ROCKLIN, Calif. - After a season of frustration and disappointment last year that saw Jessup Men's Basketball finish second-to-last in the PacWest Conference, things look much different after the 2025-26 season. Two conference award winners, a six-game improvement over last year, and a campaign that saw the Warriors fall just shy of postseason contention are just a few highlights from an entertaining season of Jessup Basketball at Warrior Arena.

The improvement the Warriors made in the offseason was clear from the beginning, as in their two exhibition games before the season began, Jessup would dominate Simpson University on their home floor before going shot-for-shot with local D1 foe Sacramento State. The season would officially begin a week later in Atherton, as the Warriors would begin on a positive note, taking down Stanislaus State in their first game of the Pioneer Conference Challenge by a final of 78-68. Their schedule would not get any easier, as their next matchup would see them face a CSU East Bay team that would go on to boast a 33-1 record, with their only loss of the season coming in the DII quarterfinals. Jessup gave the Pioneers all they could handle in a 78-75 thriller that would ultimately fall the way of East Bay, dropping the Warriors' record to 1-1 on the year.

Next on the schedule was the Warriors' home opener, which would take place at the annual Bill Holtz Classic at Warrior Arena. The Warriors would take on their third CCAA opponent in a row in CSU Monterey Bay, and they would once again fall just shy of a win, losing 77-69. The next night would feature another PacWest-CCAA showdown, with the Warriors taking on Cal Poly Humboldt. This game would turn into an instant classic, needing two overtime periods to decide a winner. The late-game heroics of Humboldt's Rob Jenkins would prove too much for Jessup, as Humboldt would break away in double overtime, winning an instant classic by a final of 85-81. Jessup's homestand would continue three nights later, as they would welcome California Maritime to Warrior Arena, a game in which the Warriors would get back on track, dominating the floor all night and winning 87-72, a perfect tune-up for PacWest play.

PacWest Conference play began for the Warriors on December 4, and perhaps the toughest name on the schedule was up first. Point Loma, then ranked #12 in Division II, the eventual PacWest regular season and tournament champions, and Sweet 16 qualifiers, would come to Rocklin for their opening matchup. The Warriors would fight tooth-and-nail, sending another game to overtime. Late-game magic would continue not to be on Jessup's side, as Point Loma's Jake Lifgren nailed a buzzer-beating three to break the Warriors' hearts. Another overtime matchup was in store two days later, this time against Biola. The back-and-forth battle would once again end in heartbreak, as Varick Lewis's attempt to tie the game bounced off the rim, ending an 84-81 thriller.

Despite an 0-2 start to conference play, the Warriors were undeterred and headed to the Bay Area to take on Menlo and Dominican. An eight-point win over Menlo and a two-point victory over Dominican would put the Warriors right back in the race, moving their record back to 2-2 in the PacWest. Their next game would be a break from the trend of tight back-and-forth matchups, as the Warriors would host Pacific Union and put on a show for the home crowd, winning their third game in a row by a final on 90-51.

The remainder of the Warriors' schedule featured lots of back and forth, as they would go 4-3 in their next seven games, not having two consecutive games of the same result until the final two games of this stretch. Solid wins against Hawai'i Pacific, Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific, and Menlo would give Jessup key momentum in the race for the top six spots in the PacWest, while losses against Hawai'i Hilo, Point Loma, and Concordia would keep them on the outside looking in. A resilient roster ready to make noise in the conference was finally showing what they could do, as their PacWest record sat at 6-5 at the halfway point of the season.

If inconsistency defined the last seven games of Jessup's schedule, their next seven were anything but. The Warriors would go on a three-game losing streak, losing key matchups to Dominican, Concordia, and Biola, dropping their record back to below .500. Undeterred, Jessup would find a way to turn the page in another double-overtime thriller against Westmont, winning 96-95 and marking another key turning point on their season. This momentum would lead Jessup to a four-game winning streak, as they would rack up three straight wins over Fresno Pacific, Azusa Pacific, and Hawai'i Hilo. With four games to play, the Warriors' record sat at 10-8, right in the thick of the playoff race. Over their next three games, Jessup would win one and lose two, dropping their record to 11-10 after tough losses to Chaminade and Vanguard, and a huge win in the Shark Tank against Hawai'i Pacific, a team that made major headlines at the beginning of the season after defeating D1 opponent Boise State on the road. This set up a massive senior day matchup against Chaminade, a must-win for the Warriors to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Ahead of the matinee matchup against the Silverswords, Jessup honored four key contributors to Jessup Men's Basketball. Andre Norris, Tamatoa Humbert, Troy Crighton, and graduate assistant Aydan Jansaan were recognized for years of hard work, dedication, and contributions to the program. Once the game began, these seniors would make sure that their final game at Warrior Arena would be one to remember, as Jessup would take down Chaminade 93-80 in a dominant final win of the season.

The Warriors' final record in the PacWest would finish at 12-10. With six spots up for grabs, Jessup would find themselves in a four-way tie for fifth place with Vanguard, Concordia, and Dominican. Once again this season, luck was not on the Warriors' side, as Jessup and Dominican would lose standing tiebreakers to Vanguard and Concordia, officially putting an end to their playoff aspirations. Despite the heartbreaking finish, Jessup holds their heads high, as their PacWest record was six wins better than their 6-14 finish last year, and their 15-13 overall record was a massive improvement over last year's nine-win campaign. This improvement was thanks to several outstanding performers who were recognized by the PacWest for their efforts.

Andre Norris claimed PacWest Defender of the Year honors from the conference, capping off his outstanding year with the Warriors. Norris led the PacWest in both overall steals and steals per game, racking up 80 over the course of the season, averaging 2.9 per game. His 80 steals were second across all of DII, and his 2.9 steals per game ranked him third in the nation.

Tom Parsons was named the PacWest Freshman of the Year by the conference after his outstanding first season as a Warrior. His 11.6 points per game were the most among freshmen in the conference, and he also averaged nearly five rebounds per game. He had several highlight performances, including five games in which he scored 20 or more points against PacWest opponents, including a 24-point night against Fresno Pacific.

Other standout performers for the Warriors include Cayden McDaniel, who led the team with 13.6 points per game while shooting 45% from the field and 32.6% from beyond the arc. McDaniel also earned PacWest Player of the Week honors in early March, averaging 23 points and six rebounds during a three-game stretch. Varick Lewis had a strong campaign as well, averaging 11.7 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.5% from the field.

Three conference award winners, a strong head coach, and hard-fought bouts against some of the best teams in the nation should leave fans excited and hopeful about the future of Jessup Men's Basketball. The Warriors will look to continue building momentum in the 2026-27 season, as they push for their first postseason appearance since 2024.  
Jessup University is a provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division II and the PacWest Conference. For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Instagram & X).