster, a great coaching staff, and felt he can excel as a student-athlete at the Division I level.
Follow The Lions
For the latest on Columbia men's basketball, follow @CULionsMBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, or on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Players Mentioned
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