UTICA, NY - After its fifth consecutive 15+ win season and seventh consecutive trip to the Empire 8 Conference tournament, basketball has returned to Utica. The Utica University men's basketball team opens the 2026-27 season at home on Thursday, November 12, playing host to the SUNY New Paltz Hawks. Tip off from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 6pm. 
 
Follow Along: For those unable to attend, live video can be found here, and live stats can be found here. 
 
Run it Back: The 2025-26 campaign saw the Pioneers record its fifth consecutive 15+ win season, posting a 17-9 record and a 10-6 mark in conference play. The 10-6 mark in Empire 8 play was good enough to finish sixth in the final conference standings, earning a berth into the team's seventh consecutive Empire 8 Conference tournament. The Pioneers' season would come to a close in the opening round of the tournament to third-seeded SUNY Geneseo by a score of 68-62. Three Pioneers were named to Empire 8 All-Conference Teams, with the program securing its 10th consecutive season with at least one player landing a first-team all-conference selection. 
 
Bench Boss Breakdown: Sean Coffey recently completed his 10th season as head coach of the Utica University men's basketball program. He is the eighth head coach in program history and took the reins ahead of the 2016-17 season. In his first decade at Utica, Coffey has led the Pioneers to a 177-77 overall record and a 115-39 mark in the Empire 8 while earning nine Empire 8 Conference Tournament appearances. Under his leadership, Utica has captured three Empire 8 Championships (2021, 2024, 2025), advanced to three consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, and established itself as one of the conference's premier programs. Coffey has guided the program to ten consecutive winning seasons, becoming the first head coach in program history to do so. During the 2025-26 season, he became Utica's all-time wins leader, earning his 170th career victory with a 70-61 win over Hartwick on January 13, 2026.
 
The Road Ahead: The Pioneers' 2026-27 regular season will run from Thursday, November 12 to Tuesday, February 16, 2027. Utica is set to play 25 regular season games, including 11 home contests at Miga Court, along with an exhibition matchup against Division I Colgate University on November 18. The Pioneers will open the season with back-to-back home games against New Paltz on November 12 and SUNY Morrisville on November 17 before hitting the road for three consecutive non-conference contests. The team's non-conference slate also features a local matchup against Hamilton College on December 12, along with a pair of neutral-site games against Plattsburgh State and St. Lawrence University on December 30 and 31 in Middlebury, VT. 
 
Empire 8 Conference play begins on Tuesday, January 5, when the Pioneers travel to face SUNY Brockport. Utica will then return home for five consecutive conference matchups against Elmira College, Keuka College, SUNY Geneseo, Hartwick College and Russell Sage College. Highlights of the conference schedule include home-and-home matchups with crosstown rival SUNY Poly, beginning on January 26 at Miga Court before the two teams meet again on February 16 at SUNY Poly in the regular season finale. Utica will also welcome Nazareth University and St. John Fisher University to Miga Court on February 5 and 6, respectively, for its final home weekend of the regular season.
 
If qualified, the Pioneers will compete in the eight-team Empire 8 Conference Tournament, which runs from February 20 through February 27, with all games hosted by the higher-seeded team. 
 
Key Losses: The Pioneers will enter the 2026-27 season looking to replace several key contributors from last year's squad, including Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy), Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland), Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian), Ryan McCardle (Hurley, NY/Kingston) and Ben Wittman (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill). The five combined for 1,047 points and 194 assists during the 2025-26 campaign, accounting for over half of the team's total scoring and nearly two-thirds of its assists.
 
Thompson, a two-time, first-team all-conference selection, leaves behind the largest offensive void after leading the Pioneers with 421 points and 16.2 points per game last season. The guard started 25 of 26 contests while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 88.4 percent from the free-throw line. Thompson also knocked down 46 three-pointers while adding 51 assists and 39 steals. Thompson also became the 21st player in program history to eclipse the 1,000 career point milestone, posting a career mark of 1,385 points, which is good enough for fifth on the program's all-time scoring leaderboard. Thompson also set a new career record from the free-throw line, posting a career mark of 361 free throws made, and a .880 free throw percentage. 
 
Teague, a third-team all-conference selection last season, was another consistent presence in Utica's lineup, averaging 12.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. The forward appeared in 24 games with 23 starts, finishing with 306 points, 169 rebounds and 38 blocks while shooting 47.5 percent from the floor.
 
McCardle, who was named a CSC Academic All-District selection last season, provided a reliable shooting presence for the Pioneers, appearing in all 26 games while averaging 7.9 points per contest. He connected on 46 three-pointers, tying Thompson for the team lead, while shooting an impressive 47.4 percent from beyond the arc. Barasa also appeared in all 26 contests, making 11 starts while contributing 43 assists, 17 steals and 62 points. Wittman rounded out the departing group after appearing in 24 games, averaging 2.2 points and 2.2 rebounds while adding 22 assists and nine blocks.
 
Leading the Charge: The Pioneers will welcome back one of the Empire 8's most dominant interior presences in Keyaton Parks (Albany, NY/Green Tech High Charter), who is coming off a standout 2025-26 campaign. Parks appeared in all 26 games for Utica, making 25 starts while averaging 11.2 points and a team-leading 9.0 rebounds per contest. The forward finished the season with 290 points, 233 rebounds and 48 blocked shots while shooting an impressive 70.6 percent from the field. Parks established himself as one of the conference's premier frontcourt players, leading the Empire 8 in field goal percentage and offensive rebounds (82). He also ranked second in the conference in blocked shots, third in total rebounds and fourth in rebounds per game. His efficiency around the basket and presence on the glass made him a key contributor on both ends of the floor. 
 
Beyond his conference accomplishments, Parks etched his name into the Utica record books with several notable performances throughout the season. His 70.6 field goal percentage ranks second in program history for a single season, while his 233 rebounds rank 11th and his 48 blocked shots rank fifth. Parks also established a new program career record for field goal percentage and currently ranks first in career blocked shots per game, fourth in rebounds per game, fourth in offensive rebounds per game and fifth in defensive rebounds per game.
 
Guess Who's Back: Utica will also look to returning contributors Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont) and Jeffrey Manuel (Syracuse, NY/Liverpool) to take on expanded roles during the 2026-27 campaign. Both players gained valuable experience last season and will have the opportunity to make a greater impact as Utica looks to replace several departing members of its rotation. Smith appeared in 24 games during the 2025-26 season, averaging 11.1 minutes and 3.0 points per contest. He finished the year with 72 points, 32 rebounds, 21 assists and nine steals while shooting 41.9 percent from the field. Smith provided depth off the bench throughout the season and will look to build upon that experience as he takes on additional responsibilities in the Pioneers' backcourt. Manuel appeared in 13 contests for Utica last season, averaging 5.6 minutes per game. He totaled 16 points, 16 rebounds and three blocked shots while shooting 33.3 percent from the field. With several key contributors departing from last year's squad, Manuel will have an opportunity to earn additional minutes and establish a larger presence in the Pioneers' rotation.
 
It's Their Time: Coach Coffey will sport a large junior class this season, studded with both returning talent and a couple of fresh faces. Seiray Sinerna (Bronx, NY/Validus Preparatory Academy) and Prince Kamate (Bronx, NY/New Visions Charter) both joined the Pioneers ahead of the 2025-26 season but did not appear last season. The two previously competed at Dutchess Community College, where they were key contributors during the 2024-25 season. Sinerna appeared in 25 games with 17 starts, averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest while shooting 52.4 percent from the field. The Bronx, NY native also collected 51 steals, 36 assists and 17 blocked shots. Kamate made 14 starts for Dutchess, averaging 14.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the floor. The 6-foot-5 guard also contributed 29 steals and six blocked shots.
 
Josiah Salmon (Jamaica, NY/John Bowne) joins Utica after previously competing alongside Sinerna and Kamate at Dutchess Community College. The 6-foot-5 forward appeared in 27 games during the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 5.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest while shooting 50.8 percent from the field. Salmon finished the season with 134 rebounds, including 61 on the offensive glass, and 27 blocked shots. The Jamaica, NY native earned Second Team All-Region recognition during his time at Dutchess, where he also established himself among the program's career leaders in rebounding and blocked shots.

Thomas Peterson (Tupper Lake, NY/Tupper Lake) arrives at Utica following a stint at North Country Community College, where he earned Second Team All-Mountain Valley Conference and NJCAA Third Team All-Region honors in 2026. The Tupper Lake, NY native was also part of North Country's Mountain Valley Conference championship team. Prior to his collegiate career, Peterson established himself as Tupper Lake High School's all-time leading scorer with 1,434 career points while earning multiple all-conference and all-state selections.

Luke Sherman (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) will also look to take on a larger role after spending the previous two seasons with the Pioneers. The Saratoga Springs, NY native appeared in six contests during the 2025-26 campaign after not seeing game action as a freshman. Prior to arriving at Utica, Sherman put together a decorated career at Schuylerville High School, becoming the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,547 points. He was a two-time All-State selection, two-time First Team Foothills Council honoree and two-time Times Union First Team All-Star.

Sophomore Season: The Pioneers will also look to their sophomore class to take the next step in their development, with Zachary Petucci (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer), Jackson Ruane (Oriskany Falls, NY/Waterville), Joshua Sand (Beekmantown, NY/Beekmantown) and Carter Deak (West Winfield, NY/Mount Markham) returning for their second seasons with the program. While the group saw limited action during the 2025-26 campaign, all four bring decorated high school backgrounds and will look to compete for larger roles in Utica's rotation.

Petucci appeared in three contests during his freshman campaign after arriving at Utica following a standout career at Herkimer High School. The Herkimer, NY native was a three-time First Team CSC All-League selection, the 2025 CSC I Class B Player of the Year and an eighth-team All-State selection. Petucci also surpassed 1,000 career points and was named Herkimer High School's Male Athlete of the Year in 2025. Ruane will look to make his collegiate debut after not appearing in a contest last season. The Oriskany Falls, NY native put together an impressive career at Waterville High School, earning back-to-back Section III Class C Player of the Year honors in 2024 and 2025. Ruane was also a two-time All-State selection, surpassed 1,000 career points and helped lead Waterville to a Section III Class C championship in 2024.

In the frontcourt, Sand returns after appearing in nine games during his freshman season, totaling seven points and five rebounds while shooting 75 percent from the field. The 6-foot-7 forward was a three-time Section VII champion during his high school career at Beekmantown and earned First Team Champlain Valley Athletic Conference honors in 2023-24. Sand was also recognized as an Empire 8 President's List honoree last season. Deak appeared in four contests during his first season with the Pioneers after a decorated career at Mount Markham High School. The 6-foot-5 forward earned All-State recognition in consecutive seasons, along with First Team All-Section III honors in 2023-24 and Second Team recognition in 2024-25.

Welcome to the Herd: Head Coach Sean Coffey and the Pioneers are set to welcome a group of seven new faces to the floor this season, in Michai Thompson (Beacon, NY/Beacon), Johnny Kazantzis (Brooklyn, CT/Pomfret), Jaylen Johnson (Elmsford, NY/Brunswick), Andrew Crayton (Middletown, CT/St. Thomas More), Mathew Simmons (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook), Kam Barge (Buffalo, NY/Park School of Buffalo) and Russell Patterson (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz).

Thompson joins the Pioneers following a decorated career at Beacon High School, where he earned Class A MVP honors, two league MVP selections and two All-Section nods. The Beacon, NY native was also a Second Team All-State selection and helped lead his team to a sectional championship. Thompson will follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy), who concluded his career with Utica last season. Kazantzis arrives from Pomfret High School in Connecticut, where the 6-foot-3 guard earned recognition on The Bulletin's 2024-25 Boys Basketball All-Star Team.

Johnson comes to Utica from Brunswick School in Greenwich, CT, where he earned Second Team All-Fairchester Athletic Association honors and All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention recognition. The Elmsford, NY native will join a Pioneers backcourt that is looking to replace several experienced contributors. Crayton arrives following a successful high school career at St. Thomas More, where he surpassed 1,300 career points and earned three All-Conference selections. The Middletown, CT native led his team in scoring, assists, rebounds, free-throw percentage, three-point percentage and three-pointers made during his senior season.

Simmons joins Utica after earning multiple honors during his time at Red Hook High School. The Red Hook, NY native was a First Team Mid-Hudson Athletic League American Division selection, a Section IX Class A All-Star and a Forever Frenzy Section IX All-State All-Star Team selection. Simmons also earned Mid-Hudson Valley Player of the Week recognition during his high school career. Barge, a 6-foot guard from Buffalo, NY, rounds out the incoming group of backcourt players after competing at the Park School of Buffalo.

Patterson will provide additional size in the frontcourt, standing at 6-foot-8 following his high school career at New Paltz. The New Paltz, NY native averaged 10 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks per game during a breakout 2025 season. Patterson helped lead New Paltz to a Section IX championship while also establishing a Section IX single-game rebounding record. He earned multiple Basketball Coaches Association of New York All-Star selections, along with All-County and Poughkeepsie Journal All-Star recognition.

A Look at New Paltz: The SUNY New Paltz Hawks have begun the 2026-27 campaign and are off to a 2-0 start on the season with wins over Brooklyn College and Eastern Connecticut State. Through their first two contests, the Hawks are averaging 77.5 points per game while holding opponents to 67.5 points per contest. New Paltz has been efficient offensively, shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from three-point range while connecting on eight three-pointers per game.

Chris Whyte-Luciano has been the driving force behind the Hawks' early offensive success, averaging a team-leading 25.5 points per contest. The guard has shot an impressive 63 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from beyond the arc, connecting on nine of his 16 three-point attempts. Isaiah Rivera has also made an immediate impact, averaging 14.0 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor. Trevor Amalfitano has contributed 8.5 points per contest, while Mo Sylla has added 8.0 points and a team-high 4.5 assists per game. George Patsalos rounds out the Hawks' leading contributors with 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per outing.

Defensively, New Paltz has established a strong presence through its first two games, averaging 12 steals and 6.5 blocked shots per contest. Patsalos leads the team with five blocks, while Rivera has added four. The Hawks have also forced opponents into 21 turnovers per game. However, New Paltz has averaged 19.5 turnovers of its own and has been outrebounded by a 33.5 to 31.5 margin through its opening two contests.

Up Next: The team remains home to take on the SUNY Morrisville Mustangs. Tip off on Tuesday, November 17 is set for 6pm from Moga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center.