CANTON, Ohio - The Malone University men's basketball team has added six recruits to the 2024-25 class in Ed Wright, Ryan Bartley, Nate Gordon, Jaiden Guice, Oliver Stefanovic, and Caleb Lovely. This group completes the roster as they head into next season.
"We are thrilled with how our recruiting class wound up," said Head Men's Basketball Coach Charlie Wallrapp. "We've added proven scoring, winning attributes, and remarkable people to our roster. We can't wait to get this season started."
Ed Wright: 6'1 G, MidAmerica Nazarene University
This past season, Ed averaged 20.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 1.7 apg while shooting 51.2% from the field, 39.4% from 3, and 83.5% from the FT line. He helped lead his team to a 25-6 record and a Heart of America Conference Championship. He has also earned 1st Team All-Heart of America honors in back to back years. At Allen Community College in 2021-2022, he was named a NJCAA Div. II 1st Team All-American and the Jayhawk Conference MVP as he led them to a 28-7 record and an appearance in the National Tournament. Ed has already scored 1,955 points in his career.
Coach Wallrapp on Ed: "Ed has played in three-straight National Tournaments and has been a driving catalyst for those teams. We are excited about how dynamic he is offensively and how he has impacted winning. The fact that he has already nearly scored 2,000 points in his career is astonishing. It is great for him to finally play close to home and near his family."
Ryan Bartley: 6'7 G/F, Mount Mercy University
This past season, Ryan averaged 22.2 ppg and 5.0 rpg while shooting 48.8% from the field, 36.1% from 3, and 86.0% from the FT line. He was named 1st Team All-Heart of America in 2023-2024, 2nd Team in 2022-2023, and the Heart Freshman of the Year in 2021-2022. Ryan has scored 1,385 points in his career.
Coach Wallrapp on Ryan: "Ryan was one of the most sought after small college transfers in the Midwest. He has a proven scoring ability as he led his conference in scoring in back to back years. He is versatile and can put the ball in the bucket in multiple ways. He fits perfectly next to some of our other pieces."
Nate Gordon: 6'8 F, Emmanuel University
This past season, Nate averaged 5.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, and 1.0 bpg while shooting 63.2% from the field. He started 32 games and helped lead his team to a 26-7 record, a Conference Carolinas Championship, and a win in the NCAA Tournament. He was named the Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Week on December 18th.
Coach Wallrapp on Nate: "Nate brings us an interior presence on both ends of the court. He knows what it takes to win, having been a key piece and a starter on one of the best teams at our level this year. He also won a State Championship in high school. He is strong, athletic, and mobile. We are excited that he is joining our program."
Jaiden Guice: 6'1 G, Florida Memorial University
This past season, Jaiden averaged 8.7 ppg in 23 starts as helped lead his team to 24 wins, a Sun Conference Championship, and to the National Tournament. He has made 167 career 3's at 38.5%.
Coach Wallrapp on Jaiden: "Jaiden is a lefty, high-volume, and high-percentage shooter with a pure stroke and deep range. He will help stretch the floor for us offensively, is tough, and plays extremely hard. The thing that I am most excited about him though is the fact that he is a flat-out winner. Character is the main priority in our program and Jaiden embodies that perfectly."
Oliver Stefanovic: 6'5 G, Get Better Academy
This past season, Oliver averaged 11.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, and 1.7 spg. He was named 2nd Team All-U19 Czech League. He also played on the U17 3x3 Swedish National Team and the U16 Swedish National Team.
Coach Wallrapp on Oliver: "We are excited about Oliver's potential. He is tough and has a high motor. In addition, he has great international experience that will serve him well as he joins our program. We look forward to working with him as he makes the trip over from Sweden."
Caleb Lovely: 6'3 G, South Point High School
This past season, Caleb averaged 17.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.2 apg, and 1.5 spg. He was named the OVC Player of the Year, All-State Honorable Mention, and holds the All-Time Scoring Record for South Point.
Coach Wallrapp on Caleb: "Caleb is another lefty who has good size, strength, and scoring ability on the wing. He has the talent to score from multiple spots on the floor and his game will only continue to improve as he gets older."
