The 2025-2026 basketball season for Mercer’s men and women’s team started on Nov. 3 with both teams starting off the season on the road. With a new year comes new players and additions to the coaching staff for both programs. Both head coaches Reed Ridder and Michelle Clark-Heard are in their second year of coaching, both have few returning players and staff. The bulk of each team consists of new people on both sides of the ball.
For the men’s team the new players/coaching staff are as followed:
- Guard/Forward NJ Nganga ‘29
- Guard Zaire Williams (graduate student)
- Forward Connor Serven ‘29
- Guard Quiniton Perkins ll ’28
- Guard Kyle Cuff Jr. ‘26
- Guard Baraka Okojie ‘27
- Forward Bendji Pierre ‘26
- Guard Triston Gross ‘27
- Guard Jaydon Cole ‘29
- Guard Braeden Carlsen ‘29
- Center Armani Mighty ‘27
- Forward Pero Zubac ‘29
- Assistant Coach Langston Hall
- Graduate Manager John Korte
Returning players/coaching staff:
- Guard Brady Shoulders ‘28
- Forward Petras Padegimas ‘28
- Forward TJ Grant ‘27
- Center Alex Koch ‘28
- Assistant Coach Jonathan Mitchell
- Assistant Coach Reed Ridder
- Assistant Coach Daniel Mondragon
- Director of Operations Victor Taylor
For the women’s team the new players/coaching staff are as followed:
- Guard Micah O’Dell ‘27
- Guard Anaiah White ‘29
- Guard Elena Cabello ‘27
- Guard Talia Kemp ‘28
- Guard Abigail Holtman ‘27
- Forward Khadidja Toure ‘27
- Forward Remi-Hope Drantman ‘29
- Guard Rania Curry ‘29
- Forward Lex Brewster ‘27
- Assistant Coach Britney Snowden
- Assistant Coach Luke Carns
- Strength & Conditioning Coach Yaron Taylor
Returning payers/coaching staff:
- Forward Ariana Bennett ‘26
- Guard Nahawa Diarra (Graduate Student)
- Guard Talia Harris ‘28
- Stacy Utomi ‘28
- Stephanie Utomi ‘28
- Assistant Coach Blessing Freeman
- Assistant Coach Elizabeth Metress
- Assistant Athletic Trainer Keirra Stewart
- Athletic Media Trainer Kaylin Flukey
Both teams have played their first road and home games of the 2025-2026 season, showcasing the new talents added to the team. Last year both teams ended their seasons losing in the Southern Conference Tournaments. This year, each team is looking to excel their programs to win the Southern Conference Championship.
The women’s team has not won a Southern Conference title since defeating Furman 73-54 in the championship game in 2022. The men’s team has not won any championship since joining the SoCon in 2014 but did win an Athletic Sun Championship Title in 2012 after beating USC Upstate 72-64.
The biggest game for the women’s team was the home game against Clemson that was lost 72-51, and for the men’s team an away game against Tennessee that was lost 76-61 and an upcoming road game against Clemson as well.
An upcoming event both teams are participating in is “Fansgiving,” which are games that are played on Nov. 25 and 26 leading up to Thanksgiving. There is free admission to the women’s game if you bring canned goods for the food donation. Kids under 12 get in free for the men’s game on Nov. 26. The women’s game will start at 7 p.m. on Nov. 25 against Florida A&M, and the men’s game will start at 2 p.m. on Nov. 26 against Appalachian State.
