2025-26 Holy Cross men’s basketball season preview

Holy Cross men’s basketball heads into the third season of the Dave Paulsen era after a 2024-25 campaign that was marred by injuries to key rotational pieces. In his second season as bench boss, Paulsen helped elevate the team’s win total from 10 in his first season to 13 in his second. The Crusaders had one of the best three-point attacks in the nation last season, ranking 10th in the NCAA in three-point percentage (38.7%), which paced the Patriot League. Holy Cross was also extremely disciplined, committing the 16th fewest fouls per game in the NCAA (13.8), also leading the conference in three-pointers per game (9.1) (55th in the NCAA as well).

The Crusaders were picked to finish ninth in the 2025-26 Patriot League Preseason Poll, but the team will be significantly improved this season, even after the loss of the 2024-25 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and the graduation of 2024-25 All-Defensive team selection Caleb Kenney. Three starters return from last year’s opening night lineup, as well as six other letterwinners.

THE RETURNERS

Junior guard/forward Joe Nugent, junior guard Gabe Warren, and sophomore guard Tyler Boston return to the starting five for the Crusaders in 2025-26.

Nugent, one of the top shooters in the country, canned 85-of-198 three-point attempts to rank 14th in the NCAA in three-point percentage (42.9%). Nugent paced the Patriot League in three-pointers per game (2.7). The one-time Patriot League Player of the Week (Dec. 23, 2024) ranked second on the team in scoring (12.5), minutes per game, and third in rebounds per game (5.2).

Warren and Boston dealt with injury in 2024-25 with Boston missing all of Patriot League play, and Warren missing over a month of action on two different occasions.  Warren thrived in his Crusader debut, scoring 23 points at Wisconsin going 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the field and 4-of-7 (57.1%) from deep. Boston paced the Crusaders in assists per game (3.8) across his 10 contests and was named the College Hill Classic Most Valuable Player.

Sophomore forward Aidan Richard, junior guard DeAndre Williams, and junior forward Declan Ryan will also be key returning pieces for the Crusaders in 2025-26, with Richard (14 starts) and Williams (31 starts) having starting experience.

Senior guard Jaden Kirkwood, sophomore forward Chuck Hare, and senior Ben Capron should provide added depth for Holy Cross.

NEW ‘SADERS
 

Five underclassmen and two transfers have joined the squad for 2025-26 and will look to make an immediate impact. Freshman forward Aiden Disu highlights the newcomers, a 6-7, 215 pound forward from Buda, Texas. Disu, described by Coach Paulsen as a “complete player able to play multiple positions on the floor,” will see meaningful minutes out of the gate for the Crusaders.

Junior forward Will Aljancic (Findlay) and junior guard John St. Germain III (Augusta) are NCAA Division II transfers and are new to the program. Aljancic, a 6-6, 220 pound wing, averaged 11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 45.4% shooting in 45 starts at Findlay. An All-G-MAC first team selection, he led the squad in scoring (13.7) and rebounding (5.3) in 2024-25. St. Germain III, a 6-1 192 pound point guard, averaged 11.8 points, 3.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game on 54.5% shooting, 44.6% from deep, and 82.2% at the stripe in 57 games and 46 starts for Augusta. An All-Peach Belt third team choice in 2024-25, St. Germain III carried his squad in assists (4.7) and steals per game (1.7) averaging 14.6 points.

Freshman guard/forward Jude Haigh, freshman forward Tim Finau, freshman forward Ethan Clark and sophomore guard Austin Mejia are also new to the team. Mejia has already been involved with the program as he was a team manager in 2024-25.

TESTED EARLY
 

Holy Cross will be tested out of the gate in 2025-26 with three straight road contests to open the season at BIG EAST foe Providence (KenPom: 48) on Nov. 3, face No. 8 ranked BYU (KenPom: 18) and AP Preseason All-American AJ Dybantsa on Nov. 8, and Big 12 opponent Utah (KenPom: 74) on Nov. 10.

The Crusaders’ home schedule features five non-league games, including the home opener on Nov. 24 against Siena.

In Patriot League play, the Crusaders will have home-and-home series against each of the nine other teams in the conference. The league schedule will be highlighted by contests against 2025 Patriot League champion American, a home nationally-televised women/men doubleheader against Boston University on Feb. 2, 2025, at 7 p.m.

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