FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Rakim Sanders '12 will join FC Barcelona for the 2017-18 season, continuing his professional basketball career that has sent him across Europe. Since leaving Fairfield University, Sanders has played for top teams in many of the top leagues throughout the continent.

Sanders most recently played with Emporio Armani Milano, playing 24 games last season during which he averaged 12.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He also played 30 games in the Italian League, registering 10.1 points and 3.0 caroms per contest.

While at Fairfield, Sanders enjoyed one of the best single seasons in school history. He earned several postseason honors after leading the team in scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding (8.2 rpg), and steals (1.4 spg). He was named All-District by both the National Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Sanders collected All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) first team and All-Met second team accolades. The forward scored 615 points in 2011-12, the second highest point total in school history and became the first Fairfield University men's basketball player to record 600 points and 300 rebounds in a season. 

After the 2011-12 campaign, Sanders moved to Israel for the 2012-13 season and was signed by Galil Gilboa, where he was among the team leaders with 13 points per game. He signed with Brose Baskets Bamberg in Germany for the 2014-15 season before finding a home in Italy for the 2014-15 campaign, where he stayed through 2016-17. While in Italy, Sanders helped Dinamo Sassari win the 2014-15 Italian National Championship before winning the same title with Olimpia Milano in 2015-16. 

Fairfield University, under the guidance of Head Coach Sydney Johnson, will open the 2017-18 campaign on November 11 by hosting the University of Pennsylvania at Webster Bank Arena. Season tickets for the men's and women's basketball season are now on sale and can be purchased online. For more information, contact the Fairfield University athletic ticket office at (203) 254-4136.