WILMINGTON, N.C. ? John Fields, East Carolina's second leading scorer and rebounder this past season, has signed UNC Wilmington's offer of financial aid and is enrolled in summer classes.

The 6-9, 200-pound Fields averaged 9.6 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Pirates in 2007-08. He will have to sit out the 2008-09 campaign and will have two years of eligibility remaining, beginning with the 2009-10 season.

“We're very excited about having John join our program,” said Benny Moss, UNCW's second-year coach. “He has a tremendous upside to his game and will be an integral part of our team when he becomes eligible in two years. He will use next season to get familiar with our system and make adjustments to his new college home here in Wilmington.”

Fields played high school basketball for veteran coach Ike Walker, Jr., at Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville, N.C., before joining the program at ECU. Fields averaged 17.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and four blocks at Jack Britt and was selected the 2005-06 Fayetteville Observer Player-of-the-Year.

In two seasons, at ECU, Fields appeared in 54 games and made 33 starts. He had already moved up to second on ECU's all-time blocks list with 104 swats and holds the second and third positions on the single season block list behind Moussa Badaine.

Fields led the Pirates in scoring seven times in 2007-08, including 26 points and five rebounds in UNCW's 71-67 victory on Dec. 22, 2007, at Minges Coliseum. He wound shooting 55.7 percent from the field and starting 10-of-30 games this year.

A native of Woodbridge, Va., Fields made the Conference USA All-Freshman Team in 2006-07 after becoming the first rookie to lead the league in field goal percentage, connecting on 62.4 percent from the floor.