by Pippa Jones ‘28 on October 2, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

With women’s rugby rising to fame amongst the sports community, we can largely give credit to two-time Olympic champion Ilona Maher. Known for playing the tough sport with a shade of bright red lipstick on the pitch, Maher promotes body positivity and women in sports with her brand Beast Beauty Brains. Following her win in the 2024 Summer Olympics in France, she began to gain traction as an athlete and an internet personality. After her debut on the popular show Dancing with the Stars, Maher has gained lots of followers on social media and helped to promote the rugby community to a wider audience. Since the show, she has starred in several advertisements, her most recent partnership with Maybelline’s Only in Matte Ink lipstick. She also starred in Sports Illustrated, where she premiered her modeling career. Maher excelled in her rugby career at Quinnipiac University, where she won three NIRA championships. She now plays for the U.S. Sevens team and recently signed with the Bristol Bears club team.

Maher’s teammate, Sarah Bern, is another internet personality who has promoted the women’s rugby community with her platform. Both playing for the Bristol Bears, Bern and Maher have advertised the positive atmosphere of the community. Bern is a 28-year-old front-row prop for England’s women’s rugby team, the Red Roses. Bern started her career as a back-row forward with England’s U20 team. She has a record of 30 tries and 150 career points. Bern has a strong internet presence that accompanies Maher’s empowering brand.

Both Bern and Maher starred in this year’s 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. This year, the Women’s Rugby World Cup had a notable following with 42,473 viewers just on the opening game, which featured the U.S. vs. England. The World Cup will wrap up with the final and bronze matches in London on Sept. 27. The final game will feature a showdown of Pool A leader, England, with 15 points, against Pool B leader, Canada, also with 15 points. It is hard to tell who the winner of the final match will be, considering both teams lead their individual pools with identical point totals. England’s Red Roses have been crowned the favorites of the match with their record of 32 successive matches, according to BBC Sport. Team USA stands at No. 3 in Pool A with a record of one win, one draw, and one loss. Pool C leader, New Zealand, with 15 points, and Pool D leader France, with 14 points, will play each other for bronze. I would put New Zealand as the favorite with 382 points scored this season vs. France’s 195. Although this proves to be a large gap, New Zealand only has seven wins against France’s five, making this a closer matchup than expected.

Contrary to the leaderboard, the top scorer for the World Cup is New Zealand’s Braxton Sorensen-McGee with 11 tries and 69 points. At only 18 years old, Braxton was newly named to the Black Ferns as of this July. Braxton was named player of the match in New Zealand’s match against Japan. Following the World Cup, the next main events for women’s rugby will be HSBC SVNS and the Pacific Four Series, both in 2026. If interested in getting involved with rugby locally, join PC’s Club Women’s Rugby! Practice is every Tuesday, 5–7 p.m., and every Thursday, 6–8 p.m., on Hendricken Field. For inquiries to play, reach out to President Christina Andruss at (203) 832-9400.

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on October 2, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

Kim English’s recruiting ability has proven to be elite over his three years at Providence, each year seeming increasingly impressive. In his first year, Garwey Dual—initially recruited by former head coach Ed Cooley—chose to recommit to Providence College, ultimately deciding to play for English despite the abrupt coaching change. Dual’s tenure at Providence was short-lived and certainly disappointing, averaging a meager 3.3 points per game, which resulted in his transferring out after his freshman year. Dual was, however, the third-highest rated commit in Providence’s history, behind only Ricky Ledo (a top-ten national recruit in 2011 who never actually played due to academic ineligibility) and Kris Dunn ’16, a name Friars fans are more than familiar with.

In 2024, English made another big splash with the recruitment of Oswin Erhunmwumse ’28, ranking just outside the top ten in Friars history. He also recruited Ryan Mela ’28, a three-star forward who was unranked nationally and has impressively carved out a role for himself in the upcoming season. English’s increased aggressiveness in the transfer portal was also evident, despite a few of the transfers posting underwhelming seasons. This past offseason showed exponential improvement in English’s recruitment; he landed Jamier Jones ’29, ranked ninth in his position, and another top-100 recruit in Jaylen Harrell ’29. The transfer portal also brought in proven talents like Jason Edwards ’G26, Jaylin Sellers ’G26, and Duncan Powell ’G26, showing even further improvement from last year’s portal.

Huge news struck PC’s campus this month when five-star high-school prospect Caleb Holt went on an official visit to Friartown. Holt is a top-five national prospect, a legitimate one-and-done college player, and on track to be an early 2027 NBA first-round pick. This is absolutely groundbreaking news for Friars basketball, and by no means does Holt even have to commit to the Friars to make it so. To put this into perspective: imagine Jaylen Brown visiting PC a decade ago, or Jayson Tatum in 2016, or VJ Edgecombe or Dylan Harper a year ago. Providence’s basketball program is certainly storied and prestigious, but not of the caliber to attract immense talent like this.

It has been speculated that Providence is among a select few schools that Holt is considering for a decision. Now, some of the other schools in that group are powerhouses like Alabama, Kentucky, and Auburn, meaning it is probably not likely that he commits to PC, but the very fact that Providence is on the list with top-tier programs like those is massive news.

In August, coach English and his staff also hosted Abdou Toure, a top-40 national prospect from Connecticut. Toure recently announced he is down to his final three schools: UConn, Arkansas, and Providence. Another massive offer for the Friars, Toure would be the highest-rated freshman to ever play for PC outside of Dunn. English joins elite company in making Toure’s final list among Arkansas’ John Calipari and UConn’s Dan Hurley, two of the most well-respected coaches in college basketball. Toure’s decision announcement will come this Friday, Oct. 3.

If Toure were to commit to PC, the 2026 season would start to look even more exciting for Friars fans. Whether Holt and/or Toure commit to PC—and realistically, they very well may not—the fact that English is drawing massive talent to Providence, and that these players are truly considering his offers, shows huge potential for this program with him at the helm. While the results have yet to be seen, it takes time to build a program as a new and largely unproven head coach, and the future, starting with this season, looks very bright in Friartown.

by Flagg Taylor ’27 on October 2, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

Rich Barron ’27 is entering his third year of college basketball, and during the past two transitional and challenging seasons for the Friars, he has remained loyal to the team and head coach Kim English. With last season being one of the worst seasons the team has faced in recent history, fans are eager to put it in the past, especially with the assistance of several new and exciting faces being added to the team. It is great to see excitement and support for new transfers and incoming freshmen, but it’s important to recognize and appreciate players like Barron who have shown dedication to the program over many seasons in this new dynamic NIL landscape.

Barron joined the Friars for the 2023–24 season. He was one of English’s first recruits, originally committing to play for George Mason University, English’s previous school, before decommitting and following English to Providence. Barron was born on March 5, 2005, and grew up in Chicago, IL, with his parents Richard and Cory and sister Dylan. He played for St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, graduating in 2023. In his senior season, Barron averaged 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and three assists per game. He received first-team all-state honors in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association 3A division, as well as first-team in the Chicago Catholic League. The 6’5”, 220-pound forward will be entering his junior year season still boasting the No. 10.

In the 2024–25 season, like the team as a whole, Barron experienced some struggles. Before the season began, he had shoulder surgery for a nagging injury from the previous 2023–24 season. This likely affected his game at the beginning of the season. Throughout the 2024–25 season, Barron also struggled with concussions and a groin injury, leading to rocky and inconsistent play for the sophomore. Although it was generally a disappointing season for Barron, on Feb. 8, he lit up Hinkle Arena with seven three-pointers and 23 points in a heartbreaking one-point loss at Butler. This game proved he still had the potential he had shown during his freshman season.

With all these exciting new players joining the team, it is easy to forget about the improvements returning players will be making. Barron has been grinding during the off-season, and coming into this season healthy, fans will see improvements and performances like his freshman-year potential alluded to. In Barron’s freshman season, he shot three-pointers at 42.9 percent and scored eight or more points on nine different occasions for the Friars, providing an important offensive spark off the bench. Barron was named Big East Freshman of the Week on Jan. 22, 2024, after lighting up DePaul with four three-pointers. In my opinion, his best performance as a Friar came in the 2024 Big East Tournament against Creighton. Taking a bigger role after Bryce Hopkins ’25 injury, he stepped up when needed that season.

The Friars needed to start the second half off strong and keep the momentum, which Barron did, draining back-to-back threes, sparking a scoring run and creating a ton of momentum. Barron also hit an impressive swooping reverse layup against the four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Friars won this game, and Barron was a huge part of the momentum. Last season, plagued by injuries, Barron could not showcase his potential. This year, with a new and improved team around him, a more confident coach, and a refreshed coaching staff, Barron will be able to continue improving and put his talents on display at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. I’m certainly excited to watch guys like third-team All-SEC Jason Edwards ’26G take the court as promising transfers, but I’ll always be most excited to watch loyal Friars like Barron get back on the court, giving it their all for the hope of going dancing in March with a Providence jersey on.

by Sarah Wolff ’28 on October 2, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

The 2025–26 season will mark a revival in Providence College athletics as they have officially reinstated the men’s golf program as an NCAA Division I varsity sport. The Friars had a golf team from 1960–2002 until the sport was dropped, along with other men’s programs, due to Title IX compliance. In revamping the men’s program, Providence is simultaneously creating a women’s varsity golf team. The revived men’s team is operating on a non-scholarship basis, and it is a way to strengthen the school’s overall competitiveness in the Big East and the expansion of all kinds of student athletes. The head coach of the new program is Lou Parente, who was officially named in October of 2024. Parente’s roster could be seen as relatively young or new to this level of competitiveness; however, that can be very promising. He has time to bring up his roster and build on it. The incoming class, announced in July 2025, includes three freshmen, three juniors, and two graduate students. The first graduate student is Logan Jaeger ’25, ’26G, who graduated from PC last year and was on the club golf team. In April 2024, he became a co-individual champion of the National Collegiate Club Golf Association, and in December 2024, he was a part of the team that won the National Collegiate Club Golf Invitational Championship. Jaeger will bring lots of experience and guidance to his team. The second graduate student is Kevin Legnard ’25, ’26G, who was also a part of the team that won the NCCGA Invitational, as well as the president of the Providence club golf team. The freshmen to look out for are Will Spring ’29, Callan Fahey ’29, and Liam O’Grady ’29. Finally, the juniors on the team, Joe Halferty ’27, Evan Buddenhagen ’27, and Campbell Skelly ’27, do bring prior competitive experience that should help the Friars stand out.

Although this is the first time in over 20 years that the program has been active, Providence has wasted no time getting some fall tournaments under its belt. Their first tournament was the Sacred Heart Fall Classic, where they placed No. 8 out of 13 teams. Then, just two weeks later, the Friars had already made great strides as they placed No. 6 out of 15 teams at the Ryan T. Lee Memorial Collegiate Tournament. Up next for them includes the UConn Invitational (Sept. 28–30) in Hampden, MA, the Bash in the Boro (Oct.  13–14) in Statesboro, GA, and the Crusader Invitational (Oct. 20–21) at Worcester Country Club. Reestablishing a varsity program from the ground up is—in just one word—tough. The team must build its chemistry and cohesion, be able to compete at a consistently high level, and with that, have the confidence to perform under pressure. There is no denying that the program entered with a strong momentum. The club team had huge success, including a national championship in 2024, and as that preceded the varsity switch, there is automatically an established team of culture and competitiveness. After more than two decades of inactivity, the Friars are teeing off once again, and expectations and intrigue for this team have not fallen short.

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on September 25, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

On top of adding dynamic scorers in Jason Edwards ’G26 and Jaylin Sellers ’G26, Kim English further bolstered his squad with the additions of forward Duncan Powell ’26 from Georgia Tech and guard Daquan Davis ’28 from Florida State University. One lacking component of last year’s team was their energy; the team seemed to lose their momentum—their offense often stalling and displaying an apparent lack of intensity on the defensive end. Powell and Davis are two key additions that should help the Friars immensely this year on both ends of the floor, both of whom are giving the Friars that desperately needed intensity. 

Powell, also known as “The Shagman” (a nickname given to him for his unusual haircut), is a 6’8” power forward known to use emotion on the court and provides the Friars with a tertiary scoring option behind Edwards and Sellers. Powell’s commitment to North Carolina A&T made him the highest recruit in NCAA history ever to commit to an HBCU before transferring to Sacramento State, where he caught the eyes of Georgia Tech’s head coach and accepted his transfer offer. The Friars desperately needed wing shooters with the losses of Wesley Cardet Jr. ’25, Jabri Abdur Rahim ’G25, and Bensley Joseph ’25—and Powell gives the Friars just that. A catch-and-shoot hazard and corner specialist, Powell is not only a threat from behind the arc, but he also possesses solid post work to round out his offensive game. The addition of Powell gives English more versatility, as Powell has enough size to play as a stretch big man, giving the Friars the option to spread the floor more and play with five players behind the arc. Adding Powell to this year’s team makes the Friars more dangerous offensively and gives the team an energetic, aggressive player on the defensive end.

Davis, another key addition to PC’s squad this year, is a 6’1” point guard. Incorporating Davis adds another playmaker to the Friars’ rotation, posting 2.5 assists and showcasing his passing ability in his freshman year at FSU. He also proved to be a great on-ball defender, always a threat to pick an opponent’s pocket and play with an unmatched level of energy. On the offensive side of the ball, Davis’ explosiveness makes him a threat to beat defenders to the rim, and his unselfishness allows him to pick out open shooters and locate big men for a lob. His downfall last year was his shooting, only converting 27.9 percent of his threes and struggling on mid-range attempts. I strongly believe Davis can turn this around; he posted an impressive 82.6 percent free-throw percentage, indicating a solid shooting stroke, and shot 46 percent from behind the arc in high school at Overtime Elite. As a freshman, essentially thrown right into Florida State’s starting point guard role in a competitive Atlantic Coast Conference, low shooting figures and some initial all-around struggle should not come as a surprise. Davis has plenty of time to develop—and he will—with three years of eligibility remaining, potentially providing the Friars with a long-term backcourt solution. 

Davis and Powell are two further reasons for Friar fans to be amped about the upcoming season, as they render the Friars an even hungrier, more fiery squad. Last year’s team felt like it had too many pure shooters and not enough pure athletes—Cardet and Abdur-Rahim being prime examples—especially proving costly on the defensive end. At the bare minimum, this year’s team will play a far more exciting brand of basketball. Should this team reach its full potential, the Friars could pose a genuine threat to the Big East.

by Emilia Farrell ‘28 on September 25, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

Bo Martina ’27

Providence College’s field hockey team is off to a commanding start this season. The team currently sits at 4–3, with much thanks to the crafty work of midfielder Bo Martina ’27. Now at the beginning of her third collegiate season, Martina hails from Nieuw Vennep, Netherlands, where she developed her impressive field hockey talent. Martina appeared in all 17 games for the Friars last season and was in the starting lineup for 16 of those games. In her sophomore season, she also led the team in scoring with an impressive 18 total points on the season and a team-best eight assists. Additionally, Martina was selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team for her competitive work last season.

Only five games into this season, and Martina is picking up right where she left off and making her mark for the Friars yet again. She recorded a goal apiece in back-to-back games against Bryant University and the University of New Hampshire at Lennon Family Field.

 On Sept. 12 against Bryant University, the field hockey team accomplished a  4–0 win. The first goal came from Martina in the third quarter after two intense scoreless quarters between the teams, jump-starting the victory for the Friars. The goal was assisted by fellow midfielder Macie Pennisi ’28. Martina went on to play all 60 minutes of the game in the midfield, anchoring the offense while also keeping Bryant’s offense at arm’s length.

Just two days later, the team faced the University of New Hampshire. Martina provided an unassisted goal to break the tie against the Wildcats that had occurred early in the game. She carried the ball about 30 yards and to the top of the circle, where she ripped an impressive back-handed shot past the Wildcat’s goalkeeper. Although the Friars ultimately fell in overtime, Martina’s sneaky individual play in the second quarter stood out and kept her team in the game until the very end.

With her demanding start, Martina continues to demonstrate why she is one of the top midfielders in the Big East and an integral piece of the Friars’ current success this season. Looking further ahead, Martina is likely to surpass last season’s offensive totals if she keeps at her current pace. Her presence in the Friars’ starting lineup will be critical as the team begins Big East Conference play this week, where competition will only grow and intensify. Providence College has its eyes set on a Big East Tournament spot, and Martina’s leadership will be a key factor in whether or not the team can make a deep postseason run. With two strong seasons already under her belt and another off to a fantastic start, Martina continues to prove why she is one of the team’s most valuable athletes. If her current trajectory is any indication, she could finish her junior season as one of the most accomplished players in recent Friars’ field hockey history.

by Dorothée Durivage ’28 on September 25, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

Women’s Soccer

The Providence College women’s soccer team took on the Brown University Bears on Wednesday, Sept. 17. This match, which was played at home, resulted in a 4–0 loss for the Friars, bringing their record for the season to 3–2–1. Midfielder Colleen Casey ’26 led the Friars on the attack with two shots on goal, bringing her season total to eight. While four goals were let in, Ellie Thallman ’G26 also made four saves. The Friars will kick off their Big East season on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at St. John’s University.

Volleyball

The Providence College volleyball team played three games this weekend at the Pelican Invitational. The Friars started their weekend off strong with a  3–0 win against Alabama State on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 19 at Tulane University. That night, they played another game against Tulane, which the Friars lost 3–1. The Pelican Invitational wrapped up for the Friars on Saturday at New Orleans University where they won 3–1. After the past three games, Providence College volleyball’s record stands at 9–4. Big East play starts next weekend against Marquette and DePaul on the road.

Men’s Soccer

The Providence College men’s soccer team traveled to Seton Hall University for their Big East conference opener on Friday, Sept. 19. The Friars lost the match 2–0 which brings their record to 2–5–0 for the season and to 0–1–0 for the Big East. With five shots on goal, Bruno Rosa ’26 led the Friars on Friday, contributing to all but one of the scoring attempts for the team. Ryan Carney ’29, Providence’s goalkeeper, recorded three saves. The Friars are set to be on the road to head off against Brown University on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Field Hockey

The Providence College field hockey team took on Old Dominion University on Friday, Sept. 19 for their Big East opener. The Friars lost the game 2–0 which brought their record to 4–2 so far this season and 0–1 in the Big East. Providence outshot the Old Dominion Monarchs in the first quarter with two shots on goal, but the Monarchs had leveled the playing field by halftime, bringing the shots to 3–3. Ari Ftorek ’29 had two shots on goal for the games, leading Providence College for the match. The Friars’ next match is at home on Sept. 21 against American University.

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on September 18, 2025

---

Friar Sports

---

After losing last season’s starting guards Bensley Joseph ’25 and Jayden Pierre to graduation and the transfer portal, head coach Kim English and his staff faced a desperate need to fill the glaring void at the guard position during the offseason. They answered that call, filling the positions with the most exciting transfer portal acquisitions coming to Friartown this season: Jason Edwards ’26G from Vanderbilt and Jaylin Sellers ’26G from the University of Central Florida. Both of these players are gifted scorers and high-intensity players, giving Friars fans good reason to be excited about watching them on the court together this season.

Edwards is a 6’1” guard that possesses a flashy handle on the ball, providing the Friars with a dynamic scoring threat. He began his collegiate career playing at a junior college before excelling in his sophomore season at the University of North Texas, earning him a huge opportunity to play SEC basketball at Vanderbilt. During his sole season with the Commodores, Edwards averaged 17.0 points per game, shot 35.3 percent from three-point range, and led his team to an NCAA Tournament appearance as a 10 seed. Friars fans can expect a fearless, skilled scorer, able to shoot off the dribble at an impressive clip and attack the rim. Edwards also thrives scoring as a pick and roll ball-handler, and center Oswin Erhunmwunse’s ’27 standout ability to catch lobs after coming off screens could make the pick and roll duo a major offensive threat. A critique of Edwards’ game at Vanderbilt was aimed at his decision-making and shot selection, sometimes electing to take contested shots, and posting more turnovers per game than assists (1.6 and 1.3, respectively). Look for Edwards to be more selfless this year: the Friars are equipped with more scorers and perimeter shooters that should be able to take some of the weight off his shoulders and give him passing outlets. 

Edwards’ backcourt counterpart, Sellers, is a 6’5” guard out of University of Central Florida. Friars fans hope Sellers can return to the form he showed before he missed virtually his entire senior year due to a back injury. With great size and eye-catching athleticism, the Friars are getting a plus defender in Sellers. His striking vertical allows him to finish at the rim effectively and lay down highlight dunks, making him a defensive nightmare in transition. One glaring flaw in Sellers’ game was his inability to shoot from three efficiently, posting only a 29.7 three point percentage in his junior year at UCF. Sellers almost seemed hesitant to shoot from deep as the season progressed and struggled mightily on his attempts off the dribble. Off the catch, however, Sellers was markedly more efficient. He also shot 44.4 percent and 45 percent in his freshman and sophomore years at Ball State and  UCF, respectively. Friars fans can hope Coach English’s offensive sets use Sellers in a manner more suitable to his skillset, giving him open catch-and-shoot looks from behind the arc and forcing him to attack the rim more.

Edwards’ and Sellers’ potential as a backcourt duo is cause for genuine excitement in Providence. Last year’s team lacked a true number one scoring threat—there was no go-to, aggressive, creative scorer to count on in clutch situations. Edwards has every capability to fill that role for the Friars this season. Sellers could even rival Edwards as that number one option should he reach his ceiling and improve his shooting efficiency, but at a minimum should give this team a legitimate secondary option. Friartown: can these two lead this team back to the Big Dance?

by Sarah Wolff ’28 on September 18, 2025

---

Featured Slider

---

Women’s Cross Country:

The Providence College women’s cross country team kicked off its 2025 season with a strong performance at the Friar Invitational on Sept. 5, placing first overall with a total of 20 points. Boston University followed the Friars with 46 points, and Dartmouth College rounded off the top three with 81 points. The team is currently ranked No. 7 nationally in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason poll, which is important to establish their competitiveness and excellence in the sport. Coming up next for the Friars are several upcoming meets, including the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Oct. 3 and the New England Championship on Oct. 10.

Men’s Cross Country:

The Providence College men’s cross country team also opened its 2025 season at the Friar Invitational on Sept. 5. The team finished No. 5 overall with 80 points, trailing Boston University, University of Rhode Island, Dartmouth College, and Brown University. Cormac Dixon ’28 led the Friars with an eighth-place finish in the 6K race, finishing with a time of 18:42.58. Additional top-15 finishes came from Ryan LoCicero ’28 (12th, 18:47.97) and Daniel Prescott ’28 (13th, 18:49.94). The team is ranked No. 8 in the Northeast Region in the USTFCCCA preseason poll. The men’s team will also be competing in Chicago on Oct. 3 and in New Hampshire on Oct. 10.

Volleyball:

The Providence College women’s volleyball team has had a very impressive start to the 2025 season, with a 7–3 overall record as of Sept. 13. They began the season with a 3–0 win over East Texas A&M Commerce, followed by a close 3–2 loss to University of Arkansas at Little Rock and another loss to North Texas University, ending 3-1. However, the team rebounded with a 3–0 win over University of Rhode Island, a 3–0 win over Brown University, but fell again with a 3–2 loss to Bryant University. They then had three consecutive sweeps against University of New Haven, Central Connecticut State University, and Merrimack College. Hopefully, they can carry this momentum into the Big East, as they begin conference play on Sept. 26 after the Tulane Tournament this upcoming weekend.

Women’s Soccer:

The Providence College women’s soccer team has also had a notable start to the 2025 season, with a winning overall record of 3–1–1. They opened with a 1–0 win at home against Army University on Aug. 14, followed by a 2–1 win at Northeastern University on Aug. 24. After a 0–2 loss at the University of Rhode Island on Aug. 30, the Friars bounced back with a 1–0 home win over Sacred Heart University on Sept. 3. Their most recent match on the 11th was a 0–0 draw against Cornell University. Next up for the Friars is on Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. as they are set to host Brown University at Chapey Field.

by Brendan Maguire ’25 on November 18, 2024

---

Sports

---

Providence College men’s basketball has returned to the AMP, formerly known as “The Dunk,” giving its undyingly loyal fan base much to consider regarding the success of the Friars this season. Kim English is entering his second year as head coach and has strung together a pretty good resume—21–14 in the 2023–24 season as part of a competitive Big East conference. The Friars had a successful yet tumultuous time last season. Although a star was born in Devin Carter, formerly a class of 2025 student, drafted 13th overall by the Sacramento Kings, Bryce Hopkins ’25 suffered a season-ending injury and was the team’s centerpiece on and off the floor. Through two games, with virtually a new roster, English has much work to do gluing the team together and getting the players to understand their roles on the offensive and defensive of the ball. 

The Friars were victorious against the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils on Nov. 4, scoring 59–55. Bensley Joseph ’25 led the team in scoring with 21 points, and earned most of them off his impressive three-point shooting down the stretch, going 5–10 from behind the arc. Besides the success of Joseph’s shot-making abilities in the clutch, the game was a frustrating, confusing lapse of schematic basketball by the Friars. The team seemed out of touch with one another on the offensive side and struggled to contain the Blue Devils defensively. The Friars entered the second half down 26–24 and outscored CCSU 35–29 in the following half,  propelling them to a mere four-point win. The outstanding issue throughout the game was the sloppy play on offense, as unnecessary turnovers crumbled the team. The Friars left the game with 16 turnovers, nine more than their opponent, and the Blue Devils capitalized, scratching 14 points on the board from those mistakes. Christ Essandoko ’26 assisted the team with seven points and seven rebounds but was inefficient in handling the ball, finishing with five turnovers. The center position for Providence has been an ever-changing role of the team, from Nate Watson ’21 GS in the 2021–22 season, Ed Croswell ’23 the following year, and Josh Oduro ’23 GS this past season. English acquired Essandoko in the transfer portal this offseason, Anton Bonke ’27 last season, and landed five-star recruit Oswin Erhunmwunse ’28. The center helps alleviate a lot of pressure off the guards in the offense English runs, which has plays that consist of constant pick and rolls affording Jayden Pierre ’26 or Joseph an open look at the rim or kick-out to an open man. This has been the bread and butter of Friars basketball for the last couple of seasons, and the centers stepping up and understanding their role of posting up their man, setting picks, and feverishly crashing the glass would enormously impact the number of victories this season. However, the Friars’ lackluster performance is not all the No. 5 position on the court, as the backcourt offense was not the best from behind the arc—8–32, 25 percent, from three. The three-ball not falling and the shots attempted had a tremendous effect on the tightness of this game. The offense was earning open looks, from clean off-ball movement and second-chance opportunities, but could not see the ball through the netting. English’s quote summed up the general emotions, and hopefulness of the Friar Faithful: “Happy we got the victory but we have a lot of work to do.” Providence hosted another game on Nov. 9 and easily triumphed over the Stonehill Skyhawks—the final score was 76–49. The Friars had a far better showing and improved in every major statistical category—better field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and rebounding. Jabri Abdur-Rahim ’24 GS led the team with 16 points, six rebounds, and shot 3–5 from three. The scoring was evenly dispersed throughout the team and was a great bounceback game from the narrow-margin win over CCSU. Providence shot 50 percent from the field as a team, a great improvement from 37.7 percent in the previous game, and overall played as a better, more cohesive unit. Coach English went into the games with an agro-coaching style with rapid rotations and trying different lineups—11 players were in the game for 10+ minutes. The matchup versus the Skyhawks was a lopsided one.This could be attributed to the rapid substitutions, but English was also making accelerated changes on the floor early. At one point in the first half after a turnover by Essandoko, English immediately looked to the bench and checked in Bonke. Although the coaching style is aggressive at points, it sets a precedent for English’s steep aspirations and dynamic approach for this team. The fast-paced subbing could hold a “pressure makes diamonds” effect on the players as the season progresses because of the high standard expected of them in such a competitive conference—there is not much room for error. The progression on and off the court matters most for English and this program: “We showed improvement tonight…I’m glad we got the victory. We’ll get back to work tomorrow to prepare for Tuesday,” English stated after the win. The culture of soaring above all expectations and becoming a better team played an enormous role in last year’s success through uncertainty, after Hopkins’ injury, and hopefully will remain prominent this season. The Friars were able to escape another non conference scare Tuesday, Nov. 12, with a nine point victory (60–51) over the Hampton Pirates.