SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo men's basketball team will open the 2025-26 season with a free exhibition at South Florida on Friday, October 24, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Yuengling Center.

Head coach Spencer Henke stated, "What a great opportunity we have on our hands tomorrow night in our first game of the year. Playing against a team that many people view as one of the best mid-major teams in the country is going to be a true test to start the year, but I wouldn't want to have it any other way. Coach Hodgson's and his staff play a brand of basketball that we are going to see a lot throughout our regular season, making this a great early barometer test to see where we are as we get ready for November 14th. I encourage all the fans to come out and support as we have a very exciting team this year that is ready for this challenge."

Henke continued, "When you have 12 new guys in a locker room of 16, there are invariably a number of challenges that you are going to face early on in the year… However, I give our 4 returners - Cam, JJ, Owen, and Jaylan - an unbelievable amount of credit for what they have been able to get all our new faces to buy into. To have guys that not only perform at the level we expect but also bring a level of professionalism in their day to day operations that uphold everything we expect in being lions makes our locker room a really special place this year. The growth of those 4 guys into corner stones of our program has been a very bright spot so far this preseason."

This year's squad debut 12 new players in the Green & Gold under the second year with Henke at the helm.

The additions include, Matt Ansah, a transfer guard from Georgia Southwestern. Henke said, "He's a dynamic guard that's been successful everywhere he's been at." Another addition is Luther Smith Jr., a transfer from Southern Indiana. Henke stated, "He can really score the ball and has a lot of unlocked potential at this level." Aeris Lawson is a big-time freshman incoming for the Lions as a wing. "Aeris has come in an has absolutely killed it, we had big expectations for Aeris and for what he would be able to do", said Henke. Henke continued "Next on the list is Paul Lanzi, transfer from Auburn Montgomery, he's been an elite shooter and has shot the lights out so far. Elijah Harris is an great competitor and will make the locker room better with his personality and his work ethic along with his demand to be great. Jordan Ruggirello is someone that was with other program on the developmental side of things and made the jump up after the year. He's hit the ground running and has added an element to the team that we were missing last year."

"Lenz Dupont is a transfer from Simon Frazier in Canada. He's been unbelievable and he was one of those guys that we had a high-level expectations for. He can make plays on both ends of the court. Nick Ghetie, a transfer from Idaho State, he's really grown in the couple months he's been here and has great Division I experience that will help us. Dominic Commisso, a big 6-10 guy from Citadel, he came in here and continued to grow into what he can be, his expectations are to play as an all-conference player. He has some much talent and untapped ability. Both Gabe Santos-Burgos and Manny Castro have come in here can done a great job with playing against guys that are three to five years older than them. They have not backed down one bit and they will continue to impact us as a high level. The last addition was Donovan Hill, a six-eight transfer from Shippensburg, he was an all-conference player there last year. One of our big-time recruits at Saint Leo since I've been here and we're really trying to get him to that next level", said Henke.

No tickets are required for this event, admission is free.

The Lions will begin the 2025-26 regular season at home on Friday, November 14, as they host Savannah State in a non-conference bout, starting at 7 p.m.