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Cousin returns home to coach Graham boys' team

Justin Cousin is back at Graham, this time as the basketball coach. By Bob Sutton Special to The Alamance News Justin Cousin was bothered when he heard about the decline in fortunes for many of Graham’s sports teams, particularly boys’ basketball. Now the school’s all-time leading scorer will have a chance to do something about […]

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Cousin returns home to coach Graham boys' team

By Bob Sutton

Special to The Alamance News

Justin Cousin was bothered when he heard about the decline in fortunes for many of Graham’s sports teams, particularly boys’ basketball.

Now the school’s all-time leading scorer will have a chance to do something about that.

Cousin, a 2012 graduate, has been hired as the school’s next coach.

“The timing was perfect,” he said. “It’s good that I can be the one to get the ball rolling and turn the tide around here. Graham hasn’t had the success that we’ve had in the past, so I want to be the one to come help change that.”

Earlier this century, Graham had some powerhouse teams playing in front of capacity crowds. Those are what Cousin remembers fondly.

“It still smells the same. It still looks the same,” he said during an interview in the gym lobby. “Full-circle moment for sure.”

Cousin played under coach Mike Williams at Graham, racking up 1,997 points in high school and then spent a season in the Air Force Academy’s prep school before five seasons in Radford’s program. His final college game was in the 2018 NCAA Tournament against Villanova in Pittsburgh. From there, he played professionally in New Zealand.

“I had been running from coaching for a long time because I knew once I got into coaching that would mean my playing career was over,” he said.

He didn’t return overseas because of the pandemic. Instead, he helped coach with his father’s Mid-State Magic travel program, reconnecting with college coaches who were recruiting at those tournaments.

That led to a graduate assistant position at Radford and from there he spent two seasons in a similar role at Georgia, where he earned a master’s degree in nonprofit management and leadership. During the 2024-25 season, he was the assistant coach with Wabash Valley College, a two-year school in Mount Carmel, Illinois.

He learned about the opening at Graham, which had multiple coaches the past few seasons.

“When I was out in Illinois, one of the parents of one of the guys on the team reached out to me,” he said. “I had been praying for an opportunity to come closer to home. I guess that was the answer to my prayer.

“It doesn’t get closer to home than home.”

His hiring at Graham was approved earlier this spring, but he needed to finish commitments at Wabash Valley College through May. He also mourned for his grandmother, Joann Cousin, who died May 27.

“She was my biggest fan here back when I played,” he said.

Looking for a turnaround

Graham’s basketball troubles included a 2-20 record during the past season. That marked the seventh season in a row that the Red Devils haven’t exceeded the eight-win level.

“Every time I come home and talk about high school sports, we’ve been at the bottom,” Cousin said. “And I don’t like that for my alma mater.”

Graham athletics director Kyle Ward, a former girls’ and boys’ basketball coach, said Cousin’s deep roots in the program should be a plus.

“We’re hoping he can turn it around,” Ward said.

The new coach’s father, Rod Cousin, has been recovering from a stroke, but he wants to lend a hand with the Red Devils.

Further, Justin Cousin said it would be ideal for past Graham basketball players to become involved with the program and help boost morale and connections with players.

“I feel like it’s a great time for greats from the past to come through and impart their knowledge on to the next generation,” he said.

Cousin, 31, will take a to-be-determined teaching position at Graham. He said he wants players to see him at times when they’re not in the gym to cultivate relationships.

“I would like to be super hands-on, and I would like to see the guys during the day,” he said. “I feel like as a coach it’s important for your players to see your duality. If they only saw how intense I was and how demanding I was on the court, it would be harder for them to accept me and to know that I really have their best interests at heart and that I care for them. It’s important for them to see that second side of me.”

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In James Hagens, Bruins have hope that a franchise talent is on the way

Bruins “You just got to go out there next year and prove everyone that passed on you wrong.” James Hagens has the potential to be a top-line center. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper, file) By Conor Ryan June 28, 2025 | 8:50 AM 5 minutes to read COMMENTARY Don Sweeney had heard all of the noise […]

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“You just got to go out there next year and prove everyone that passed on you wrong.”

Boston College forward James Hagens (10) reacts after scoring a goal during the third period of an NCAA hockey regionals game against Bentley on March 28, 2025, in Manchester, N.H.
James Hagens has the potential to be a top-line center. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper, file)

COMMENTARY

Don Sweeney had heard all of the noise at this point when it came to James Hagens and his slipping draft stock. 

Anointed as the crown jewel of the 2025 NHL Draft class in the fall, the skilled Boston College forward opened his tenure at Chestnut Hill as a projected franchise center. 

Nine months later, the talk of Hagens’ game has shifted — with the narrative centered more around his shortcomings than the damage that he’s routinely doled out against opposing defenses over the last few years.

But with the ceiling of Boston’s next contention window stunted for however long the Bruins trudge forward without a proven talent down the middle, Sweeney wasn’t going to overthink things at pick No. 7. 

Hagens may not present the same imposing profile as 6-foot-5 Roger McQueen, nor is he as pugnacious as Brady Martin. 

There’s no guarantee that Hagens’s triple-digit scoring totals with the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) will lead to him being a point-per-game regular at hockey’s highest level. 

But for all of the discourse regarding Hagens and his potential at the NHL level, Sweeney pushed back against talk of Hagens’s slide down to No. 7 on Friday. 

For Boston, Hagens represents more than just high value at where he was on the 2025 draft order. 

On a Bruins team in desperate need of talent, the Long Island native offers hope that reinforcements are on the way — and sooner rather than later. 

“He’s been that way his whole life — in terms of what he’s done,” Sweeney said of Hagens’ track record. “So we just hope the natural progression is you’ll be able to do at the NHL level.

“Again, it’s a tough league. You find that out when you get in. You realize that you’re in a much deeper pool of players and he’ll have his own challenges. But I think he’s driven to be that top player and wants to be a difference maker.” 

Despite his smaller frame at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, it doesn’t take very long to notice Hagens out on the ice. 

Be it his time with the USNTDP or at Boston College, Hagens uses his high-end speed and slick hands to gain clean entries and put opposing defenses on their heels.

A poised playmaker who likes to have the puck on his stick, Hagens can do damage from the perimeter by orchestrating Grade-A looks — or can cut toward inside ice and capitalize on the chaos that spills out in and around the crease. 

Hagens’ point production as an 18-year-old player at Boston College (11 goals, 37 points in 37 games) may not leap off the page — especially when compared to other freshman phenoms in Hockey East like like Jack Eichel (71 points in 40 games) and Macklin Celebrini (64 points in 38 games).

But Sweeney acknowledged that Hagens’ body of work against Hockey East competition didn’t stand as an outlier from his previous production with the USNTDP. 

“I think that’s a little unfair in terms of players going in as a freshman,” Sweeney said of Hagens’ first year at BC and whether it hurt his draft stock. “You look back at James’ track record, he’s been a prolific point producer. If you’d seen him in the World Juniors — again, against his peer group, he was on the upper echelon on the production side of things. 

“There’s been a few players, you’re right, that have gone into college hockey at that age and done better overall. But there’s no shade in the type of year he had — playing on the top line, one of the top teams in the country. So there’s no concern on our part in terms of thinking he took a step back from a production standpoint. 

“He’ll be perfectly fine moving forward. And that’s why we drafted him. We feel he’s a guy that can help generate offensively and continue to round out his 200-foot game, but wants to play it at every single situation and has produced at every level that he’s been at.”

Hagens shared a similar sentiment about his performance in Hockey East — especially when measured against the higher scoring totals that he would have inevitably racked up had he dominated against fellow teenagers in the Canadian junior leagues. 

“I think next year you’ll be able to hopefully see,” Hagens said of proving doubters wrong after his first year of college hockey. “I thought this year was really good. You just got to go out there next year and prove everyone that passed on you wrong. 

“But hey — I’m in a spot where I want to be. I wanted to be, I want to be a Boston Bruno. I’m really excited to get things going.”

Despite Hagens’s hope of making the jump to the pro game right away, Sweeney stressed that Boston won’t “fast-track” its new top prospect if he’s not ready in 2025-26. 

As the top returning talent at BC, Hagens could build off his promising freshman year on an Eagles team that will feature four other Bruins draft picks (Oskar Jellvik, Dean Letourneau, Andre Gasseau, and Kristian Kostadinski). 

And if Hagens takes another step forward with the Eagles, there’s a tangible scenario where Boston’s blue-chip prospect is ready to make the jump to the NHL ranks by late March 2026 — following the same path as his former BC teammate, Ryan Leonard. 

Hagens is not the perfect prospect, nor is it a guarantee that the former No. 1 prospect in his draft year will be the next Jack Hughes — or even a tier below, like the 5-10 Logan Cooley. 

But some things are indisputable with a player like James Hagens. 

The playmaking center racked up 102 points in 58 games with the U.S. U18 national team  —  outscoring the likes of Leonard (94), Phil Kessel (98 points), and Matthew Tkachuk (95 points) during their respective U18 campaigns.  Only Patrick Kane, Cole Eiserman, Clayton Keller, Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, Will Smith, and Gabe Perreault matched or equaled those scoring totals with the NTDP.

His 22-point showing (nine goals, 13 assists) across seven games during the 2024 World U18 Championships set a new tournament record — surpassing the previous mark set by Nikita Kucherov. 

And now, that playmaking talent will be donning a spoked-B in the coming years — potentially feeding David Pastrnak one-timers as soon as next spring. 

For Bruins fans, that should stand as a breath of fresh air for a team awaiting for another franchise talent to step on the ice at TD Garden. 

“I wanted to be at a spot that wanted me the most,” Hagens said. “I’m so lucky that I ended up being a Boston Bruin. It’s the best spot in the world. It’s a dream come true for me and for my whole entire family.

“So I’m just so excited right now. I’m really excited to be able to say that I’m a Boston Bruin, and I take a lot of pride in that.” 

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Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.





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MSU hockey commit Eric Nilson picked by Ducks in 2025 NHL Entry Draft

Another future Spartan has been selected in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Michigan State hockey commit Eric Nilson has been selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Nilson — who is considered a center — was picked by the Ducks with the No. 45 overall pick. Nilson […]

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Another future Spartan has been selected in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Michigan State hockey commit Eric Nilson has been selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Nilson — who is considered a center — was picked by the Ducks with the No. 45 overall pick.

Nilson committed to Michigan State last month, and is expected to join the Spartans roster for the upcoming season. He is a 2007-born native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but coming from Swedish heritage. Nilson is the son of former NHL player Marcus Nilson, who played 10 seasons in the league, racking up 270 points.

Nilson is one of many current or future Spartans that were selected so far in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Michigan State will once again be a top five team entering the season, with plenty of future NHL talent on the roster.

Stay with Spartans Wire for additional NHL Draft coverage.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.





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University of Minnesota Athletics

LOS ANGELES – Five future skaters for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team were selected Saturday during day two of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. After adding the five picks in 2025, the Golden Gophers increased their all-time number of draft picks to 248, the most […]

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LOS ANGELES – Five future skaters for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team were selected Saturday during day two of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. After adding the five picks in 2025, the Golden Gophers increased their all-time number of draft picks to 248, the most of any college hockey team.

Jacob Rombach was the first Gopher off the board, going No. 35 overall to the Nashville Predators in the second round. One round later, two more Gophers heard their names called – Mace’o Phillips at No. 80 overall to the Calgary Flames and Mason Moe at No. 90 overall to the New Jersey Devils. LJ Mooney followed in the fourth round at No. 113 to the Montreal Canadiens. Jacob Kvasnicka was the final Maroon and Gold selection at No. 202 overall in the seventh round to the New York Islanders.

Rombach played two full seasons with the Lincoln Stars in the USHL from 2023-25, appearing in 116 games. He posted 18 points during the 2024-25 campaign and finished third on the team with a plus-29 rating, while notching a pair of four-game point streaks. Rombach also competed in the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game and previously tallied nine points in 59 games during his rookie USHL season. The Blaine, Minn., native helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge, recording a goal and an assist, and added two points at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He previously played high school hockey for Spring Lake Park/Coon Rapids, where he recorded 19 points in 26 games as a sophomore. 

Phillips played with the USNTDP for two years between 2023-25, suiting up for 60 games with the U18s in 2024–25 and recorded six points from the blue line. Known for his physical style of play, the Wayzata, Minn., native led the team in penalty minutes both seasons, including 103 in his second year. He also competed in the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game and netted goals against the Fargo Force and Muskegon Lumberjacks during his U18 campaign. On the international stage, Phillips helped Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship and earned gold at the 2024 U17 Five Nations Tournament. Prior to joining the NTDP, he played prep hockey at Benilde-St. Margaret’s, where he posted 21 points in 27 games as a sophomore, including a hat trick and four-point performance at Champlin Park.

Moe played parts of two seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL, totaling 63 games and finishing fifth in team scoring with 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) during the 2024-25 campaign. He recorded 12 power-play points, highlighting his offensive impact from the forward position. The native of Eden Prairie, Minn., also skated in six games with the U.S. National Team Development Program U18s, scoring three goals, and participated in the 2025 Chipotle All-American Game. Moe helped Team USA capture gold at the 2024 World Junior A Challenge and tallied four points at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Before joining the USHL, Moe starred at Eden Prairie High School, leading the team in scoring as a sophomore with 40 points in 27 games. 

Mooney spent two years (2023-25) with the USNTDP, appearing in 112 games and showcasing his offensive prowess with 51 points in 51 games for the U18 team in 2024-25. A product of West Mifflin, Pa., he ranked fifth in scoring and recorded 14 multi-point performances, including five games with three points. Internationally, Mooney helped Team USA earn a bronze medal at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, where he tallied 11 points in seven games and was named Player of the Game in the opener against Czechia. He also won gold at the 2024 U17 Five Nations Tournament and silver at the 2024 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship. Before joining the NTDP, Mooney developed through the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite AAA program from 2020 to 2023.

Kvasnicka spent two seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program from 2023-25,posting 39 points (18 goals, 21 assists) in 66 games with the U18s during his second campaign. He ranked sixth on the team in scoring and tallied eight multi-point performances, including a five-point outing against Czechia. The Wayzata, Minn., product represented Team USA at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship, contributing five points in seven games, and earlier earned Player of the Game honors with a hat trick during a five-point performance at the 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge. Prior to his NTDP tenure, he led Wayzata High School in scoring as a freshman with 45 points in 28 games, helping the Trojans reach the Section 6AA title game.

The Gophers begin the 2025-26 campaign on home ice at 3M Arena at Mariucci when they welcome former WCHA foe Michigan Tech for a series Oct. 3-4. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.

Minnesota Draft Notes

*At least one Gopher has been drafted in 51 of the last 52 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974 with 2001 being the only exception. Minnesota’s 27-consecutive drafts with a selection between 1974-2000 are an NCAA record, while it is currently on a 24-year streak.

*After seeing five players selected, Minnesota now has three or more draft picks in 11 of the last 12 drafts. 

*Moe is the 12th all-time Gopher selected by the Devils and first since 2009 when New Jersey picked Seth Helgeson (114th overall) in the fourth round. The 12 draftees are sixth-most of any NHL organization.

*Rombach is the 33rd Gopher to be selected in the second round and first since Ryan Chesley in 2022 (37th overall; Washington Capitals)

*Phillips is the first Gopher selected by the Calgary Flames since Kris Chucko was selected 24th overall in 2004.

*Erik Johnson remains the highest draft pick in Minnesota history, going No. 1 overall in 2006, as one of 26 all-time first-round selections.

Click here for more information about Minnesota’s eligible prospects: 2025 Gopher Hockey NHL Entry Draft Guide



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Charlie Cerrato, 2 Future Nittany Lions Picked in NHL Draft

Following an historic season, the Penn State men’s hockey delivered a memorable showing at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. One current and three future Nittany Lions were selected, including the inaugural first-round draft pick in the program’s history. Defenseman Jackson Smith, who will join the Nittany Lions from the WHL next season, was selected by […]

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Following an historic season, the Penn State men’s hockey delivered a memorable showing at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. One current and three future Nittany Lions were selected, including the inaugural first-round draft pick in the program’s history.

Defenseman Jackson Smith, who will join the Nittany Lions from the WHL next season, was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in Friday night’s first round. Forward Charlie Cerrato, who was instrumental in Penn State making its first Frozen Four, was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in Saturday’s second round.

Cerrato was the 49th overall pick and became the program’s second-highest drafted player behind Smith. He also is the 18th player drafted in Penn State hockey history.

As a freshman, Cerrato delivered one of the best rookie seasons in Penn State hockey history. Cerrato, the team’s freshman of the year, scored 42 points (15 goals, 27 assists) to lead all Big Ten freshmen in each offensive category. He also ranked second nationally in points and assists and third in goals among freshmen.

Cerrato, who was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team, became the second Penn State player to score 40 points in his first season. He also ranks second among Penn State rookies in assists and tied for third in goals.

Two future Nittany Lions were selected later in the draft, giving Penn State a total of four draft picks. Kieren Dervin went in the third round (65th overall) to the Vancouver Canucks, and Kale Dach went in the seventh round (201st overall) to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Dervin, a 6-1 center, spent time last season with the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL and St. Andrew’s College. Dach produced 87 points in 54 games for the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the BCHL last season. Both will play junior hockey in the CHL next season before enrolling at Penn State.

Penn State has been riding a hot streak since January, when the team rebounded from a winless start to the Big Ten season to make the Frozen Four for the first time in program history. Gadowsky left St. Louis, site of the Frozen Four, energized about the program’s future.

“I think we’re more hopeful because of the lesson that the program learned,” Gadowsky said at the Frozen Four. “And the lesson that we learned isn’t something you can read about and just say, ‘OK, we got it.’ You can’t. You really need to go through it. And the fact that we were so far back, so left for dead and came back to make the Frozen Four, is something I don’t think any of these guys are ever going to forget. I know I’m not. I’m really grateful to be part of this group because of that lesson.”

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Spartans commit Brady Peddle selected by Penguins in NHL Entry Draft

Michigan State hockey commit Brady Peddle has been selected in the third round of the NHL Entry Draft. Peddle was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 91 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday. Peddle was one of many current and future Michigan State players selected in this year’s NHL […]

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Michigan State hockey commit Brady Peddle has been selected in the third round of the NHL Entry Draft.

Peddle was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 91 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday. Peddle was one of many current and future Michigan State players selected in this year’s NHL Draft.

Peddle committed to Michigan State in April of 2024, and is still a year away from joining the Spartans per a story from the Lansing State Journal. That, of course, could change with the pick by the Penguins and since Peddle initially committed to Michigan State.

Peddle played with Waterloo of the USHL this past season. He is a defenseman and is listed at 6-foot-4.

Stay with Spartans Wire for additional NHL Entry Draft coverage related to Michigan State hockey.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.





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2024-25 SJC Men’s Basketball Season Review

Story Links STANDISH, Maine – Fueled by a talented and deep roster and a breakout sophomore campaign from Remijo Wani, the Saint Joseph’s College men’s basketball team delivered its most successful season in over two decades in 2024–25. Under fourth-year head coach Tyler Ackley, the Monks captured their first GNAC Championship since […]

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STANDISH, Maine – Fueled by a talented and deep roster and a breakout sophomore campaign from Remijo Wani, the Saint Joseph’s College men’s basketball team delivered its most successful season in over two decades in 2024–25. Under fourth-year head coach Tyler Ackley, the Monks captured their first GNAC Championship since 2008, returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 16 years, and posted a 24–5 overall record—the program’s highest win total since 1999. Behind a core of award-winning contributors and an 18-game winning streak, Saint Joseph’s emerged as one of the top teams in New England Division III, blending milestone individual performances with a long-awaited championship breakthrough.

REGULAR SEASON:

Saint Joseph’s opened the 2024–25 campaign with a 2–2 mark after splitting contests in the Wheaton College and WPI Ted Coughlin Memorial Tournaments. The Monks quickly found their rhythm, posting convincing wins over in-state rivals Husson (109–76), UMaine-Farmington (118–78), and Southern Maine (98–86) to improve to 5–2. The victories secured both the Alumni Cup and Costello Cup, respectively.

St. Joe’s suffered its lone GNAC loss on December 7th at the University of Saint Joseph before bouncing back with a 97–78 rout of Endicott and closing the calendar year with a tough road setback at Bates on December 30th.

The Monks started 2025 with a bang, winning the Middlebury College Invitational behind impressive victories over SUNY Cortland (83–69) and host Middlebury (93–82). Those wins sparked an 18-game winning streak—the second-longest in program history behind the 1999 team’s 23-game run.

As of the end of the season, Saint Joseph’s shares the longest active home winning streak in NCAA DIII Men’s Basketball (18 games) with Keene State. The Monks have not lost at the Harold Alfond Center since January 13, 2024 (vs. Albertus Magnus).

POSTSEASON:

Finishing the regular season with a 21–4 overall record and a 13–1 GNAC mark, the Monks earned the top seed in the conference tournament. They cruised through the playoffs with a 115–85 quarterfinal win over Mitchell and an 85–71 semifinal victory over Albertus Magnus, advancing to the GNAC Championship for the second-consecutive season and fourth time since joining the conference in 2007. Facing #2 Lasell in the title game, Saint Joseph’s battled through eight ties and nine lead changes before pulling away in the second half to claim its second GNAC title and first since 2008.

Remijo Wani was named GNAC Tournament MVP after averaging 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 56.9% (29-51) from the field, 46.2% (12-26) from beyond the arc, and 92.3% (12-13) from the line during the three-game championship run.

The Monks faced #15 Redlands University (CA) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament and suffered a season-ending 89–79 setback to the eventual Elite 8 qualifiers, who fell to national runner-up NYU.

NOTEWORTHY INDIVIDUALS:

Following the season, Saint Joseph’s players earned a slew of postseason honors. Sophomore guard Remijo Wani became the program’s first All-American since 2001–02 and collected numerous accolades, including NABC All-District First Team, D3hoops.com All-Region First Team, GNAC Player of the Year, MMBCWA Player of the Year, and First Team All-Conference and All-State honors. Wani led the GNAC in points per 40 minutes (25.9), ranked second in total points (530), field goals made (201), and free throw percentage (88.6%), and placed top 10 in several other categories, including three-pointers made (5th, 67), points per game (6th, 18.3), steals (6th, 49), field goal percentage (9th, 50.6%), and assists (9th, 87).

Freshman guard Silvano Ismail emerged as one of the most impactful rookies in program history, earning GNAC Rookie of the Year, MMBCWA Rookie of the Year, Second Team All-Conference, and 17 total GNAC and MMBCWA weekly awards. He ranked third in the conference in assists (119) and field goal percentage (56.4%), fourth in three-point percentage (42.6%), sixth in steals (50), and eighth in points (445). Ismail also landed in the top 10 in free throws made (100), field goals made (158), and offensive rebounds (55).

Ismail’s first-year totals rank first all-time among SJC freshmen in assists (119) and assists per game (4.4), third in free throws made (100) and free throw percentage (.781), fourth in total points (445) and three-point percentage (.426), and fifth in field goal percentage (.564), rebounds (182), rebounds per game (6.7), steals (50), points per game (16.5), and steals per game (1.9).

Ismail also became the fifth player in program history – and first since 2019 – to register a triple-double when he delivered 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in a victory over Mitchell College on February 26th, 2025.

Junior forward Wani Donato became the first player in program history to earn GNAC Defensive Player of the Year and was also named to the MMBCWA All-Defensive Team. He averaged 14.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game while ranking fifth in the GNAC in field goal percentage (55.0%).

Junior guard John Paul Frazier earned Second Team All-GNAC honors after leading the league in three-pointers made (97) and ranking fifth in three-point percentage (41.4%), eighth in points (434), and 13th in field goals made (148). He reached two major milestones in 2025: netting his 200th career three-pointer in a win over Elms on January 25th and becoming the 45th player in team history—and just the 14th junior—to score 1,000 career points, doing so in his 71st career game during a win at Emmanuel on February 12th.

Senior guard Julian Llopiz wrapped up his collegiate career averaging 11.1 points per game and ranking third on the team with 53 made three-pointers. Despite having never started a game prior, he reached the 1,000-point milestone with a 24-point outburst in just 16 minutes against Norwich on February 18th. Llopiz also finishes among the program’s all-time leaders in career three-pointers made (197).

Finally, fourth-year Head Coach Tyler Ackley was named the 2025 GNAC and MMBCWA Coach of the Year after leading the Monks to their most successful season since 1999. Since taking the helm prior to the 2021–22 campaign, Ackley has orchestrated an impressive program turnaround. Saint Joseph’s improved from a 9–18 mark in his first season to 15–12 with a GNAC Tournament win in 2022–23, followed by an 18–10 record and a GNAC runner-up finish in 2023–24, culminating in a 24–5 season and a conference championship in 2024–25.

RECORDS & MILESTONES:

Team Season Record: most three-point field goals attempted (896)

SJC Single-Season Record: Remijo Wani – free-throw percentage record, .897 (61-68)

Remijo Wani: 300 field goals made (320), 100 three-pointers made (101), 800 points (838), 300 rebounds (320), 150 assists (150)

Wani Donato: 300 field goals made (333), 700 points (799), 400 rebounds (427)

John Paul Frazier: 1,000 points (1,094), 200 three-pointers made (239), 300 rebounds (309), 100 assists (113)

Julian Llopiz: 1000 points (1,032), 300 field goals made (346)

Teagan Hynes: 200 field goals made (201), 500 points (559), 300 rebounds (209), 250 assists (286)

NCAA RANKINGS:

Team: The Monks ranked second in NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball in assists per game (22.6), fourth in rebound margin (+11.2), fifth in scoring offense (91.4) and rebounds per game (44.72), and seventh in both defensive rebounds per game (30.28) and scoring margin (+15.6). They also placed ninth in field goal percentage (48.4%) and three-pointers per game (11.1), 10th in three-point attempts per game (30.9), 14th in winning percentage (82.8%), and 18th in offensive rebounds per game (14.45).

Individual: John Paul Frazier ranked fifth in NCAA DIII in three-pointers made (94), eighth in three-point attempts (227), 12th in three-pointers per game (3.24), and 22nd in three-point percentage (41.4%)



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