2025-2026 Mercer Bears

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2025-2026 Mercer Bears Roster

# Player Class Pos HT WT Birth Date Birth City Nationality High School/Prep School
23 Braeden Carlsen Fr G 6-4 200 - Wauconda (IL) United States Wauconda High School
22 Jaydon Cole Fr GF 6-3 180 - Alpharetta (GA) United States Milton High School
5 Kyle Cuffe, Jr. Sr G 6-2 190 - Bronx (NY) United States Blair Academy
14 T.J. Grant Sr F 6-5 210 - Kathleen (GA) United States Veterans High School
10 Tristan Gross Jr F 6-6 185 Dec 1, 2003 Clearwater (FL) United States St. Petersburg High School
15 Alex Koch So C 6-8 200 - Athens (GA) United States Cedar Shoals High School
26 Armani Mighty Sr C 6-10 240 - Thornhill (ON) Canada United Scholastic Academy
0 N.J. Nganga Fr F 6-7 N/A - Dallas (TX) United States N/A
6 Baraka Okojie Jr G 6-3 195 Jun 15, 2005 Brampton (ON) Canada DME Academy
12 Petras Padegimas So F 6-8 220 May 14, 2005 Kaunas Lithuania DME Academy
3 Quinton Perkins II So G 6-1 180 - Garland (TX) United States Lake Highlands High School
8 Bendji Pierre Sr F 6-8 230 - Woodbridge (NJ) United States The Patrick School
2 Connor Serven Sr F 6-8 225 May 17, 2002 Bushnell (IL) United States St. Rita of Cascia High School
11 Brady Shoulders So PF 6-6 200 - Eddyville (KY) United States Lyon County High School
1 Zaire Williams Sr G 6-4 200 - Brooklyn (NY) United States Eagle Academy For Young Men
18 Pero Zubac Fr C 6-10 235 Feb 7, 2005 Citluk Bosnia and Herzegovina / Croatia N/A

Recent Mercer Bears History

Season Record Conference Rank Conference Tournament Post-Season Tournament
2025-2026 19-13 (11-7) 2nd (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2024-2025 14-19 (6-12) 8th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2023-2024 16-17 (8-10) 7th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2022-2023 14-19 (6-12) 8th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2021-2022 16-17 (8-10) 7th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2020-2021 18-11 (8-9) 6th (SoCon) Runner Up N/A
2019-2020 17-15 (11-7) 4th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2018-2019 11-20 (6-12) 6th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2017-2018 19-15 (11-7) 4th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd CBI 2nd Rnd
2016-2017 15-17 (9-9) 6th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd N/A
2015-2016 19-15 (8-10) 7th (SoCon) 2nd Rnd CIT 1st Rnd
2014-2015 19-16 (12-6) 3rd (SoCon) 3rd Rnd CBI 2nd Rnd
2013-2014 27-9 (14-4) 1st (A-Sun) Champion NCAA 2nd Rnd
2012-2013 24-12 (14-4) 1st (A-Sun) Runner Up NIT 2nd Rnd
2011-2012 27-11 (13-5) 2nd (A-Sun) 2nd Rnd CIT Champion
2010-2011 15-18 (11-9) 5th (A-Sun) 2nd Rnd N/A
2009-2010 16-17 (10-10) 6th (A-Sun) Runner Up N/A
2008-2009 17-15 (11-9) 5th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2007-2008 11-19 (6-10) 8th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2006-2007 13-17 (7-9) 5th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2005-2006 9-19 (7-13) 9th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2004-2005 16-12 (11-9) 5th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2003-2004 12-18 (9-11) 6th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2002-2003 23-6 (14-2) 1st (A-Sun) 2nd Rnd N/A

2025-2026 Mercer Bears Awards & Honors

Player Award / Honor
Baraka Okojie NABC South Atlantic District Second Team
Armani Mighty SoCon Defensive POY (Coaches)
Armani Mighty SoCon Player of the Week (Jan 19, 2026)
Baraka Okojie SoCon Player of the Week (Jan 12, 2026)
Baraka Okojie SoCon All-Conference First Team (Coaches)
Armani Mighty SoCon All-Conference Second Team (Coaches)
Armani Mighty SoCon All-Defensive Team

2025-2026 Mercer Bears Depth Chart

  PG SG SF PF C
Starters Q. Perkins II B. Okojie Z. Williams B. Shoulders A. Mighty
Rotation     C. Serven B. Pierre  
Lim PT K. Cuffe, Jr. B. Carlsen T. Gross   P. Zubac
Lim PT   J. Cole T. Grant   A. Koch
Lim PT     P. Padegimas    

2025-2026 Mercer Bears Stat Leaders

Player GP MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV
Baraka Okojie 31 34.0 19.7 3.1 5.3 1.4 0.1 2.6
Armani Mighty 32 31.2 13.2 10.6 1.1 0.7 1.7 1.6
Zaire Williams 32 28.5 13.1 3.3 1.5 1.4 0.1 1.3
Brady Shoulders 29 30.7 9.3 6.8 1.9 1.7 0.3 1.3
Quinton Perkins II 28 23.5 8.9 1.6 1.6 0.8 0.4 1.1
Kyle Cuffe, Jr. 31 16.4 7.3 1.8 0.4 0.8 0.1 0.8
Connor Serven 28 21.1 6.4 3.9 1.1 0.6 0.8 0.9
Tristan Gross 28 13.5 4.2 2.0 0.7 0.5 0.1 0.5
Jaydon Cole 7 6.3 3.6 1.7 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.3
Bendji Pierre 22 8.8 3.5 1.1 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3
Braeden Carlsen 8 6.9 3.0 1.1 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.4
Alex Koch 5 3.6 1.6 1.4 0.2 0.4 0.0 0.6
Pero Zubac 7 5.1 1.4 0.9 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.4
T.J. Grant 8 7.2 1.0 1.4 1.2 0.5 0.0 0.0

2025-2026 Mercer Bears Front Office

Staff Member Position Start Season Previous Job
Ryan Ridder Head Coach 2024-2025 Head Coach (Tennessee-Martin, 2021 to 2024)
Daniel Mondragon Assistant Coach 2024-2025 Head Coach (Davis & Elkins, 2019 to 2024)
Jonathan Mitchell Assistant Coach 2024-2025 Assistant Coach (Birmingham Squadron, 2023 to 2024)
Reed Ridder Assistant Coach 2024-2025 Assistant Coach (Tennessee-Martin, 2022 to 2024)
Langston Hall Assistant Coach 2025-2026 N/A
Jim Cole Athletic Director 2010-2011 N/A
Victor Taylor Director of Basketball Operations 2025-2026 Graduate Assistant (Mercer, 2024 to 2025)
Hannah Briner Athletic Trainer 2023-2024 N/A