Four trips to the NCAA Tournament in the past five years made it the Akron Zips men’s basketball program’s most successful stretch of its Division I era.
The Zips went 29-6 last season, which ended with a loss to Texas Tech in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Akron’s roster, though, will undergo significant changes by next season, including at the top after a coaching change. Several stars are out of eligibility. Plus, the Zips must navigate the challenges of the offseason transfer portal.
We’ll track any portal news involving the Zips’ roster here in the coming days and weeks.
Former Akron Zips player and Revere High School graduate Conner Groce will play for his father, John Groce, at the College of Charleston
File this under the least surprising transfer portal development involving the Akron Zips in 2026: Conner Groce will play for his father, former longtime Akron basketball coach John Groce, at the College of Charleston.
A former Zips guard and a Revere High School graduate, Conner Groce announced on May 2 via social media he has committed to Charleston.
Conner Groce joined Akron as a walk-on in 2024. He is the eldest son of coach John Groce, who left UA in late March to take a job at Charleston.
Akron men’s basketball adds Buddy Hammer Jr. from NCAA transfer portal
Buddy Hammer Jr. has committed to Akron from the NCAA transfer portal. Hammer, who played at North Texas last season, announced his commitment to the Zips on social media on Wednesday, April 29.
Hammer is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward who played in 28 games last season with the Mean Green. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 14.1 minutes. He scored a season-high 12 points in each of North Texas’ American Conference tournament games, a win over Florida Atlantic and a loss to Tulsa.
Akron will be Hammer’s fourth college in four years. He averaged 12.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals in 2024-25 with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (24-8), and 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 2023-24 with Connors State Junior College (34-3).
Hammer graduated from Westville High School in Oklahoma in 2023. As a senior, he earned Oklahoma Coaches Association 3A all-state honors and was named the Region 3 Player of the Year and the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year.
Akron basketball adds Illinois State guard Ty Pence in NCAA transfer portal
The Zips continue to add players in the NCAA transfer portal. Ty Pence is transferring to Akron from Illinois State.
Pence posted the transfer news on social media.
A 6-foot-6 guard, Pence was a junior for the Redbirds last season and averaged 9.4 points per game while shooting 53.7% from the field and 36% on 3-point shots. He also averaged 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 36 games played.
Pence had some notable games down the stretch of the season, scoring 13 points against Auburn in the NIT semifinals and 23 against Wake Forest in the NIT second round.
Akron men’s basketball adds Colin White from NCAA transfer portal
Colin White committed to the Zips from the NCAA transfer portal. White, who was an Ohio Mr. Basketball in high school, announced his commitment to the Zips on social media on Tuesday, April 21.
White is a 6-foot-6, 220-pound guard/forward who will be a junior entering the 2026-27 season after playing his first two seasons at Ohio State. White played in 29 games this season past with one start, 25 points, 29 rebounds, 12 assists, eight steals and two blocks in 255 minutes as the Buckeyes advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Zach Halligan among Akron players committed to returning to Zips basketball
On April 15, Akron coach Dustin Ford told the Beacon Journal the Zips had retained a group of players who have committed to return to UA.
“We had three guys redshirt this year: Josh Henderson, Tai Perkins and Cody Head. I am counting on all of those guys to take a step. Chabi Barre is back. Marv [Marvin Musiime-Kamali] is back and Zach Halligan is back. Marv and Zach are guys that are rocks. You talk about guys that can lead, guys that are selfless and guys that are about all of the things that we want to be about,” Ford said.
On April 17, Halligan and Musiime-Kamali announced their return through the Fear the Roo Collective. They will be redshirt junior wings next season.
A Walsh Jesuit High School graduate who joined Akron as a walk-on, Halligan started 23 of the 34 games in which he played in the 2025-26 season and averaged 2.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 11.5 minutes.
Musiime-Kamali appeared in all 35 games last season. He averaged two rebounds, two points and 8.7 minutes.
Sharron Young leaves Akron Zips basketball program for Western Kentucky in NCAA transfer portal
On April 16, guard Sharron Young announced via social media he will leave Akron because he has committed to play for Western Kentucky.
Young will be a junior next season. He spent the past two seasons with Akron after graduating from Morgantown High School in West Virginia.
Sharron Young stats
Young started 12 of the 34 games in which he appeared last season with the Zips. He averaged 7.2 points on 40.3% shooting from the field (33.3% on 3-pointers), 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 19.1 minutes.
As a freshman, Young averaged 7.4 points on 46% shooting from the floor (39.8% on 3s), 1.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1 steal and 16 minutes. He was named to the All-MAC Freshman Team
Sharron Young height, weight
Akron lists Young as 6 feet and 160 pounds.
Akron men’s basketball adds Exavier Wilson from NCAA transfer portal
The University of Akron men’s basketball program has added Exavier Wilson from the NCAA transfer portal. Wilson announced his commitment to the Zips on social media on Thursday, April 16.
Wilson is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound guard who will be a redshirt freshman entering the 2026-27 season after not appearing in a game last season at Kansas State University.
Wilson is a 2025 graduate of Father Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia, Missouri. He was ranked a 3-star prospect by multiple recruiting services, and was considered No. 10 overall prospect in the state of Missouri by 247Sports. He was a three-time Missouri Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) Class 4 all-state selection (2023, 2024, 2025), a two-time MBCA District 9 Player of the Year (2024, 2025) and a three-time Class 4 All-District selection while at Tolton. He was also a finalist for the IQHOOPZ Missouri Player of the Year in 2024-25.
Wilson led the Trailblazers to the semifinals of the 2023 MSHSAA Class 4 state tournament, the quarterfinals of the 2024 and 2025 Class 4 state tournament and to four consecutive District 4 championships.
Wilson scored 1,707 points in his high school career, finishing second at Father Tolton Catholic to current NBA player Michael Porter Jr. Wilson graduated as Tolton’s leader in steals (187), third in assists (181) and fifth in rebounds (487).
Wilson averaged 20.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists as a senior in 2024-25, including 34-point performances versus Sikeston and Battle. He scored a career-high 38 points in a two-overtime win over Sikeston on Feb. 24, 2024 as a junior.
Wilson played in the 24K Showcase at the Allen Iverson Classic at Bethel High School in Hampton, Virginia during his senior season with Tolton.
Former Akron Zips guard Eric Mahaffey commits to join Cincinnati Bearcats basketball through NCAA transfer portal
On April 15, guard Eric Mahaffey told the recruiting website On3 he had committed to play for the University of Cincinnati.
A 2024 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller High School graduate, Mahaffey announced on April 2 he would enter the NCAA transfer portal. At the time, he left the door open for a return to Akron, where he spent the past two seasons.
Mahaffey sat out the 2024-25 season with Akron because of a knee injury (medial collateral ligament) he suffered in the preseason. Then, as a redshirt freshman, he played a key role off UA’s bench during the 2025-26 season and lived a dream by becoming a teammate of his older brother, Evan Mahaffey, who transferred from Ohio State to Akron.
Listed by Akron as 6 feet, 6 inches and 200 pounds, Eric Mahaffey averaged 7.8 points on 53% shooting from the field (39.1% on 3-pointers), 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 22 minutes. He was named to the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team.
Former Western Michigan forward Max Burton commits to Akron Zips basketball through NCAA transfer portal
Former Western Michigan forward Max Burton announced on April 15 via social media he has committed to Akron.
Burton, who will be a redshirt senior next season, is listed as 6 feet, 10 inches and 240 pounds by Western Michigan.
Max Burton stats
Burton spent the past four seasons at Western Michigan. He started 60 of 92 games and averaged 4.9 points on 50.3% shooting from the field, 3.9 rebounds and 18.1 minutes.
Burton has been a full-time starter for the past two seasons. He logged 60 starts in 62 games combined as a sophomore and junior.
Last season, Burton started all 30 games. He averaged 5.9 points on 47.9% shooting from the floor, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 24.8 minutes.
Akron men’s basketball adds Tahj Staveskie from NCAA transfer portal
The University of Akron men’s basketball program has added Tahj Staveskie from the NCAA transfer portal. CBS Sports College Basketball Insider Jon Rothstein reported Friday, April 10, that Staveskie has committed to Akron. Staveskie also announced his commitment on social media.
Akron will be Staveskie’s fourth college, with previous stops at the University of Incarnate Word, Cleveland State University and Canisius University. He has 1,220 points, 257 rebounds and 235 assists in 89 games (88 starts).
Staveskie is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard who played at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, during the 2025-26 season. He played in 21 games with 20 starts, averaging 18.0 points, 3.9 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 35.7 minutes. He shot 43.6% from the field, including 38.3% from beyond the 3-point arc, and 79.3% from the free-throw line.
Staveskie played basketball at Sandusky High School and graduated in 2020 with 1,282 career points. He averaged 25.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals as a senior en route to being named the Sandusky Bay Conference and District 6 Player of the Year.
Staveskie then played the 2020-21 season at Spire Institute in Geneva, where he averaged 20.0 points and 6.0 assists during a prep year.
Staveskie missed the 2021-22 season after undergoing foot surgery, and played the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons at Canisius. He was limited to two games during the 2023-24 season before being sidelined with a lower-body injury. He averaged 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 30.4 minutes in 32 games (all starts) with the Golden Griffins.
Staveskie transferred to Cleveland State and played the 2024-25 season with the Vikings. He averaged 12.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 31.5 minutes in 36 games (all starts).
Akron basketball sharpshooter Bowen Hardman will enter NCAA transfer portal
Add Akron guard Bowen Hardman to the growing list of Zips in the NCAA transfer portal. Hardman announced on Instagram on Tuesday, April 7, he is open to playing his fifth college season elsewhere.
Hardman played the last two seasons in Akron after spending his first two college seasons at Ohio State with the Buckeyes. The Cincinnati native started 12 of Akron’s 35 games last season.
Bowen Hardman stats for Akron Zips basketball
Playing in all 35 games for the Zips last season, Hardman averaged 6.7 points and 1.5 rebounds. He shot 40.3% on 3-point attempts. Arguably, Hardman’s best game for the Zips came against Northern Illinois on March 6 when he scored 20 points in a 94-55 Zips win.
In Akron’s NCAA Tournament loss to Texas Tech Hardman went scoreless in 21 minutes.
Conner Groce will enter the NCAA transfer portal
Akron guard and Revere High School graduate Conner Groce announced on April 3 he will enter the transfer portal.
Groce joined Akron as a walk-on in 2024. He is the eldest son of former longtime Zips coach John Groce, who recently left UA to take a job at the College of Charleston.
Sharron Young to enter the NCAA transfer portal
Akron point guard Sharron Young announced on April 3 via social media he will enter the transfer portal when it opens April 7. He played the last two seasons at Akron, helping the Zips reach the NCAA Tournament both seasons.
He starred in high school in West Virginia.
Sharron Young’s stats
Young started 12 of the 34 games in which he appeared last season with the Zips, who went 29-6, including 17-1 in the Mid-American Conference.
Young averaged 7.2 points on 40.3% shooting from the field (33.3% on 3-pointers), 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 18.9 minutes.
Sharron Young height, weight
Akron lists Young as 6 feet and 160 pounds.
Eric Mahaffey announces he will enter transfer portal
Eric Mahaffey, arguably the most promising young player on Akron’s roster this past season, announced on April 2 he has decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Mahaffey did not rule out a return to UA in the announcement posted to his social media accounts, yet he is expected to receive significant interest from other programs. Mahaffey’s decision to test the portal waters comes on the heels of longtime Akron coach John Groce leaving for a job at the College of Charleston and the Zips hiring highly respected UA assistant Dustin Ford as Groce’s successor.
“I want to thank Coach Groce and the entire staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to start my college career at Akron,” Mahaffey’s announcement read. “I also appreciate Coach Ford and the new staff coming in.
“Entering the portal will allow me to evaluate all of my options, including a possible return to Akron. I’m grateful for my teammates, the Zips community and everyone who has supported me so far.”
Eric Mahaffey stats
As redshirt freshman guard last season, Mahaffey started 11 of the 34 games in which he appeared with the Zips.
Mahaffey averaged 7.8 points on 53% shooting from the field (39.1% on 3-pointers), 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
Eric Mahaffey height, weight
Akron lists Mahaffey as 6 feet, 6 inches and 200 pounds.
Akron Zips change head coaches, transitioning from John Groce to Dustin Ford
On March 30, former longtime Akron coach John Groce decided to leave UA for a job at the College of Charleston. Later the same day, the Zips hired longtime UA assistant Dustin Ford as Groce’s replacement.
When does the NCAA’s college basketball transfer portal officially open?
This year’s transfer portal opened on April 7, the day after the NCAA Tournament championship game. It will remain open for 15 days. Players must enter the portal within those 15 days if they intend to transfer. They do not, however, need to pick a new school within those 15 days.
The NCAA also allows a transfer portal for players if there is a coaching change. In that instance, according to the NCAA, “a 15-day period will open five days after the new head coach is hired or publicly announced. If a new head coach is not announced within 30 days of the previous head coach’s departure — and the 31st day after the head coach’s departure is after the championship game — a 15-day window will open. The additional head coach departure window is available only after the basketball transfer window opens through Jan. 2.”
Who are Akron Zips basketball players with eligibility left after 2025-26 season?
Who are Akron Zips basketball players from 2025-26 with no eligibility remaining?
The Akron Beacon Journal sports department can be contacted via email at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron basketball NCAA transfer portal news, updates
Reporting by Michael Beaven and Nate Ulrich, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
