KUTZTOWN, Pa.-- After a long offseason at Keystone Arena, a new look and youthful Kutztown University men's basketball team is ready to hit the court for the start of the 2023-24 season. The Golden Bears kick off the season down in North Carolina at the PSAC/CIAA Challenge hosted by Elizabeth City State this Friday, Nov. 10 against the hosts at 5 p.m.

Last season, the Golden Bears ended the season 11-17 overall, with a 10-12 record in the PSAC. Although the record may seem bleak, KU ended the season on a six game winning streak and missed out on the PSAC Tournament by only one game. It was the most wins for the Golden Bears in the PSAC since the 2017-18 season.

23rd-year head coach Bernie Driscoll enters this season with the task of balancing a completely new look roster with nine new additions. Eight of those new players are freshman: Brent Ricketts Jr. (Seaford, Del./Seaford), Jaiden McGhee (Townsend, Del./Middletown), Yahmir Satterfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter), Juju Pagan (Tobyhanna, Pa./Pocono Mountain West), Amir Cunningham (Middletown, Del./Middletown), Tyler Koenig (Waldwick, N.J./Pioneer Academy), Charlie Bell IV (Miami, Fla./Phelps School (Pa.)), and Mekhi Shillingford (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Wood). The other addition came via the transfer portal in the form of junior center Connor Murphy (Chester, N.J./Gill St. Bernards) from Adelphi. 

Five players return from last year's roster, most notably junior guard Jalen Bryant (Edgewood, Md./John Carroll). The Edgewood, Md. native made 25 appearances and 22 starts last year, leading the Golden Bears in points per game (16.7), three-pointers (50), and steals (30). He was named to the All-PSAC East Second Team alongside Kyree Generett (York, Pa./William Penn) and Robert Tucker (Philadelphia, Pa./Paul Robeson), who both graduated. Bryant is efficient at driving to the basket and drawing contact, which allowed him to shoot .864 from the charity stripe, the second-best mark in the PSAC.

The other returners include sophomores Will Meeker (Orefield, Pa./Parkland), Ryan Glassmacher (Stewartsville, N.J./Bethlehem Catholic (Pa.)), Brendan Boyle (Allentown, Pa./Notre Dame), and redshirt-sophomore Kameron Roberts (Townsend, Del./Middletown). Roberts appeared in 27 games last season, making 17 starts. The Townsend, Del. native showed promise as a perimeter threat last season and will look to improve upon his game after averaging 4.1 points-per-game. The trio of Meeker, Glassmacher, and Boyle only had a combined five starts between the three of them in 2022-23, a number which is sure to increase this campaign.

The Golden Bears were picked seventh in the PSAC East Preseason Coaches Poll.  The conference slate is shaping up to be a gauntlet like it is most seasons, but KU has five non-conference games to start the season and get things going. The Golden Bears will be looking for some revenge after starting last season 1-4 against the same teams they're going to face this year. 

KU kicks off the PSAC slate with back-to-back crossover matchups at Keystone Arena against Edinboro and Mercyhurst on Dec. 1-2. The first PSAC East game of the season will be against Mansfield on the road on Jan. 6, with the first home divisional game being against Lock Haven on Jan. 10.