Transfer portal reshapes Rider basketball

By Samantha Clark

After a season in which both teams failed to qualify for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament for the first time in university history, seven Broncs from Rider’s men’s and women’s basketball programs have announced their entrance into the transfer portal.

Changes to the portal 

In January 2026, the NCAA announced changes and new rules to the transfer portal, most notably closing the window from 30 days to 15 days. 

In an attempt to reduce distractions from the process, a new rule was established that the portal was to open after the conclusion of the national championship game, rather than during postseason play. 

With that, the women’s portal opened on April 6 and will close on April 20, and the men’s portal opened on April 7, closing on April 21. If any player were to enter the portal after the 15 days, it would result in delayed eligibility for the following season. 

Lady Broncs on the move

The first of three women’s players to announce their entrance into the portal was freshman guard Daniya Brown, who posted a social media announcement over Instagram on April 1. 

In her first year, Brown averaged 2.6 points per game and shot 22% from beyond the arc. Off the court, though, she found many successes in her new home in Lawrenceville.

In her post, Brown shared her gratitude in representing the Broncs, saying, “I had the opportunity to compete  alongside some incredible teammates who pushed me every day and helped me grow both on and off the court. I’ve built friendships that will truly last a lifetime. I am forever grateful for Rider University.”

On April 3, sophomore guard Amany Lopez announced her plans to enter the portal in a collaborative Instagram post, alongside her highlights from her time as a Bronc.

In the 2024-25 season, Lopez picked up minutes in 17 of 29 total games, achieving a career high five points against the United States Naval Academy. In her sophomore season, she more-than-doubled that, reaching 11 points in an Iona University matchup.

Lopez was one of six returning Broncs this season, allowing her to play a part in guiding a roster filled with fresh faces, among both players and coaching staff.

“I will take away the opportunity to learn new cultures, meet new people,” Lopez said. “I will always cherish that and I’ll take that with me wherever I go.”

The last of the three is junior guard Deb Okechukwu, who reposted an announcement on X, stating her plans to enter her name into the portal as a graduate transfer.

After transferring from multiple junior colleges, Okechukwu broke into the world of Division I         basketball as a Bronc due to her relationship with incoming Head Coach Jackie Hartzell. 

In her NCAA debut, Okechukwu averaged 6.8 points per game, reaching as many as 18 points in the Nov. 15 battle against the Bryant University Bulldogs. 

Taking her time in cranberry as an experience for growth, Okechukwu said, “I’ve learned how to be       flexible and be adaptive, … so I’m just looking to be able to blossom in a new opportunity.”

Men’s departures 

For the men’s team, four of 11 eligible players entered the portal, the firsts being sophomore forward Cole McCabe and sophomore guard Flash Burton.

On April 5 and April 7, the pair posted the same announcement on X that read, “Thankful for my time at Rider. I will be entering the Transfer Portal.”

As two of four returning Broncs ahead of the   2025-26 season, McCabe and Burton began as       consistent starting players. McCabe reached a career high of 12 points in the first conference matchup of the season, stepping on the court as a standout player in the Merrimack University game. 

In addition, the MAAC Student-Athlete of the Week honor was awarded to McCabe on Dec. 31, finding success in all areas during his time at Rider. 

“I came to Rider for the opportunity to play Division I basketball, … [and I’m] grateful for my relationships over the past two years, just with a bunch of different guys, the managers, the coaches,” McCabe said. “Those are some people you’re gonna talk to for the rest of your life.”

Burton’s role on the roster has been a pivotal one in his two years at Rider, hitting double figures in 13 games and starting in the final 10 of his first season. As a freshman, he also earned MAAC Rookie of the Week on Jan. 20, 2025. 

In his sophomore year, Burton averaged 15.1 points per game, hitting a career high of 27 points against Fairfield University on Jan. 9.

“[Coach Baggett] made a good impression on me from day one,” Burton said. “Now, I just feel like this is the next step that I gotta take.”

Three days after the men’s portal opened, the final of the four declared their entrance, with junior guard Caleb Smith and freshman guard Kristupas Kepežinskas both posting on their Instagram stories on April 10. 

Smith shot 39% from the 3-point line, becoming a key contributor for the Broncs in his first year competing at the Division I level. 

In Smith’s breakout year, he learned the values of competing with a team of dedicated athletes, but now, he looks to compete closer to his hometown of Atlanta. 

“I’m definitely going to miss my teammates. Best teammates I’ve ever had,” Smith said.

Kepežinskas, hailing from Kaunas, Lithuania, came to Rider for the opportunity to play in the NCAA, as it can often be hard to find that opportunity when competing overseas. 

After his debut season, he decided to enter the portal to explore his options, although the opportunity to return to the Broncs remains on the table.

Despite suffering from an MCL injury early in the season, Kepežinskas played in 16 games in his        freshman year, competing for the most minutes against Bucknell University, where he put up 5 points for his best game at Rider. 

Though the injury limited his time on the court and offered unexpected setbacks, his first season in America provided meaningful moments for development.

“I made a lot of connections. … I feel like when you meet new people, you get to know other             cultures better, and that’s how you grow as a person,” Kepežinskas said. “And I worked on myself, so I feel like I’ve improved as a person and as an athlete.”

With the portal’s close quickly approaching and seven Broncs announcing their potential departures, the men’s and women’s basketball programs will face the usual offseason of transition and adaptation. 

The coming weeks will shape the future of these teams as the NCAA portal reshapes rosters across the nation.