Basketball
Hastings, Payne returning to BC, Eagles’ 2025-2026 roster begins to take shape – Boston College Transfer Portal Update
For three nights, Boston College Men’s Basketball has posted videos on their social media pages of players declaring their return to the team for the upcoming season. Donald Hand Jr. was the first to announce he was coming back to Chestnut Hill on Monday night. Hand’s announcement came to the delight of Eagle fans, many of whom were worried he would explore the Transfer Portal. Over the last two nights, two more players have publicized their return to BC: Jayden Hastings and Fred Payne.
“BC is the place to be,” said Hastings in the video announcing his return.
The redshirt freshman big man from Orlando grew tremendously as a basketball player over the 2024-2025 season. In his first full season, Hastings averaged 4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 1.3 BPG in 16 minutes a game as Chad Venning’s backup. While his numbers may look mediocre, it is his performances when given heavy playing time that excite BC fans about his return.
“It’s an opportunity for me to get better,” said Hastings, “I’ve gotten better every year since I’ve got here and I’m going to keep getting better.”
In the second to last game of the season, Hastings recorded 18 points, five rebounds, two blocks, and three steals against No. 11 Clemson in a close home loss, displaying his potential in a larger role for the Eagles. In a late season start against another NCAA Tournament team in Louisville, Hastings also tailed nine points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Head coach Earl Grant hopes he can get more of this play out of his big man next year.
“I love it here,” said Payne in his announcement video.
A fan favorite, the 6’1 guard from Louisiana is returning to BC for his junior year. Payne averaged 6.9 PPG and just under one SPG in his first full year after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the fifth game of his freshman campaign. A player who many have called for to receive more playing time, the Grambling native seems prime for his best colligate season in what will be an upgraded role.
“I’m also coming back because of coach Grant and the work we put in,” said Payne, “I’m just trusting the process, my teammates, and everyone I love.”
Payne’s energy off the bench helped keep the Eagles in several games this season, including a late steal against All-ACC Second Team member Jamir Watkins to help BC comeback and win against Florida State. A former four-star recruit who embodies the team’s motto, “Gritty, not Pretty,” Grant hopes Payne can continue to be a spark plug for BC.
With Hand, Hastings, and Payne all confirming their return, the Eagles’ roster for the 2025-2026 season has begun to take shape. A year after the team lost seven players, including all five starters from its NIT appearance, the Eagles will go into next season with much more continuity.
Now, Grant will look to build around this core in the transfer portal.
Basketball
Boston College lands one of nation’s top rebounders in Brandon Benjamin, along with former Charleston forward Colby Duggan
Boston College received two more transfer commitments this weekend in Brandon Benjamin and Colby Duggan. Benjamin and Duggan join Money Williams, Ernest Shelton and JB Frankel as the fourth and fifth transfers to commit to Luke Murray and BC this offseason. The Eagles now have seven players on their roster, including international signing Zak Smrekar and Jack Bailey, the only BC player from last year not to enter the portal.
Benjamin, a 6-foot-8 forward from Newark, N.J., played his only collegiate season last year at Fairfield University. The rising sophomore was named to the 2025-26 MAAC All-Rookie Team and All-MAAC Second Team after averaging 14.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while shooting 56.5% from the field. Benjamin ranked first in the MAAC and eighth in the country in rebounds per game and second in the country in offensive rebounds per game (4.25).
“What made me pick BC first was the coaching staff,” Benjamin told ZAGSBLOG on Sunday. “It really felt like family. I will bring my high motor, plus rebounding, finishing around the rim and taking guys off the dribble. [I also bring] my catch-and-shooting, pick-and-pop, my winning impact and my versatility with guarding 1-5 with the ability to block shots.”
Duggan, a 6-foot-7 forward from Monson, Mass., averaged 9.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 19 games for Charleston last season after missing the first part of the year with an injury. He spent the previous two seasons at Campbell University and averaged 15.7 points and 3.3 rebounds on 34% shooting from 3-point range during the 2024-25 season.
“He competes on both ends of the court at all times,” former Charleston head coach and current USF head coach Chris Mack said. “He’s a warrior. He’s a winner. Defensively, Colby doesn’t back down. He guards well in the post and on the perimeter. Offensively, he led the conference in scoring and is just scratching the surface of what he can be as a mismatch.”
Benjamin should slot into the starting lineup as the power forward or a small-ball big thanks to his impressive rebounding ability, while Duggan comes to BC as a depth piece off the bench.
Basketball
Former Merrimack sharpshooter Ernest Shelton commits to Boston College
Guard Ernest Shelton announced his commitment to Boston College early Thursday night. The former Merrimack Warrior became the fourth transfer to commit to head coach Luke Murray and the Eagles, joining Zak Smrekar, Money Williams and JB Frankel. Shelton was named to the 2025-26 All-MAAC first team while helping lead the Warriors to a MAAC regular-season championship.
Shelton played two seasons at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania, on the opposite side of the state from his hometown of Philadelphia, before transferring to Merrimack last offseason. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 15.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 34.6% from behind the 3-point line.
“[Shelton]’s a shooter,” Merrimack head coach Joe Gallo said. “Every time it comes out of his hand, you think it’s going in.”
Shelton knocked down 99 3-pointers for Merrimack last season and was among the top 40 in the country in 3-pointers made per game (2.9). He set a career high last season with nine 3-pointers in a game against Boston University and made five or more 3-pointers in six games.
The sharpshooter is a breath of fresh air for a Boston College program that finished last in the ACC in 3-point percentage last season.
Basketball
Boston College lands Zak Smrekar, Money Williams, and JB Frankel, first three transfer commitments of Luke Murray era
Boston College received its first three transfer commitments of the 2026 transfer portal cycle on Thursday in Zak Smrekar, Money Williams, and JB Frankel. Smrekar, Williams, and Frankel are the first three players to commit to BC since Luke Murray was named head coach on March 26 and join Jack Bailey as the only three players currently on the Eagles’ roster.
Smrekar is a 19-year-old, 6-foot-7 guard from Slovenia and was the first to commit to Murray. He played for the club Krka Novo Mesto in the Slovenian ABA for three seasons and averaged 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 15 games in the 2025-26 season. Smrekar also played for Slovenia in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup and averaged 16.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in seven games.
Williams is a 20-year-old, 6-foot-4 guard who played the last three seasons for Montana. The Oakland, California, native was named to the 2025-26 All-Big Sky First Team after averaging 20.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on 49.8% shooting from the field. Williams scored a career-high 40 points against Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Tournament, along with tallying six other 30-point games last season.
“I can’t come up with enough words to praise Money Williams properly,” Montana head coach Travis DeCuire said in October 2025. “When you talk about the young man that he is off the court, the young man he is when you bring him in the office, and you have real conversations with him and look him in the eye and talk about things that are hard to talk about.”
Frankel is a 21-year-old, 6-foot-3 guard who is not moving far, as he played the last three years at Northeastern. He started 13 of 30 games for the Huskies last season and averaged 5.9 points, 2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. The New York City native scored a season-high 13 points in a road win against Harvard.
Coach Murray will have to continue to build up the Eagles roster, but with three guards being picked up, look for the Eagles to hone in on finding their starting forwards and big men.
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Frederick Agnostakis
April 3, 2025 at 3:05 pm
Sounds like program cares about student athletes! Development of young athletes is crucial. Loyalty, dedication and respect is vital to successful human beings! Nice article. Keep up the good journalism!!