The Drew University men's basketball team will look to build on the momentum of its banner season from a year ago as it embarks on the 2025-26 campaign under first-year Head Coach Ryan Van Zelst.
 
Last season, the Rangers won the Landmark Conference title and earned the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Championships. The team finished 24-4, setting the program record for victories, and went 18-0 in the Landmark Conference. The team also broke into the national rankings for the first time in team history and was ranked as high as No. 16 in the final poll of the regular season.
 
Drew made its mark as a dangerous offensive squad in 2024-25, when it finished seventh in Division III in scoring offense (89.4 ppg) and fourth in 3-pointers made per game (12.2) – both of which were school records. At the defensive end, the Rangers set a program record for total steals (284).
 
This season, the Blue and Green return 12 players from last season's squad while five transfers and one freshman will round out a roster of 18.
 
Returning as a two-year starter for the Rangers will be senior forward David Musial, the two-time Landmark Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Also an All-Landmark Conference honorable mention last season, Musial led the team in rebounding (6.2 rpg) while posting 1.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per outing. Offensively, he netted 7.3 points per game, shot just under 50% (49.6) from the floor, and connected on 74.3% of his free throws. He leads all current Rangers in career games played (79) and started (61).
 
The team's top returning scorer from last season is junior guard Eli Yusavage, who averaged 8.1 points per game while finishing third among the Rangers in 3-pointers made (41). In one of his top performances, he scored 20 points and shot 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, including a triple at the buzzer to force overtime, in an eventual victory at Catholic. Yusavage has played in 54 games and made four starts over the past two seasons.
 
Senior forward Kevin Cronin and senior guard Devon Musial are also back to help round out Drew's core of experienced returners. Cronin, who has played in 76 games and made 21 starts for his career, played in all 28 games a year ago while averaging 6.2 points over 14.7 minutes per game. He was the team leader in field-goal percentage (67.0%) and 3-point field goal percentage (43.8%, 21-for-48).
 
Musial, who has played in 50 games at Drew, appeared in 27 games last season, averaging 11.4 minutes per contest while shooting 13-for-15 at the foul line for the season.
 
Eight additional Rangers return from last season, including five guards in juniors Rocco Checchetto, Andre De Los Reyes, and Connor Jepson and sophomores Marc Herasme and Ben Kipnis. Herasme played in 16 games last season, scoring 42 total points, while Kipnis saw action in 12 contests and scored 14 points. De Los Reyes appeared in nine games and also dropped in 14 points, Checchetto played in five games and recorded five points, and Jepson competed for Drew's developmental squad.
 
A trio of forwards also return in sophomores Reid Chauhan, Kevin Cotton, and Ben Manns. Chauhan and Manns each appeared in nine games, with Manns netting 13 points and Chauhan recording three points. Cotton received playing time in seven games, scoring five points.
 
Bolstering the squad as transfers will be graduate guard Jack Garside (Rochester); junior guards Rell Johnson (Lane), Taylor Perlmutter (Moravian), and Charlie Thornton (Randolph-Macon); and junior forward Jalen Holmes (Saint Joseph [Conn.]). In addition, freshman guard Erik Porch will look to make his mark.
 
The Rangers kick off their season with a home tournament Saturday and Sunday in Baldwin Gym. In the first round on Saturday, FDU-Florham will take on No. 24 College of New Jersey before Drew faces Centenary (N.J.) at 6 p.m. The consolation and championship games will be held at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday.
 
Drew plays its Landmark Conference opener on Wednesday, Nov. 19, when it visits the University of Scranton at 7 p.m. The Rangers will also compete in the Franklin & Marshall College Holiday Tournament Dec. 29-30, where they will face Lancaster Bible College in the first round.
 
Also of note, the squad will compete at the historic Palestra in Philadelphia for the second time in team history when it faces Catholic University on Jan. 11 at noon. It will be the opening game of the Landmark Conference's third annual "Gameday at the Palestra" event.