Game #3: Le Moyne (0-2) vs. Elmira (0-2) 
Info: Monday, Nov. 9 | 7:00 p.m. | Syracuse, N.Y. | Ted Grant Court at the Donald J. Savage '51 Basketball Arena
Watch: NEC Front Row
Radio: FOX Sports 92.5 FM/1490 AM
Live Stats: lemoynedolphins.com
Elmira Links: Schedule | Roster | News

Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College men's basketball team opens its home schedule on Monday against Elmira College at 7:00 p.m. at Ted Grant Court at the Donald J. Savage '51 Basketball Arena.

LAST TIME OUT
The Dolphins wrapped up its season-opening week in Nebraska with an 83-55 setback at fellow Jesuit institution Creighton University. Fourth year forward Trevor Roe led the Dolphins with 12 points and career bests of seven rebounds and three steals. Second year forward Ty Francis turned in nine points, while first year guard Leandro Gysel registered eight points and six assists.

YEAR #4
The Dolphins are in their fourth year at the Division I level and their first year with full Division I membership. The Dolphins went 15-17 in their first season at the Division I level, including 9-7 in NEC action to earn the fourth seed in the conference tournament. The Dolphins went 9-23 in their second year, including 4-12 in NEC play, and was the eighth seed in the conference tournament. The Dolphins went 15-17 again last year, including 10-8 in the NEC to earn the fourth seed in the conference tournament for the second time in three years.

SERIES HISTORY
The Dolphins and Soaring Eagles are meeting on the hardwood for the second time. The Dolphins won the previous matchup, 72-56, on November 20, 2001.

COMMON OPPONENTS
The Dolphins and Soaring Eagles do not have any common opponents this year.

JESUIT CONNECTION
The Dolphins face three fellow Jesuit institutions this season. They faced Creighton University on November 5, visit Fairfield University on December 13 and head to St. Peter's University on December 18.

WELCOME BACK
The Dolphins feature two returning letterwinners. Trevor Roe is in his fourth year of eligibility and third year as a Dolphin and Josiah Lee is in his second year of eligibility.
 
NEW FACES
The Dolphins welcomed 13 new players to the program for 2026-27. Jayden Teat is in his fourth year of eligibility after two years at Utah and a year at Sacramento State; Khalil Williams (Bryant), Isaiah Brown (Mount Vernon Nazarene), Jeremy Clayville (Saint Francis/NJIT), Kaden Stuckey (VMI) and Kole Williams (Florida International/Kilgore College) are third years and Damien King (UT Martin), Przemek Hartman (Louisiana-Monroe), Ty Francis (Northeastern) and Cullen Schreiner (Georgia Southern) are second years, while Leandro Gysel, Connor Johnson and Hunter Frazier are freshmen.

NEC PRESEASON POLL
In the NEC preseason coaches' poll, the Dolphins tied for third place, the same position they finished last year. LIU, which won the regular season and tournament championship last year, earned seven of the nine first-place votes to win the league, while tournament runner-up Mercyhurst University landed second in the preseason coaches poll. Central Connecticut State tied the Dolphins for third. Wagner College, which fell to LIU in the semifinals, landed fifth. FDU, last year's sixth seed, and Stonehill College, which upset the Dolphins in the first round, tied for sixth place. Chicago State University finished in eighth place and the University of New Haven, which is eligible for the conference tournament this year, rounded out the poll in ninth.

COACH CHAMP
Le Moyne head coach Nate Champion '14 is the sixth-youngest head coach in Division I this season for the second consecutive year following back-to-back years as the second-youngest, celebrating his 35th birthday in early December. Darion Brown (30) at Nicholls is the youngest after taking over for last year's youngest, Tevon Saddler, while Evan Bradds (Belmont) is 32, Saah Nimley (Charleston Southern) and Zach Chu (Radford) are 33 and Ronnie Thomas (Longwood) is 34. In his first six seasons leading the Dolphins, Champion has posted an 85-96 record and led the Dolphins to the conference tournament each season and the 2020 NCAA Tournament (canceled prior to first game due to COVID pandemic). Champion served as an assistant coach at fellow NEC member Stonehill during the 2016-17 season.

FIRST WINS
The Dolphins earned their first win as a Division I program on November 13, 2023 over Division III SUNY Canton, 105-46. They claimed their first victory as a Division I program over a Division I program on November 21, 2023 at CSUN, 80-70. They collected their first home victory as a Division I program over a Division I program on December 16, 2023 over Dartmouth College, 80-54. The 'Phins earned their first NEC victory on January 6, 2024 at FDU, 74-63, and collected their first Division I conference tournament win two months to the day later, 82-61, over the same Knights.
 
SCOUTING ELMIRA
The Soaring Eagles are led by second-year head coach Denis Tobin. He led Elmira to an 8-17 record with a 3-13 conference record in his first year at the helm.

Elmira returned seven players, including one starter, from its 2025-26 team. The Soaring Eagles added 11 first years and three transfers for this season.

Elmira returned fifth-leading scorer Emmanuel Karkari-Mensah, who averaged 9.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists over 29.9 minutes per game. Also back is Chris Woodard, who averaged 10.6 points and 8.4 rebounds through the first five games.

Through the team's first two games, newcomer Gustavo Coutinho is averaging 20.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. Ehan Ilyas, another newcomer, is averaging 10.0 points.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Le Moyne will continue its homestand on Saturday against Manhattan University with tipoff scheduled for 6:00 p.m.