New faces, same fight: Previewing the Broncs’ fresh look
By Samantha Clark
For the 2025-26 men’s basketball program, new players bring fresh levels of toughness, unity and talents from all corners of the basketball map. While faces may change, the fight remains the same as a new era dawns in the Alumni Gym.
Joining the herd
Ahead of the season, Rider picked up 11 new players, with seven transfers and four freshmen added to the roster.
Sophomore forward Davis Bynum from O’Fallon, Illinois has traveled coast to coast, transferring to Rider from California State University Fullerton. In his freshman season, Bynum had three-straight double figure games against top ranked schools.
Junior guard Antwan Wilson from Salisbury, Maryland is bringing his talents to the Alumni Gym from Weatherford Collegein Weatherford, Texas, where he earned 2025 First Team All-Conference & All-Region five honors and was named the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference Newcomer and Defensive Player of the Year.
Adding two Atlanta-natives to the roster, junior guard Caleb Smith and Mohamad Diallo traveled north to get the chance to play for a Division I program, bringing the veteran style of play needed for a team filled with fresh faces.
From Los Angeles, senior guard Devean Williams previously competed at Canisius University, a program also in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, as well as Bryant University.
Redshirt senior Shemani Fuller has competed at both the Division I and II levels, earning 2025 Third Team All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference at Clark Atlanta University.
The Broncs also picked up three international athletes in the off-season, including senior forward Daniel Helterhoff from Cologne, Germany, and freshman guards Kristupas Kepežinskas from Kaunas, Lithuania, and Xaviel Rodriguez from Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
The final two additions to the roster include freshman guards AB Coulibaly from Philadelphia and Jamir McNeil from Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey.
Broncs at a glance
Only four Broncs return from last season, including sophomore guards Flash Burton and Maurizio D’Alessandro, sophomore forward Cole McCabe and senior guard Zion Cruz.
Looking ahead, Head Coach Kevin Baggett is excited for his by-committee team, one that is not dependent on a specific player, but an effort contributed to by every name on the roster.
“One night, it might be Flash [Burton] and Zion [Cruz], another night, it might be [Mohamad Diallo] and Davis Bynum,” Baggett said. “I’m excited about that because the more you can get guys to contribute, the better it is for what we call a team.”
Working hard to establish the tone of a team that plays hard, placing defense as the flagship of the program, Baggett and his team are continuously striving to welcome the newcomers to Lawrenceville the “Rider way.”
According to the 13-time head coach, fan support can make or break a season, emphasizing its importance ahead of this new era of fresh Broncs.
“There’s nothing greater in my 20 years than walking from the locker room and seeing a packed gym… just cheering as loud as they can,” Baggett said. “We can’t just [win] with our players, we need our fans to come out and support us as well.”
The Broncs will host the Rowan Profs on Oct. 25 at 3 p.m. for their annual exhibition game. They will continue in out-of-conference play, facing ranked teams such as No. 2 University of Houston and No. 11 Rutgers University.
The Broncs prepare to tip off their new season with the same fight, a punch packed with grit, hunger and drive. This fresh chapter for Rider men’s basketball is not just about the new roster coming together as a team, but the cranberry community that rallies behind them.
