UTICA, NY - Fresh off its 2023-24 Empire 8 Conference Tournament Championship win, third straight regular season Empire 8 crown, and back to back trips to the NCAA DIII Men's Basketball Tournament. The Utica University men's basketball team will open its 2024-25 campaign by traveling to Rochester, NY, to take on the Harold J. Brodie Classic hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology. Utica's first game of the tournament is set for Friday, November 8 with a tip-off set for 6pm versus Lehman College. The Pioneers will then either take on RIT or Fitchburg State University with a game time that is to be determined. 
 
Follow Along: For those unable to attend the tournament, live video for both days can be found here, and live stats can be found here.  
 
Running it Back: The Pioneers are coming off another fantastic season in 2023-24 with a 24-4 overall record and an impressive 15-1 record in Empire 8 Conference play, capped by the team's second Empire 8 Conference Tournament Championship and the team's second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The team's 24 victories set a new single season wins record as well as the team's third straight Empire 8 Conference regular season title. In the Pioneers trip to the NCAA Tournament, the Pioneers fell to No. 3 Trinity College by a score of 83-54. Three Pioneers also received all-conference honors for their exceptional efforts during the 2023-24 season. Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) received All-Empire 8 First Team honors for the second straight season as well as NABC District III First Team honors, and D3hoops.com All-Region III Second Team honors, Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was also named to the First Team, and Neruda Perdomo (New York, NY/Kimball Union Academy) was named Utica's Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year. Head Coach Sean Coffey and his staff were named the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year for the third straight year. Last season, the Pioneers ranked fourth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage with 39.3%, fifth in the nation in field goal percentage with 49.6% and 11th in the nation in offensive efficiency. 
 
In the Polls: The Pioneers received votes to be one of two Region 3 teams represented in the D3hoops.com Preseason Poll. The 2024-25 preseason poll had Utica receiving nine votes. The D3hoops.com Top 25 is voted on by a panel of 25 coaches, Sports Information Directors, and media representatives from across the country, and is published weekly. 
 
Coffey: After earning his third straight Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year nod, Head Coach Sean Coffey is back to lead the Pioneers for his ninth season. Through eight seasons, Coffey has led the Pioneers to an impressive 139-60 overall record and a 93-29 record in conference play over the duration of his tenure. Coffey has led the Pioneers to eight Empire 8 Tournament appearances in nine seasons, including four conference title game appearances with championships in 2021 and 2024. Richard Coffey, Luke Fredsell, Zach Zoll, Trevor Hardin and Sue Cooney return to Coffey's right hand this season, with the addition of Assistant Coach Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute). 
 
Schedule Breakdown: The Pioneers regular season will run from November 8 to February 18, 2025. If qualified, the Empire 8 Conference Tournament will be held from February 22 - March , 2025 with the highest remaining seed holding home court advantage. The Pioneers will play 25 regular season games, hosting 13. Utica will only attend one tournament this year, the Harold J. Bodie Tournament, hosted by RIT featuring RIT, Lehman College, and Fitchburg State University in the field. The team will begin the season with nine of its first 10 games being non-conference matchups against Lehman College, either RIT or Fitchburg in the RIT Tournament, Buffalo State, SUNY Potsdam, Ithaca College, SUNY Morrisville, Hamilton College, SUNY Delhi, and Hobart College. Beginning on Tuesday, January 7, the Pioneers will delve into the thick of conference play, beginning with hosting Empire 8 Conference newcomer SUNY Brockport as the start of 16 conference games. 
 
Left the Station: The Pioneers will enter the 2024-25 season without key veterans Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) and Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro). Brantley averaged 10.7 points, 1.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game throughout his five-year career at Utica. Brantley helped the team to its first Empire 8 championship in 2021 and led the team to its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024. Brantley recorded 1224 points during his career, a mark good enough to crack into the top-10 in the career record book for the Pioneers. Brantley was selected to the Empire 8 All-Conference team two years in a row, and was awarded Empire 8 Conference Tournament MVP last season. Brantley was also selected to the NABC District III First Team as well as the D3hoops.com All-Region III Second Team last season. Brantley has recently signed a professional contract with a professional club in Tunisia, making Brantley the third Pioneer in four years to ink a professional deal. Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) averaged 12.6 points, 1.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1 steal per game throughout his five-year career as a Pioneer. As a Freshman, Morreale was named Empire 8 Rookie of the year after racking up 292 points with 140 rebounds, 31 assists, 19 blocks, and 18 steals in 24 games. Morreale was selected to Empire 8 All-Conference teams four out of his five seasons, and was the 17th player in program history to make it into the 1,000 point club. Last season, Morreale shot 47.5% from the field, 36.4% from three, and 73.3% from the free throw line. 
 
Shot Call-er: Graduate student Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) has returned for the opportunity to do it all over again with the Pioneers. Call has averaged 8.7 points, 1.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game throughout his career at Utica. As a Freshman, Call garnered Empire 8 Rookie of the Year honors after tallying 62 points with 43 rebounds, and 13 assists in only 10 games. Last season, Call was named to the Empire 8 All-Conference first team after averaging 14.2 points, 7.5 boards, 3.7 assists and 1 block per game. Call led the team in rebounding, hauling in 202 rebounds last season. He also led the team in assists last season with 72, averaging 2.7 assists per game. Call was also the leading shot-blocker for the Pioneers last season, stopping 26 shots dead in their tracks. 
 
Dayion Night: After missing 12 games at the end of last season due to injury, junior guard Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) is poised for a breakout season for the Pioneers. Last season, Thompson averaged 13.6 points per game with 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Thompson shot 39.1 percent from the floor, 34 percent from beyond the arc and 85.3 percent from the free throw line last season. 
 
Foley Grail: Senior Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) has returned for another season with the Pioneers. Last season, Foley averaged 10 points per game with 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Foley led the team in field goal percentage last season, shooting 62.7 percent from the floor making 106 of his 169 attempts. Foley shot 58.5 percent from beyond the arc last season making 34 of his 58 three-point attempts, which was good enough for the team lead in that category. 
 
Veteran Presence: Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland), Neruda Perdomo (New York, NY/Kimball Union Academy), and Devon Flynn (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) are returning for another season with the Pioneers and will serve a vital role in the team's success. Returning as a junior, Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) played in all 28 games for the Pioneers last season, averaging just under 10 minutes per game. Teague shot 54.7 percent from the floor last season, and 61.5 percent from beyond the arc. At the free throw line, Teague was 10-12, and averaged two rebounds per game. Teague also recorded 13 assists and tallied 12 blocks last season. Neruda Perdomo (New York, NY/Kimball Union Academy), returning as a senior, played in 10 games for the Pioneers last season. Perdomo shot 42.9 percent from the floor, and was 3-4 in three point field goals last season. Devon Flynn (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook), a fifth year senior, played in 10 games for the Pioneers last season, shooting 46.2 percent from the floor, and was perfect in his two attempts from beyond the arc. Flynn tallied 11 rebounds last season, and two blocks. 
 
Fresh Faces: The Pioneers are set to welcome nine new faces to the floor this season, with seven freshmen and two transfer students. Seidina Doukoure (Bronx, NY/The Macduffie School) is a graduate transfer from NCAA Division III SUNY Oneonta. Doukoure played all four of his undergraduate seasons for the Red Dragons, averaging about two points per game. Last season, Doukoure played in 16 games, shooting 38.5 percent from the floor. Throughout his career as a Red Dragon, Doukoure shot 35.7 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from behind the arc. Doukoure was also named to the NABC Honors Court last season. Transfer student Levi Spina (Frankfort, NY/Frankfort Schuyler) spent last season at NCAA Division III Lyndon Hornets. Last season, Spina played in three games, averaging 20.7 minutes per game. Spina shot 33.3 percent from the floor last season, and 33.3 percent from three point range. Spina also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 15 assists last season, as well all tallying five steals. Head Coach Sean Coffey will be looking to newcomers Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont), Zyon Lord (Bronx, NY/Salisbury School), Jordan Cain (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee), Frank Liriano (Sarasota, FL/Sarasota), Luke Sherman (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville), Jeffrey Manuel (Syracuse, NY/Liverpool), and Cameron Trimarchi (Albany, NY/Colonie Central) to make an impact this season. 
 
Scouting Lehman: The Lehman College Lightning are coming off of an 18-10 record in last season's campaign, and posted an 11-3 record in CUNYAC play. The Lightning finished as the CUNYAC runners up last season, falling in its championship matchup against Baruch College by a score of 73-71. The team returns its top scorer in Kai Parris who led the team with 475 total points last season. The Lightning have lost its other two top point producers in DeAundre Manuel and Juan Fernandez who each averaged more than eight points per game last season. Returning for the Lightning this season is Lasana Camara who has been one of the team's top rebounders, collecting 198 total boards last season. This will be the first time since 2008 that the Pioneers have squared off against the Lightning, with the Pioneers taking last season's matchup by a score of 65-58. 
 
A Look at RIT: The Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers are coming off a 14-13 record in its campaign last season, posting a 9-9 record in Liberty League play. The Tigers finished last season in the Liberty League tournament, falling to the Hobart Statesmen in the semifinal by a score of 79-61. RIT has returned its leading scorer in Brock Bowen, who led the team with 308 points last season, averaging 11.4 points per game. Bowen did it all for the Tigers last season, leading the team in three point field goal percentage with 41.1 percent of his 168 attempts made, as well as leading the team in assists with 74. Josiah Turner was the team's leading shooter from the floor, leading the team with a 54.4 field goal percentage last season. Turner was also the team's leading rebounder last season, hauling in 163 total rebounds last season. Turner was also the team's leading blocker last season, recording 21 blocks. The Pioneers and the Tigers have not squared off on the court since 2011, which proved to be a highly contested matchup with the Pioneers taking the win, 76-75. 
 
Breaking Down Fitchburg: The Fitchburg State Falcons are looking to bounce back after a 3-23 campaign last season, posting a 1-11 record in MASCAC play. The Falcons were able to squeak into the MASCAC tournament last season, but would fall in the first round to Westfield State by a score of 77-71. The Falcons have not returned their top two point producers in Frederick Siayor and Javon Taylor, who each averaged more than 10 points per game last season. The team will look to sophomore Matthew Drayton to make an impact this season after shooting 39.1 percent from the floor last season, and averaging 9.9 points per game. Kamu Franks returns for the Falcons this season after being one of the team's top rebounders, averaging 5.8 rebounds per game last season. This is the first time that the Pioneers will be squaring off against the Falcons. 

Up Next: The Pioneers will open the team's home slate on Wednesday, November 13. Game time from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 7pm.