Brockport, NY – The SUNY Brockport men's basketball team is primed to tip off the 2025-26 season with high expectations after a dominant run in their first year in the Empire 8 Conference. The Golden Eagles begin their campaign on the road against Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY, on Saturday, November 8th, at 7 p.m.
Clarke Taking Over - Year Three: The program continues its upward trajectory under the guidance of Head Coach Joe Clarke, who enters his third season at the helm. Following a banner year, Clarke and his staff—Seth Johnston, Shawn Harris, and David Grady III—were honored as the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year and Clarke was personally named the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Rochester Area Men's Coach of the Year. In just two seasons, Clarke has steered Brockport to 33 victories and two conference tournament appearances.
Last season, Clarke's Golden Eagles showcased a high-powered, efficient style of play that resonated nationally. Brockport finished top-50 nationally in scoring offense, averaging 81.7 points per game. The team also excelled defensively and on the perimeter, ranking 21st nationally in steals per game (10.4) and 40th nationally in three-point shooting percentage (36.4%).
Remembering Last Season: The 2024-25 season saw the Golden Eagles claim a record of 17-10 overall and 14-2 in Empire 8 play in their successful debut in the new conference. They were crowned the Empire 8 regular season champions. Following the season, the team was recognized with several All-Conference selections and honors. Mekhi Beckett (First Team), Zachary Rice (Second Team), and Tony Arnold (Second Team) all earned the title of All-Conference, while Colby Jordan snagged Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year. Additionally, Beckett was named to the D3hoops.com Region 3 Third Team for the second time in his career.
All-Conference Returner: A key piece of the Green and Gold's success is returning, as three-point specialist senior Zachary Rice is back after earning Second Team All-Conference Empire 8 accolades and USBWA Rochester Area First Team honors. Rice proved to be an all-around force, averaging 11.4 points per game while shooting 39% from deep, and also served as the team's top rebounder, snatching 5.9 boards per game.
Guess Who's Back: In addition to Zachary Rice, the Golden Eagles welcome back five other players who will be vital to the 2025-26 squad, bringing proven experience back to the court. Jacob Oka returns as a dominant force in the paint, where he led the Golden Eagles in offensive rebounds and blocks last season, including posting a game-high of three blocks. Furthermore, Nathaniel Gordon is back after shining behind the arc, having recorded the most three-pointers made in a single game (7) by a Golden Eagle last season, which helped him finish third on the team in total three-pointers made. Also returning for their respective campaigns are Christian Amica, Emilio Nabli, and Miles Johnson.
New Faces: This year's roster is bolstered by 11 newcomers. The freshman class features eight talented players, including Ajani Flemming, Pharell Aybar, Kameron Langdon, Cameron Pownall, Seth Charlton, Jack Clancy, Jayden Linton, and Bryce Marshall. Brockport also gains experience with three transfers: senior Omar White (MCC), and juniors Cameron Dyer (NCCC) and Marco Evans (OCCC).
Coast-to-Coast Road Trip to Start: The Golden Eagles face a challenging start to the season with six road games spanning the months of November and December before their first home contest. The road trip begins this Saturday at Ithaca, followed by a trip to Oswego on Tuesday, November 18th, at 7 p.m. to face the Lakers.
Prior to Thanksgiving break, Brockport will head to Wooster, OH, on Friday, November 21st, to represent the Green and Gold in the Wooster Rotary Classic, tipping off the tournament against Otterbein University at 5:30 p.m., followed by a matchup with The College of Wooster the following day at 6 p.m.
The challenging non-conference slate continues after the holiday with a local trip to face RIT in Rochester, NY, on Tuesday, December 2nd. The lengthy road swing finally comes to a close in the Sunshine State, as the Golden Eagles head to Daytona, FL, on Monday, December 15th, to tip off the DME Tournament with a matchup against Piedmont University.
Home for the Holidays - First Game at The Vlog: After a long road stretch to start the season, the Golden Eagles will return to the familiar confines of the Jim and John Vlogianitis Gymnasium to end the month of December. The home opener is set for Tuesday, December 30th, at 3 p.m. against Penn State Behrend.
Coming Up: Following the season opener against Ithaca, the Golden Eagles head to Oswego on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. game, followed by the trip to Wooster, OH, to face Otterbein University on Friday, November 21st, at 5:30 p.m. and The College of Wooster on Saturday, November 22nd, at 6 p.m.
