While Delaware will be without leading scorer Jameer Nelson, Jr. for the 2023-24 campaign, Head Coach Martin Ingelsby managed to keep together a solid core this offseason and recruited one of the nation’s most underrated mid-major transfer classes.
With the Fightin’ Blue Hens selected fifth in the CAA’s Preseason Poll, it speaks to just how underrated some of Ingelsby’s additions have been after finishing sixth in-conference a season ago.
Returners Jyáre Davis and Christian Ray will be expected to resume their previous roles, while transfers Gerald Drumgoole, Jr., Zion Bethea, and Tyler Houser will look to supplement the offense.
Drumgoole arrives following stints at Pitt and Albany, most recently averaging 15.7 PPG and 5.2 RPG last season for the Great Danes. A former Hofstra and Saint Francis (NY) guard, Bethea joined Delaware after the closure of his last school where he averaged 10.7 PPG as a sophomore. Lastly, Houser committed to Ingelsby after an All-Freshman season at VMI managing 10.8 PPG and 5 RPG.
Each will see consistent playing time for the Blue Hens this season with Drumgoole and Bethea expected to help out in the backcourt while Houser continues to develop as a sophomore.
In North Dakota transfer Jalun Trent, Delaware picked up another highly experienced guard with great size, who averaged 6.4 RPG, 4.2 RPG, and 2.4 APG this season after a solid JUCO career at Cochise College.
UC-Riverside transfer Kobe Jerome offers a lot to the development of this Delaware program, arriving with 2+ years of eligibility after finding limited minutes on the west coast.
However, the Blues Hens most interesting prospect will be former Florida guard Niels Lane, joining Ingelsby and Co. following three season’s of battling for minutes in Gainesville.
The New Jersey native will be expected to make a jump on the offensive end for his senior season in Delaware and could be a matchup nightmare against CAA opposition.
If Drumgoole can help contribute on the offense end, Trent and Bethea can hold down the backcourt, and Lane finds improvement at the mid-major level, the Blue Hens will prove competitive in the CAA once again.
