VALPARAISO | While the "Back-to-School" sales are starting to pop up in stores, a pair of former Valparaiso athletes are ready to leave their books behind for the professional ranks.

Former men's basketball center Urule Igbavboa signed a contract with Gottingen in Germany while former men's soccer forward Oscar Lomeli signed with Club Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico. Both players earned second-team All-Horizon League honors in their respective sports last year.

Igbavboa averaged 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game during his senior season and finished his career as the 20th all-time leading scorer and fifth all-time in rebounds.

"Urule is going to a faster, more athletic league and he'll be able to play a lot of center and power forward," Igbavboa's agent, Dave Maravilla, said. "He is a marketable guy who had a pretty successful career and has a good upside. I think his best basketball is still ahead of him."

Maravilla, who works for International Sport Management, also represents former Crusader Ali Berdiel.

"Ali played in Slovenia this past season and right now he is training with the Puerto Rican national team in preparation for the World Championships," Maravilla said.

Lomeli led the Crusaders with five goals in 2008 as a senior and registered a team-high 11 points and becomes the first Valparaiso player under coach Mike Avery that has gone on to a professional career.

"Club Universidad used to be one of the biggest and best clubs in Mexico, but they've recently dropped down a class," Avery said. "They have also eliminated the number of teams so it's much harder to get to play at that level and this is really a tremendous opportunity for Oscar."

Lomeli, who is the 22nd Avery-coached player to go pro, took part in several professional tryouts after the soccer season ended last fall and then had a lengthy audition with Club Universidad.

"He survived a lot of cuts and I'm just very happy for him to have this opportunity," Avery said.

While Igbavboa and Lomeli are looking to start their professional careers, former Crusader men's basketball player Ron Howard is looking to prolong his. The 2006 graduate has starred in the NBA Developmental League for the past two seasons and has earned a spot on the New York Knicks summer league roster.

On Wednesday night, Howard started for the Knicks and had 11 points, eight rebounds and two steals in a 90-86 loss to Memphis.

COLLEGE SPORTS

Getting jobs after graduation

Urule Igbavboa (men's basketball): Gottingen (Germany)

Oscar Lomeli (men's soccer): Club Universidad de Guadalajara (Mexico)