Pirates Hold First Official Practice of 2025-26 Season

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina men's basketball took to the new-look court inside Minges Coliseum on Tuesday morning as the Pirates held their first official practice in preparation for the 2025-26 season.

Fourth-year head coach Michael Schwartz briefly spoke with the media prior to the start of practice to talk about the non-conference slate as well as the returning players and the new faces that will suit up for the Pirates.

"This is a really coachable group," Schwartz said. "I think this coaching staff has been able to do a great job through recruiting of bringing guys in that understand what our program is about and how important coachability is."

That coachable group is headlined by returning guard Jordan Riley, who led the American Conference in steals per game last season and averaged 14.5 points and six rebounds on nearly 50 percent shooting in 33 games played. Riley's return marks the third consecutive time that the Pirates have returned their leading scorer from a season ago. Jayshayne Woodard and Trevion LaBeaux return as well with a year of Division I basketball under their belt after coming in from the JUCO ranks before the 2024-25 season while Reid Cason, Tybo Bailey, Ladontae Felton and Grant Smith round out the Pirates' returners.

"Those guys understand the standard we've set because they were a part of it last season," Schwartz said of the returners. "Now, you have new guys coming in that we are going to count on but those returning guys really know the foundation and standard was last season and we hope to elevate it this season."

The new faces joining the program include five transfers in Giovanni Emejuru (George Mason), Isaiah Mbeng (William & Mary), Corey Caulker (Eastern Florida State CC), Eli DeLaurier (Providence) and Luke Davis (New Orleans). Emejuru led his team in field goal percentage last year at 67.4 percent while Mbeng was named CAA All-Rookie Team as a freshman last season. Caulker averaged 13.4 points per game at the JUCO level while DeLaurier and Davis spent last season at Providence and New Orleans respectively. ECU also brings in four freshmen in Daithi Quinn, Paddy D'Arcy, Vito Perkovic and Jake Baker.

East Carolina tips off its season on Nov. 4 against Georgia Southern at 7 p.m. inside Minges Coliseum.

Players Mentioned

Tybo Bailey

Jake Baker

Reid Cason

Corey Caulker

Paddy D'Arcy

Luke Davis

Eli DeLaurier

Giovanni Emejuru

Ladontae Felton

Trevion LaBeaux

Isaiah Mbeng

Vito Perkovic

Daithi Quinn

Jordan Riley

Grant Smith

Jayshayne Woodard

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