Fresh off their most successful season since 2020, Men’s Basketball has lost its top three scorers to the transfer portal.

The Departures

Their leading scorer, Ries Naugle, announced his commitment to DI University of South Carolina Upstate on Instagram on April 20. In his first year of action, Naugle averaged 11.9 points per game (PPG) and was the only player to average more than eight PPG.

Their second leading scorer, Courtney Davis II, announced his departure from the program via X on March 12. The 6’2” soon-to-be redshirt senior served as one of CU-Bloomsburg’s primary ball handlers throughout the season. Davis finished just shy of eight PPG and led the team in free throws made by more than double. Currently unsigned, Davis II is still exploring options for the 2026-2027 season.

Then there’s Kodi Johnson, a promising 6’5” freshman guard who impressed at times this year. Johnson committed to the New Mexico Military Institute on April 25.

Earlier this year, CU-Bloomsburg Head Coach Chris Bess had called Kodi Johnson’s development ” something they were very excited to see where he can take it.” Now, he develops, just in the desert. Bess was adamant all season about how his team was “young and growing” and that he felt “the more they played together, the better they would become.” With a pair of their starters gone and a total of 1,896 minutes to

be replaced from 2025-2026, this group will have to do what every program is dealing with right now: finding new talent.

Changing Landscape

According to the NCAA, 15,487 DII student-athletes entered the transfer portal in 2025, breaking 2024’s record, which had broken 2023’s record.

Coaches are no longer expecting players to stay in their program for four years, and the same can be said for CU-Bloomsburg. Just this past year, they snagged players from other schools who made an impact on day one.

Gabe Springer started 21 of his 25 games after transferring from rival CU-Lock Haven. Even Davis II came from a Junior College before arriving at CU-Bloomsburg.

CU-Bloomsburg has gotten production and lost production from the portal; the goal is just to gain more than they lose.

The Future

With Naugle, Davis II, and Johnson leaving the program, many will have to step up. The presumed leader of the 2026-2027 Huskies will be then-Junior George Sabatini. The Holy Redeemer product was a fixture of the starting lineup all season long, averaging six points and five rebounds a night.

Chase Smucker impressed down the stretch last year, finishing second on the team behind Naugle in made 3s, despite being a true freshman. Expect him to take on a larger role in 2026-2027.

Thaddeus Lee burst onto the scene with an 18-point night in early January against Shippensburg. Lee will be headed into his first full off-season with the program. CU-Bloomsburg will look for its first double-digit win season since 2020 when it begins play in November of 2026.