The end of October and beginning of November is here and with it comes the arrival of small college basketball season. The 2021-2022 men's basketball season for the Thunder is one that players, coaches and fans alike are looking forward to as the team returns the majority of the roster from 2020-2021 team that finished the season with a double OT loss to the eventual national champions, Johnson University, in the NCCAA II Elite 8. Included in that majority are 3 returning 'super' seniors in Isaiah Collier, Jeff Butler and Isaac Hagans along with transfer super senior Jordan Marshall and senior Nate Awbrey. 

"This might be, by default, the most experienced group of seniors that I've had the chance to coach when you take into account we have five of them and four of those five are using the additional year of eligibility that was granted by the NCCAA. That along with our lone true senior gives this group over 500 games combined of college basketball experience," stated Coach Strom. 

Joining that group of 'super' seniors are COVID sophomores Taymont Lindsey, Ferdinand Handy, Jordan White and Jaelon Carter who add another 250 combined games of experience and over 1500 career points. COVID freshmen on the roster are Caden Hurla, Ian Uphoff, Desmond Lindsey and Garrett Harmison along with 3rd year redshirt freshman RJ Johnson III. 

"The extra year granted by the NCCAA, NAIA and NCAA has given all of these college basketball teams an elongated timeline for student-athletes and it has created interesting challenges for all of us. One thing I am grateful for is more time with with each of our guys," Strom said. 

All of the returning roster will be joined by newcomers in transfer senior Jordan Marshall (Randall University), transfer junior Jackson Nicodemus (Johnson County Community College), transfer sophomore Alex Sturtz (Univ. of Wisconsin-Manitowoc), transfer sophomore Dyelan Reed (Cloud County Community College) and true freshman Cody Mericle (Manhattan-CHIEF). 

"I love the addition of this recruiting class," stated Coach Strom. "Each one of these guys brings something new to the team that we needed coming into this season and I couldn't be more excited to watch this team grow together." 

MCC finished the 2020-21 campaign at 18-11 after sharing the conference regular season championship with Barclay College and winning the conference tournament. The Thunder will kick things off on Tuesday, October 26th at 7:00 pm when they travel north to Nebraska to take on Doane University.