Former Liberty County Panther basketball player Michael Manning will soon join the Mariners basketball team after the College of Coastal Georgia picked him up last week, according to a release issued by school media relation specialist John Cornell.

Manning is among the school’s six new recruits acquired by coach Gerald Cox for the 2010-11 season. Cox recruited Manning as a wing player. The coach said the 6-foot, 6-inch athlete will add size, skill and versatility to the Mariners squad.

"Michael offers a great versatility with his size and abilities," Cox said. "He can take it to the rim, shoot from the outside and rebounds very well for his position."

According to the release, the Mariners finished last season with a record of 18-15 (10-4 in conference play) and were runners-up in the Georgia Junior College Athletic Association. Cox is optimistic about the coming season. "After last year’s tough finish (a 92-89 double-overtime loss to Middle Georgia in the Georgia Junior College Athletic Association championship game), I believe that these six players can come in and have an immediate impact on our program and help lead us to a very successful season," he said.

The College of Coastal Georgia Mariners begin their season in October. Practice starts the first of the month and games start late in the month. Games are played at Howard Coffin Gymnasium.