Coming off an 18-9 record in 2025-26, the New York University men's basketball team returns to the court for a fresh start. The Violets reached the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament last season, but are looking to make a deeper run in the upcoming year.
The Violets kick off their season against the University of Saint Joseph at the John A. Paulson Center on Tuesday, November 10, at 5:30 pm.
The 2026-27 roster features the return of eight players:
Bryan Moussako,
Jonathan Sigurdsson,
Carnegie Johnson,
Declan McIntyre,
Henry Bickford,
Zach Kolaja,
Chase Garcia, and
Oliver Ford.
"Carnegie and Bryan are our core captains. They are both dynamic players and really help out the young guys leading by example," said Head Coach
Waleed Farid.
Johnson was the leading scorer for the Violets last season, recording 15.2 points per game. He scored a season-high 32 against St. Joseph and made the All-UAA (University Athletic Association) Second Team. Moussako takes on the assignment of guarding the opposing team's best perimeter player and started all 27 games last season. He also provides integral floor spacing, shooting over 40% from three-point range for the past two years.
Farid aims to plug the gaps left behind by graduating players with nine newcomers. The new graduate transfers are
Amarion Nimmers,
Nick Heath,
Matthew Cadogan, and
Joshua Hopson. Joining them are transfers
Alex McCleery Brown (junior) and
Luke Brown (sophomore), along with incoming freshmen
Nick Hailey,
Kenny Thompson, and
Kent Murrmann.
"A lot of the incoming players have been working really hard, and I know it's going to pay dividends on the court," Farid expressed.
In the
D3hoops.com pre-season poll, the Violets are
ranked #23 among Division III teams. They are scheduled to go through a difficult stretch in January, as they face a pair of top #25 teams in UAA opponents, Emory University (#4) and the University of Chicago (#24).
In addition, NYU will be hosting two tournaments. The New York City Collegiate Classic will be held on November 14-15, with the Violets welcoming Johns Hopkins University, Tufts University, and Union College. The NYU Holiday Tournament will be held on December 30-31, with the Violets hosting SUNY Maritime College, Rhode Island College, and Gwynedd-Mercy University.
The first round of the NCAA Tournament is scheduled for Friday, March 5.
"The main thing to note is that we're not a finished product," added Farid. "Our goal at the moment is to get better every day and get into a position to contend for the postseason."
That mission begins tonight.
