Before Yale: Averaged 28 points and 15 rebounds as a senior at Carey High School... Named the conference and Nassau County Player of the Year... Earned all-state honors and was a three-time all-county selection... Second in school history with 1,234 career points and has the top-two scoring (41, 40) single games in school history and the first and second most rebounds (27, 23) in a game... Carey won the 2007 conference championship... A member of the Long Island Lightning AAU team which finished sixth at nationals in 2005.

Personal: Sands is a black belt in karate.

"I chose Yale because I was looking for a place where I could challenge myself in the classroom and on the court," Sands said. "Yale is that place for me."

Quoting Coach Jones: "Mike is perhaps the most versatile player in the incoming freshmen class. He is also extremely athletic and strong."