The men’s basketball team opens the 2026-27 season on Nov. 6 against Susquehanna.
It is also the beginning of the Division III era in SFU men’s basketball history.
Head coach Luke McConnell enters his second season leading the team. His expectations are simple: compete hard, play together, and put the team first.
“I expect us to be the hardest playing team every time we take the court,” said McConnell. “I expect us to be the most-together and most-selfless team every time we suit up.
“If we can do that, we will be a lot of fun to watch this year.”
One of the biggest strengths McConnell sees in this year’s group is its depth.
“Our strength is in our numbers,” McConnell said. “We have a lot of guys that make practice extremely competitive every day.”
Senior guard Trey Weiand understands that success does not come from individual performances. As one of the team’s leaders, Weiand wants to help create an environment where everyone feels included and knows that they have something to contribute.
“As a senior this season, my goal will be to lead by example,” said the Mechanicsburg native. “I want to make sure that all the guys on the team feel welcomed, knowing that they all add value in one way or another.”
Weiand is also focused on doing whatever the team needs from him, whether that means scoring, passing or rebounding. For him, individual goals come second to helping the Red Wolves win.
The senior guard also believes the team’s chemistry will be one of its biggest advantages in 2026-27.
“Our greatest strength is our brotherhood. We are extremely tight knit,” Weiand said. “We do everything together as a team. Because of that, I think our chemistry will be very strong.”
The team has new faces looking to make an impact, including freshman guard Stef Giannikas.
Giannikas is excited to experience his first gameday at SFU and support his teammates as he begins his college career. His personal goal is to continuous improvement.
“My expectations for my freshman year is to try and get 1% better every day,” Giannikas said.
McConnell knows it will take time for everyone to develop chemistry on the court. He expects some ups and downs as the players learn how to play together, but he believes the group has the ability to respond to those challenges.
“We want to focus on playing as hard as we can for as long as we can every single practice,” McConnell said. “I think we have done a nice job stacking those days and creating great habits.”
