MBB: University Athletic Association

[Ole Ollie 76]

Half the teams have announced their incoming classes on Instagram. Incoming transfers are:

Brandeis

Promise Opurum — Pace D 2 and University of New Hampshire D 1

Harris Dar - Stephen F Austin D 1 and Grinnell D 3

Emory

Ved Desai — Emory Oxford

Carnegie Mellon

Brendan Coury - Seton Hill D 2

Aiden Moss — Gettysburg D 3

Chris Obochi — Penn D 1

Alex Lee — Williams D 3

Wash U

Rex Lamb — St. Olaf

Lee looks like the biggest impact transfer.

NYU hasn't identified its incoming class but three NYU transfers have been identified elsewhere on this site.

None of the other teams have identified their classes on Instagram.

[y_jack_lok]

^^^ I've been told that Wash U also has a grad student who was a walk-on at Vanderbilt but didn't hardly play: https://washubears.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coleson-messer/9110

[Ole Ollie 76]

Chicago and Rochester also have rosters posted. No transfers.

[WUPHF]

Chicago and Rochester also have rosters posted. No transfers.

Rochester does a thing where they update the roster with returnees and then sometime after classes start, they add the newcomers.

[NEHoopScoutPH]

WashU making a splash in New England with their 2031 class - commits from Choate Rosemary, Phillips Andover, & Phillips Exeter already.

[stlawus]

Maybe one year it will work, but I just do not understand why Rochester is doing with their roster and recruiting all this height. These players are ending up in d3 for a reason.

[Ole Ollie 76]

With opening night practically around the corner and most teams having posted full rosters, it seems like a good time to look at how the league may shake out. First up, Brandeis.

Key departures — pretty much everyone. Most notably Elias Rodl (23 ppg, UAA first team graduated and now playing in Germany's top professional league; Alex Zakheim (18 ppg UAA second team as a sophomore}, transferred to D1 Boston Univ.; DJ Courtney (8 ppg) graduated; Aeden Using (6 ppg, 7 rpg, former league defense player of the year.

Key returners — only five players return.  Most notably, Gur Dhillon (7 ppg) and Ryan Weiss (3 pt specialist, 6 ppg, only returning starter.

Potential impact newcomers — Promise Opurum, 6 7 grad transfer formerly of a JUCO, 2 years at D1 New Hampshire, one year at D2 Pace.  Could be the inside force the Judges have been missing for years.  Javi Lopez — arrives in Waltham with a haul of hardware. Scored more than 1900 points in HS, Eastern Mass first team, 2 time player of the year in northeast Mass/southern NH, 2 time league POY, Mass Coach's first team all state.  Mason Paquette — first team all state in NH in 2025, NH ranked 24 by New England Recruiting Report (NERR) in prep year 2026.  Abe Camara 6 6 wing — ranked #1 VT in class  of 2026 by NERR at national powerhouse Vermont Academy. Jakari Clark — 1,000 points plus scorer. Junior year was POY New England prep Class c, last year was class B honorable mention in class B. Harris Dar - jr transfer from D1 Stephen Austin. Scored 12 ppg with 5 apg as a frosh at Grinnell (I know, "the System'"

Outlook — The future seems bright with a very deep (9 players) group of newcomers but the baby Judges will really have to step up for a chance at a winning season. Next up . . . Emory

[Ole Ollie 76]

Emory — Key Departures. Jair Knight and Ben Pearce.  Probably the best backcourt ever in the league. Nearly 4000 points scored in their careers. Knight has taken his talents to Greece's second level pro league.

Key returners — There is still a lot of talent in Atlanta with Ethan Fauss (15 ppg), AJ Harris 10 ppg and Mario Awasom, 9 ppg, 7 rpg. Still they were very thin last year, with only the 5 starters averaging more than 2 ppg. 

Promising newcomers — Ved Desai jr JUCO transfer, scored 1,000 plus points in 2 years at JUCO. Nico Searl — 1,000 point scorer in hs in Georgia, All Region. Harry Miles, ranked # 58 Mass by NERR.

Outlook — Don't expect another trip to the national title game, but the Eagles always reload, not rebuild. Even though the dynamic duo are irreplaceable I would not be surprised by another NCAA trip.  They still should be in the UAA mix.

[Ole Ollie 76]

Chicago

Key Departures — Shane Regan (19 ppg), Nick Roper (15 ppg), Eamon Kenah (11 ppg), and Joe Berry (9 ppg).

Key Returners - Daniel Cochran (11 ppg), and Phillip Lawrence and Noah Pit, each 6 ppg.

Promising newcomers - Stanyslas Dhont, 6 7 Vermont Academy by way of NYC and France, Austin Schulte, 16.5 ppg, 2d team All State Iowa last year in hs, and Shane Wellman, 1,000 point scorer in hs (Maryland).

Outlook- The Maroons are losing a ton. But there is still significant talent returning.  After vaulting into the national championship picture with superstar grad transfers, this year the roster includes no transfers. To contend for the NCAAs, Chicago will need to have players who did not get a lot of time last year and the frosh to step up. 

Pro Tip — whoever does the team's website might want to check on the reference to Schulte as his parents"daughter."