March Madness has arrived, with the first round of the men’s NCAA Division I Tournament tipping off on Thursday, March 19.
While you won’t find any Lakeland colleges on the men’s or women’s DI brackets, we’ll be cheering for these Polk-raised players. Maybe they’ll follow Bartow High alum Walter Clayton, Jr., who won the 2025 championship with the Florida Gators.
L.J. Cason — University of Michigan
This guard helped lead Victory Christian Academy to back-to-back district championships before being recruited to Michigan. Now, the Wolverines call him a “low-maintenance superstar.”
- Watch: No. 1 Michigan vs. the Midwest First Four game winner | Thursday, March 19 | 7:10 p.m.
Will the Bulldogs win their first matchup against the Saint Louis Billikens?
Photo by Tony Walsh/UGAAA
Dylan James — University of Georgia
As a Winter Haven High Blue Devil, James recorded 57 double-digit scoring games. Now, the forward has scored 335 total points for the Bulldogs.
- Watch: No. 9 Saint Louis vs. No. 8 Georgia | Thursday, March 19 | 9:45 p.m.
