UMBC Hoops Reloads for a New Era, Hopes to Climb America East Ladder

Read Time:3 Minute, 38 Second

Continuing our tour of America East basketball, we turn our attention to the UMBC Retrievers. Coming off a 13-19 overall season with a 5-11 conference record, the Retrievers faced a quarterfinal exit in the America East tournament at the hands of eventual champion Bryant. Now, head coach Jim Ferry is banking on a fresh injection of talent to change the team’s fortunes for the 2025-26 season. The new-look roster features a blend of youth and experience, headlined by a redshirt fifth-year transfer, two freshmen, and a handful of graduate students.

Here’s a look at the new faces ready to don the black and gold.

The Freshmen Guards

Coach Ferry is bringing in a pair of promising guards to build for the future.

Riley Jacobs, a 6-8 forward from Alexandria, Virginia, arrives from St. Stephen & St. Agnes, where he earned First Team All-VISAA honors in 2025. Named the Alexandria Sportsman Club Boys Basketball Athlete of the Year, Jacobs is a skilled frontcourt player with a bright future. He intends to major in business education at UMBC.
Saahil Thakkar, a 6-1 guard out of Germantown, Maryland, joins the Retrievers after helping Northwest High School to a regional championship in the 2024-25 season. Thakkar is known for his clutch play, highlighted by a game-winning shot against Magruder. The guard, who scored 15 points in that game, has aspirations of one day becoming a basketball coach himself.

Veteran Transfers Bring Playoff Experience

The heart of UMBC’s new class is its group of experienced transfers, many of whom are looking to make an immediate impact.

Cougar Downing, a 6-2 guard and a redshirt fifth-year transfer from Eastern New Mexico, is the headliner. Downing is a proven scorer who started all 26 games for Eastern New Mexico, averaging 12.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 45.8% from three-point range (65-of-142). He also brings a season of Division I experience from Arkansas Little Rock, where he averaged six points per game with eight double-digit scoring efforts.
Devin Ceaser, a 6-1 guard, comes from Old Dominion. In 30 games with the Monarchs, Ceaser averaged 9.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and a steal per game, with those numbers rising to 10.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in conference play. His knack for scoring will be a key asset for the Retrievers’ backcourt.
Caden Diggs, a 6-8 forward also from Old Dominion, is seeking more playing time at UMBC. In his limited minutes with the Monarchs, Diggs averaged 2.9 points, and he’ll look to carve out a bigger role in Coach Ferry’s system.
Paul Greene, a 6-6 graduate student, arrives from Southern New Hampshire University with a resume full of accolades. He was named NE10 All-Conference Second Team and NABC East All-District Second Team. Greene is a double-double machine, averaging 13.8 points and 12.1 rebounds per game in 28 starts, along with 21 blocks.
Jah’likai King, a 6-2 graduate student guard, transfers from New Haven University, where he was named to the NE10 All-Rookie team in 2023-24. King brings a strong track record of production, averaging 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 28 starts during his last season.
D.J. Armstrong, a 6-4 graduate student from Texas Permian Basin, provides versatility at the guard and forward spots. Armstrong led his team in three-point (36.6%) and free-throw shooting, while averaging 12.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in 28 starts.
Josh Odunowo, a 6-6 forward from Columbia University, brings Ivy League experience to the frontcourt. Odunowo led the Ivy League in field goal percentage in 2023-24 at 61.1% and had 19 blocks on the season. After not playing in 2024-25, he will be a critical piece for the Retrievers’ interior game.

With a mix of battle-tested transfers and talented underclassmen, UMBC is poised to make a serious run at climbing the America East standings. The Retrievers are banking on this infusion of new talent to turn last season’s challenges into a new era of success.

We’ll be back next week with another look at America East Basketball.