Men's Basketball 2025-26 Roster Reload: App State

The App State Mountaineers enter the 2025-26 season looking to build on another successful season — although it ended on a disappointing note.

Head coach Dustin Kerns led the Mountaineers to a 17-13 overall record and 10-8 in conference play last season, good for sixth in the conference. However, a late-season four-game losing streak halted another promising year in Boone.

Despite those struggles, roster continuity gives the Mountaineers a foundation, with five returners back in the fold.

The backcourt sees two returning guards in Alonzo Dodd and Jason Clarke Jr. Dodd played a significant role last season, averaging 5.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists last season. He is expected to step into the lead guard role this season. Clarke played in 10 games as a freshman, including a career-high five point performance at Wisconsin.

In the frontcourt, Luke Wilson and Michael Marcus Jr. both return after solid freshman seasons. Wilson averaged 2.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game, while Marcus contributed 2.4 points and 2.8 rebounds, including a 18-point, 10-rebound performance early in the season. They will likely share minutes at the five unless Kerns opts for smaller lineups.

Maybe the most intriguing returner is Andrin Njoock, a 6-foot-6 wing who redshirted his freshman year due to injury, Njock impressed many this summer at the FIBA U-19 World Cup, averaging 11.7 points per game for Switzerland. He could be a breakout player candidate this season.

Andrin Njock did his thing 🤷‍♂️#FIBAU19 #WeAreSwissBasketball pic.twitter.com/W8yZAulEL1

— Swiss Basketball (@Swiss_Basket) July 5, 2025

Departures

Kerns faces the challenge of replacing his top four scorers and 10 total players from last season’s roster.

Myles Tate, an All-Sun Belt First-Team selection, has graduated after spending his final two seasons with the Mountaineers. Tate led the team in several stats last season, averaging 16.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

App State also loses CJ Huntly, who capped off a five-year career in Boone by earning Second-Team All-Sun Belt. Huntley averaged 15.7 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting efficiently from deep last season, and has signed a professional contract with the Phoenix Suns.

Sharpshooter Dior Conners has transferred to Ohio after averaging eight points per game and shooting just over 40 percent from three, while Jalil Beaubrun and Jackson Threadgill have exhausted their eligibility. Beaubrun averaged 9.23 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in his only season at App State. Threadgill struggled to find consistency in his only season with the Mountaineers, shooting 36 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from deep.

Depth players Ben Ezeagu (Southern Indiana), Jamil Muttilib (Grambling), Anthony Alston (Hutchinson CC), Will Coble (graduation), and Jonah Long (Sewanee) have all departed.

Arrivals

The Mountaineers welcome five transfers and four freshmen help replace the lost production.

Eren Banks arrives from in-conference foe Georgia Southern, where he averaged 9.8 points and shot nearly 40 percent from three across his first two collegiate seasons. Banks earned Second-Team All-Sun Belt honors, and his scoring, playmaking, and familiarity with the conference will make him play a key role in App State’s backcourt.

Sixth-year guard Kasen Jennings brings experience as he has played five seasons of college basketball, all for the late Amir Abdur-Rahim. Jennings averaged a career-high 7.1 points for South Florida last season, and will look to take another step with the Mountaineers.

Kasen Jennings is heating up from 3 🔥🔥🔥

📺: https://t.co/g7NBtTBwEe #EDGE | #HornsUp🤘 pic.twitter.com/jM8f2EosNG

— USF Men’s Basketball (@USFMBB) November 21, 2024

In the frontcourt, Chad Moodie transfers from Alabama A&M, where he posted 10.8 points and six rebounds per game last season while shooting over 50 percent from the field. He will come in immediately and play a key role down on the block.

Two more guards join the team from lower levels of college basketball: KJ Vasser (Moberly Area CC) and Jalen Tot (Montana State Billings). Vasser was NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American after averaging 13.9 points and 3.9 assists and led the team to a 26-6 record. Tot also brings offense as he averaged 16.1 points and made 84 threes, while also adding some defense with 1.8 steals per game last season.

The Mountaineers’ four freshmen round out the incoming class. Jacari Brim broke Chris Paul’s high school record for all-time points and assists. Tre Mckinnon, who also holds his high school’s all-time scoring record with nearly 1,700 points, and Ted Neal, who averaged 14.2 points and 6.5 rebounds for a top-10 Georgia team, both add size and versatility on the wing. Grant Clayton provides extra depth in the frontcourt.

Since arriving in Boone, Kerns has never finished below ,500 in conference play and despite the roster turnover, the streak is still alive as Kerns did this last season. With proven guards, a top-tier Sun Belt coaching staff, and young talent with big upside, App State should be towards the top of the Sun Belt standings once again.

The Mountaineers open the 2025-26 season on Nov. 3, traveling to Central Michigan for the MAC-SBC Challenge, before returning for their home opener on Nov. 5.