Ryan Childress got the call he had hoped for from Bruce Pearl.

The Cincinnati Moeller High School forward became the newest member of the Tennessee men's basketball team by signing with Pearl and UT on Thursday.

"I'm signing today and it's a done deal," Childress said Thursday. "It's an awesome feeling and I'm really excited."

The 6-foot-8 Childress originally signed with Pearl in his previous job as coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Pearl was hired by UT on March 28.

Childress was released from his UWM letter of intent on April 20 and will be eligible to play at UT in the fall.

"He's physically tough, he initiates contact and he's not going to back down from anyone," Pearl said Thursday night from the Big Orange Caravan in Birmingham, Ala.

"He has good hands and he can step out and shoot. Honestly, the more we looked at the big men available, I couldn't come up with anybody any better than Ryan. He's the kind of player I want in my program."

The Childress signing leaves Maurice Thomas of Philadelphia's Lutheran Christian Academy out in the cold.

Thomas committed to UT after his visit to Knoxville this past weekend, but will not be signing with the Vols.

Tyler Smith, an early signee at UT, asked out of his letter of intent last month, but was denied because Pearl didn't feel he had been given a legitimate chance to re-recruit Smith.

Childress was granted his release, claiming he didn't really fit into new coach Rob Jeter's system.

Childress said he was offered a scholarship by Pearl on Tuesday night and came in for a visit on Wednesday knowing what the end result would be.

"I was already sold on Coach Pearl and his coaching staff," Childress said. "But the facilities are ridiculous and all the players were great."

Childress, who averaged 15.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as a senior at Moeller, plans to enroll in the early summer school session and be on campus June 1.

"He just fell in love with Coach Pearl and that whole staff," Moeller coach Carl Kremer said. "He was heartbroken when Coach Pearl left (UWM)."

Childress was scheduled to visit DePaul this weekend, but won't be heading to Chicago.

"I wouldn't say I was heartbroken when Coach Pearl left UWM because I was more proud for him," Childress said. "That was an opportunity he couldn't pass up."

Now Tennessee is an opportunity Childress can't pass up.

"I just have an unbelievable relationship with Coach Pearl," he said. "He called Tuesday saying he was looking for a four-man (forward) and I knew when I got that call what I was going to do.

"There was not much hesitation. To play in the SEC at a school with the tradition of Tennessee is incredible."

Kremer thinks Childress has an opportunity to fill a need for the Vols.

"He's 6-8, 230 pounds and a very strong, hardnosed player," he said. "He has the frame to get bigger and stronger."

Childress didn't waste any time faxing his letter-of-intent papers in after returning to Cincinnati on Thursday afternoon.

"The four spot is integral in coach Pearl's offense and I think it helps me expand my game," he said. "They push the ball, set screens, shoot the three and bang for some rebounds.

"It's a good fit for me and I'm looking forward to getting there in June. Another bonus is it's only about four hours from my house."

Another bonus for Pearl was Childress' background.

"He has great genes," Pearl said. "His father played football at Cincinnati and his grandfather played football at Ohio State for Woody Hayes.

"He has a great family and the kid is just a winner."

Pearl plans on spending the weekend in Milwaukee for Mother's Day, but said he's not finished with this year's recruiting.

"We've got one scholarship available," he said, "and we're going to keep working."

Proud Dad: Pearl's son, Steve, recently earned all-tournament first-team honors at an AAU tournament in Milwaukee. The high school senior-to-be averaged 23 points in six games.