JACKSON, Miss. — The Millsaps College men's basketball team is well-positioned for the 2025-26 season with a strong, balanced roster featuring 11 returning veterans and 10 new players. The Majors will be led by head coach Connor Kuykendall and assistant coach Griffin Levine looking to turn the program around.

Kuykendall became part of the Majors in April, bringing a decade of head coaching experience from his previous positions at Southwestern University (2019 to 2025) and Schreiner University (2014 to 2019). 

The Majors will play 12 home games inside the Hangar Dome, along with 13 regular-season away or neutral-site contests. Additionally, they will face seven conference opponents twice, home and away.

The Majors strong rebounding performances last season achieved third place in the conference with 1,025 total rebounds.

Senior Caleb Kent will return to the court after being named an All-SAA Honorable Mention last season.

Kent showed strong competitiveness and resilience against opponents during the previous season, establishing himself as the team's top scorer by averaging 14.6 points per game and accumulating 365 total points to become a dominate force. A senior guard from Madison, Mississippi completed his season with notable statistical achievements across multiple categories.

He recorded eight double-doubles throughout the campaign while contributing defensively with 29 steals and six blocks. Over the course of 25 games, he also facilitated the team's offense by accumulating 52 assists.

Dakota Gasca, a veteran team member and point guard, is returning to play alongside his classmate Kent. 

Gasca exhibits strong basketball fundamentals through his superior ball control and ability to score effectively near the basket, where his layup technique creates a formidable presence that challenges opposing centers in the paint area.

Gasca received All-SAA Honorable Mention recognition for his outstanding defensive performance, recording 48 steals which ranked third in the conference, while also contributing significantly on offense with 11.1 points per game, making him the team's second-leading scorer. 
 
Gasca played in 25 games during the season and demonstrated strong performance in two other key statistical categories. His free-throw shooting was particularly impressive, ranking second in the SAA conference with a 76.5 percent success rate, making 88 of his 115 attempts from the line.
 
Additionally, he served as the team's primary playmaker, leading the squad with 74 assists while ranking eighth in the conference in that category.

Junior Cameron Lumar, another key contributor to the Majors, was named to the 2023-24 All-SAA Honorable Mention Team his freshman season.

Lumar aims to maintain his strong performance with the Majors following a productive previous campaign, where he recorded 64 total rebounds, 28 assists and 25 steals, establishing himself as a significant contributor to the squad.

Senior Mack Gorton is looking to have a breakout season. During his junior campaign, Gorton shot 41-of-81 from the field which played a significant role in the Majors' offense this year.

Last season, Gorton appeared in 25 games for the Majors, recording 69 total rebounds, nine assists, six blocks and seven steals on defense.
  
Sophomore Samuel Holt, a young veteran on the squad who could potentially see increased playing time this season, appeared in 23 games during his freshman year. Last season on the court, Holt recorded 47 total rebounds, seven assists, six blocks and four steals.

Classmates Matheus Siqueira and Jovanni Perez will both look to lead and build upon their collegiate debuts. Siqueira saw 23 appearances last season with 23 rebounds and 10 assists. Perez grabbed 12 steals, 16 boards, while dishing out 13 assists in 11 contests.

The basketball team's roster features other several key contributors including senior RJ Vanbeber, alongside sophomores Wyatt Richardson and Zac Cook.

Rodney Phillips Jr., a junior from Marrero, La., is returning to the men's basketball team after previously playing for the Majors during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. 
 
Over his two seasons with the team, Phillips Jr. has accumulated impressive statistics of 172 rebounds, 21 assists, six blocks and 15 steals, proving his well-rounded contributions to the team.

The Majors also strengthened their roster by welcoming four transfer players who are anticipated to contribute significantly to the team's performance.  
 
These additions include junior transfers David Combest Jr. from Meridian Community College, Colt Donley from Covenant College, Davion James from Itawamba Community College, and Jaxon Toney from the University of Tampa - an NCAA Division II squad.

Looking to have a successful career for the Majors are freshmen Jordan Buckhalter, Ma'Chai Johnson. Luke LeFors, Talen Page, Ben Simms   and Brock Smith.

2025-26 MILLSAPS MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
 

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College men's basketball program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook and visit gomajors.com.
 
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.