For the second year running, the UNCW men’s basketball team will be forced to deal with disappointment in the form of a new signing not suiting up when the season begins in November.

Nearly a year removed from the Kevin Swindon fiasco, Seahawks’ head coach Benny Moss announced that new center, Tyronne McNeal, would not be attending the university.

McNeal, a 6-11, 250-pound post man had plans to transfer to UNC Wilmington this fall after playing one year at Miami Dade Junior College in Florida. As a freshman in the 2006-07 season, McNeal averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds before sitting out the 2007-08 season to guarantee himself three years of eligibility with the Seahawks.

Moss was forced to make the announcement Saturday that McNeal, who is believed to have had some trouble in the classroom at Miami Dade, would not be attending UNCW and consequently would not be allowed to join the basketball team.

“We’re moving ahead without him,” Moss said, “We were looking forward to having Tyronne in the program and wish him much success in the future.”

With one year of college ball under his belt, McNeal was expected to be a crucial player for the Seahawks’ inexperienced inside game in the coming season.

The absence of the big man will a noticeable one as he was pinned to receive a healthy amount of playing time as the Seahawks were hit by two big departures in the paint from last season in seniors Vlad Kuljanin and Todd Hendley.

“We’re going to miss the sheer size,” Moss said. “We’re going to miss some experience, someone who has played collegiately. Now we are very young on the front line.”

McNeal’s turnaround will free up a scholarship for Moss to begin planning for next season.

McNeal becomes the second player from Miami Dade to sign with the Seahawks yet never play after recruit Freddy Little failed to make it to Wilmington last summer.

He will be the third recruit in the past two seasons to never hit the Trask floor, joining Little and the aforementioned Swinton, who was dismissed from the university one year ago after being charged with possession of a firearm on campus.