Cincinnati is adding a playmaker to its 2025 class, as high-three-star wide receiver Giyahni Kontosis announced his commitment to the Bearcats on Saturday.
On June 17, Kontosis unveiled his six finalists, which included, Cincinnati, Indiana, Maryland, Pittsburgh, South Carolina and Tennessee, but it was ultimately the Bearcats who came out on top.
The entire UC coaching staff — most notably head coach Scott Satterfield, offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Brad Glenn and assistant wide receivers coach Vijay Stingley — made Kontosis feel like he was at home with the program.
"I chose the Bearcats just because of the way I bonded with each coach, the amount of love they have been showing me since my tenth grade year and just the city and the players I will be around," Kontosis told Rivals. "Going on my official visit showed me how much they get along with each other. It’s a family!"
Kontosis took an official visit to Cincinnati during the weekend of May 31. He also took an official visit to Indiana during the weekend of June 7, but his trip to the Queen City solidified his feelings toward the Bearcats.
"My favorite part of the OV would just be me hanging out with the guys and experiencing a new city like Cincinnati," Kontosis explained. "I loved everything about it."
As mentioned, Kontosis has grown close with Satterfield ("Coach Satt"), Glenn, Stingley and several other coaches on Cincinnati's staff.
"My relationship with the coaching staff is great," Kontosis noted. "They all show me constant love, it doesn’t matter who the position coach is. Me and Coach Stingley and Coach Glenn have built a great bond and became way closer, Coach Satt as well."
Kontosis, who will play his senior season at Riverdale Baptist School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland after previously playing at Rock Creek Christian Academy, currently ranks as the No. 17 player in the state of Maryland and the No. 92 wide receiver in the 2025 class.
Kontosis had received around 25 total scholarship offers throughout his recruitment. In addition to the schools already mentioned, he had offers from Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Oregon, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and several others.
The now 6-foot-1, 202-pound wide receiver is comfortable lining up out wide or in the slot and has shown the ability to make contested catches all over the field. While Kontosis feels he can make plays with the ball in his hand, his tenacity in the run blocking game is what he truly prides himself on. His goal is to just help his team win, no matter what it takes.
"I would describe me as just a big-play guy," he said. "I’m a guy you can count on, a guy that’s going to get yards after catch and a guy that’s going to go up and make spectacular grabs — it’s never a 50/50 ball with me. I’m also a receiver that loves to block, whatever I can do to help my team without the ball in my hands, I will."
As a junior in 2023, Kontosis recorded 52 catches for 1,065 yards (20.48 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns.
Next, Kontosis will focus on his senior campaign at Riverdale Baptist. He is excited for his upcoming opportunity with Cincinnati, and grateful for his journey to get to where he is at now. The young wide receiver is thankful for his coaches, his family and most of all his mom, Kelly Wellington.
"I would like to thank everyone who has supported me and brought me here — all my youth coaches to all my high school coaches, I appreciate you all," Kontosis said. "I want to thank my family as well and wanted to give a special shout-out to my mother, the real MVP."
With the pledge from Kontosis, Cincinnati now has 15 total commitments in its 2025 recruiting class as of press time.
