By Joe Budzelek
“The goal is simple: to help make Columbia the best program in the Ivy League.”
Fresh off a championship season as an assistant under Todd Golden at Florida, it comes to no surprise that Columbia’s newest head coach Kevin Hovde has clear visions for the program to continue his winning ways.
Hovde is back at Morningside Heights where he started his coaching career under Kyle Smith during a four-season stretch that featured some of the best basketball at Columbia in over forty years, highlighted with a CollegeInsider.com Tournament championship in 2016, a time that imprinted important lessons on establishing and cultivating a winning program.
“It comes down to having people with great attitudes and strong work ethics,” says Hovde, “And then, as I’ve said, guys who really want to be at Columbia and have that level of appreciation. I think we had that when Kyle was here during my time as an assistant, and I’m excited because the guys in our program now share many of those same characteristics. There’s a lot to work with. You also have to do a good job evaluating and making sure you have enough talent to be truly competitive. If you can do those two things, you give yourself a real chance to be successful here—just like we were when I was here before. That gives me confidence, because I was part of a lot of winning in those last couple of years before we left.”
In contrast to Kyle Smith’s halcyon days, Columbia won less than a third of their games under his successor – Jim Engles – but despite the Lions’ struggles over the last decade, Hovde is excited for the fertile opportunity ahead for him, especially with the depth of talent returning next season.
“There are so many great things about Columbia and the Ivy League,” says Hovde, “It’s a place where I expect we’ll have a lot of retention. The model for building success is to recruit really good high school players, add some transfers, and then develop them over time. If you look at the advanced stats, last year’s team could really score. They had plenty of games in the 90s and high 80s. The struggle was on the defensive end. That’s the biggest thing we need to address over the next couple of months—really starting now. Our number one priority is building physical and mental toughness on defense and on the glass, and making that a part of our culture. If we can do that, I think we’ll have a real chance to be very good.”
Even with Geronimo Rubio de la Rosa graduating after finishing his career eighth on the program’s all-time scoring list, Columbia’s backcourt remains deep, featuring seniors Kenny Noland and Avery Brown reprising their starting roles. Noland led the team in both points and assists, while Brown averaged 11 points and nearly three assists per game, turning in his most efficient offensive season to date and continuing to develop as the team’s most potent off-the-dribble rim attacker.
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| An on-court huddle featuring four of Columbia's returning senior starters, shown clockwise: Blair Thompson (#3), Kenny Noland (#2), Avery Brown (#1), and Zine Eddine Bedri (#23) (Photo credit: Josh Wang) |
Both Noland and Brown were elemental in helping Columbia’s offense become one of the fastest paced in the nation and Hovde is excited to lean into their strengths: “My hope is that our pace and style—playing faster, like Florida—will naturally boost their production. More possessions mean more opportunities in transition, which translates into a few more easy layups or open threes per game. That can help replace some of the production we lost.”
After spending most of last season coming off the bench, sophomore guard Gerard O'Keefe is expected to step into the vacant starting guard spot. Last February, he recorded four straight double-digit scoring games in the absence of injured Geronimo Rubio de la Rosa, showcasing his potential long-term impact for the Light Blue, especially since he finished the season with the seventh-best offensive efficiency rating in the Ivy League, according to Ken Pomeroy.
Hovde is sold on O’Keefe’s potential: “Gerard is an elite offensive player. He has great pace, a natural scoring ability, and an incredible midrange game—he shot really well from that area last year,” says Hovde, “He’s competitive, smart, and gifted both on and off the court. He’s someone we can rely on.”
In addition to returning junior Nicolo Romanelli and sophomore Josiah Cunningham, who both played reserve roles last season, and incoming freshmen Miles Franklin, John Laboy II, and Edwin Bai, NYU transfer Hampton Sanders is expected to make an immediate impact off the bench after two UAA championship seasons at the Division III level under Dave Klatsky, who will now serve as an assistant coach at Florida in the spot previously vacated by Hovde.
Last season, six-foot, 185-pound Sanders averaged twelve points, three rebounds and assists per game while making nearly half of his three-point attempts. “He’s another guy I’m really excited about,” says Hovde, “He’s a true point guard and I’m expecting him to play a meaningful role for us. Analytically, he was excellent at NYU, where they were one of the best Division III teams in the country. If he had gone back, I think he would have averaged 16 or 17 points per game and been one of the best players in Division III. That makes me confident he’ll be a really good Ivy League player. His skill set translates—he’s not reliant on physicality but on skill, finishing tough layups and making smart decisions. Even against better rim protection, I believe his game will hold up. True point guards usually find a way to carve out an important role, and I expect him to do just that.”
Even with seniors and last year’s starters Zine Eddie Bedri and Blair Thompson returning, the continued development of sophomore Mason Ritter and a pair of additions on the portal will help Columbia’s frontcourt play bigger, deeper and more versatile and defensively sound.
Bedri achieved career highs in offensive efficiency during his junior year, playing some of his best basketball over the final stretch of the season, including four games with at least 13 points in the last nine contests. With solid positional awareness and reliable two-way rebounding, Bedri is expected to maintain a consistent role for the Lions in his final season.
The return of Bedri and continued breakout of sophomore Mason Ritter will set the stage for an intriguing battle for the starting center role, which is a good problem to have since the center position has had inconsistencies throughout the last few seasons. “I look at the game analytically, and Mason was super efficient last year at low usage but still had a great freshman year,” says Hovde, “I think he needs to have higher usage, and that’ll happen naturally with how we play—through ball screens, pick-and-rolls, and post-ups. He’s a talented player and a great athlete for this level, with a big body who enjoys contact. He reminds me of some of the guys I coached at Florida, like Alex Condon. His physicality and his love for that part of the game are refreshing—it’s how we want to play. I think he’ll have a great season for us. He’s another guy who’s not just talented but also the type of teammate who will run through a wall for you.”
While Columbia boasted one of the more exciting offenses over the past two years, defensive struggles prevented the Lions from sustaining success. With that in mind, Hovde aggressively pursued incoming transfers Leland Coleman (New Orleans) and Ryan Soulis (Richmond) not only to replace the spots left by graduates Jake Javroff, Robbie Stankard, and Noah Robledo, but more importantly to add depth and versatility to the frontcourt and ultimately make Columbia a tougher team to play against.
“Defensively, that’s the first thing that comes to mind. Both of them are good defenders who fit well with our schemes, and their presence adds depth to the frontcourt,” says Hovde, “Depth is huge—it allows us to play harder when you have more guys who can be part of the rotation. That was really important to our success at all of my previous stops. They’re both excellent athletes for this level—big, long, naturally good defenders. Offensively, they also have a really good feel and instinct.”
In his freshman season at New Orleans, the six-foot-seven, 190-pound Coleman started his final ten games of the season, averaging 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and a block apiece over that span. “He’s going to excel in our style of play because he’s versatile—somewhere between a three and a four,” says Hovde, “At New Orleans, he mostly played the three, spending a lot of time in the corners. With us, he’ll play more at power forward. He’s 6'7", a great athlete, and very versatile. His role will be similar to Thomas Haugh at Florida, using his quickness and fluidity to our advantage in the frontcourt. While some of our other frontcourt players win more with physicality, Leland gives us a more versatile look.”
Over the last two seasons, Columbia exclusively played three-guard lineups, but under Hovde, both Coleman and returning senior Blair Thompson will get looks at the 3, where the six-foot-eight sharpshooter will better utilize his size to overpower opponents on the boards and also by attacking the rim with his athleticism and ability to put the ball on the deck. “Blair is going to move more toward the perimeter,” says Hovde, “Most of his minutes will be at the three, which I think is great for him and really helpful for us—especially on defense and on the glass. He’s strong, he can overpower opponents, and he’s an elite shooter. That combination makes him a huge asset.”
The 6-foot-10, 220-pound Ryan Soulis played his redshirt freshman season at Richmond—Hovde’s alma mater—after receiving several other Division I offers, including from St. John’s and St. Mary’s. A native of Athens, Greece, he has the size and versatility to play both center and power forward, giving Hovde the flexibility to run more two-big lineups similar to his time at Florida.
“Ryan is a terrific passer from all over the floor,” Hovde says. “His instincts make him very easy to play through, which is extremely important for our frontcourt players. We want to throw the ball inside and let them make decisions, and he’s a guy who can thrive in that role.”
Last season, Soulis’ minutes increased as A-10 conference play progressed, and that early exposure to the grind of one of the nation’s top mid-major leagues should help smooth his adjustment to Ivy League competition.
Rounding out the frontcourt are junior Richard Nweke, a former three-star recruit who has battled injuries throughout his career, sophomore Nigel Clarkson, and freshman Connor Igoe.
With a roster that blends established veterans—four of them seniors who started last season—returning underclassmen ready to break out, a trio of plug-and-play transfers, and his first freshman class, Hovde is keeping expectations high for the upcoming season.
“The goal is simple: to make this the best program in the Ivy League,” says Hovde, “That doesn’t happen overnight, but I’m bullish on this group. We can be really competitive in the league. I don’t like setting the bar as just getting to Ivy Madness, because I think that could sell us short. The best way to frame it is to approach every game as a winnable game.”
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