MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | The Georgia Colllege & State University men's basketball team is entering the 2025-26 season with a mission to raise the standard and compete for a Peach Belt Conference championship.

The Bobcats open the season this weekend at the Conference Challenge hosted by Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia. GCSU opens its stay in the Enchanted Valley Friday (Nov. 14) when they face Shorter University at 3 p.m. inside the Harp Recreation & Commencement Center. They close out the weekend with a 1 p.m. contest Saturday (Nov. 15) against 14th-ranked Lincoln Memorial University.

For this season, head coach Ryan Aquino's vision is centered on a process-oriented approach. When asked about his goals, he emphasized growth over immediate results.  

"We hope to continue to grow everyday as a team," Aquino said. "If we keep improving every day, at the end of the season we hope to be competing for a Peach Belt Championship." 

The coach says the team's greatest strengths are players returning with previous experience and leadership. He anticipates the greatest challenge will be the players stepping into new roles they are unfamiliar with.  

Aquino wants his players to strive for intense focus and competition.  

"The mindset I want to instill is being competitive and earning everything but also increasing the standard from what it has been in the past," he said. 

That drive is echoed by the players themselves.

Junior forward James Nichols III, who is one of 12 returning players for the Bobcats, expressed the hard work that the team is putting in. 

"I feel good about the start of the season" said Nichols III, who was third on the team in scoring with 9.3 points and was second in rebounding (5.4). "I feel like we have been putting the work in to be successful all pre-season and we're just ready to show everybody how good of a team we are."  

Nichols said that the team has bonded so well and they are looking forward to bringing wins to GCSU. In his own personal goal, he wants to be the best leader he can be for the team.  

Other players returning include sophmore guard Khalil Green (10 ppg, 47 assists), junior guard Aidan Kudlas (7.0 ppg, 57 assists), junior forward Oscar Lynch (6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 38 three-pointers), senior Tony Carpio (5.7 rpg, 5.6 ppg), junior forward Luke Krawczyk (4.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg) and sophomore forward Mason Etter (4.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 48 assists).

The Bobcats open the home portion of the schedule inside the friendly confines of the Centennial Center Nov. 25 when they host Thomas (Ga.) University at 3:30 p.m. The game against the Night Hawks is the first 13 home games for GCSU. The Bobcats, who were selected to finish ninth in the PBC,  will open their Peach Belt schedule at home Dec. 3 against Clayton State University at 7:30 p.m.

With experienced players and a focused, competitive mindset driving their games, the GCSU men's basketball team is ready for a significant season. 

About GCSU Athletics 
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for four consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won five consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports or subscribe to the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.