Former Santa Margarita basketball standout Kyle Evans signed by UC Irvine

UC Irvine men’s basketball team has signed transfer forward Kyle Evans, a former standout at Santa Margarita High School, to the 2024-25 roster, athletic officials said Friday.
 
Evans, an Aliso Viejo native, returns to Southern California for his junior season after attending Colorado State for his first two seasons.

Before playing at Colorado State, Evans attended Santa Margarita for Coach Justin Bell and played a key role in the team’s No. 3 final ranking in Orange County.
 
“Kyle Evans was a target of ours out of high school, and we are excited to add him as a transfer student-athlete who will impact our program with his shot-blocking instincts, rebounding, and offensive versatility,” said UCI Coach Russell Turner in a release. “He is a skilled big man who makes others better and he is an exceptional teammate.”
 
Evans has NCAA post season experience after helping the Rams to a victory over Virginia, 67-42, in the First Four in the 2024 March Madness.  
 
UCI had a 24-10 overall record, including a 17-3 conference record to defend its Big West regular season championship title last season.