St. Bonaventure basketball’s roster transformation continued this week as former Penn State forward Mason Blackwood joined the program under new head coach Mike MacDonald’s leadership.
ESPN reported Blackwood’s commitment on Sunday, marking the conclusion of a busy recruiting period for the New York-based university.
According to the 247 transfer portal and various media reports, the Bonnies have secured six new players this week alongside Blackwood’s addition:
The new arrivals include Akbar Waheed III, a 6-foot-6 guard who took a redshirt year at Boston College during the previous season.
MacDonald also brought two former players from his Division II coaching stop at Daemen: 6-4 guard Zach Philipkoski and 6-10 center Benjamin Bill.
Point guard Taj Au-Duke, standing 6-3, brings an impressive resume after beginning at Pepperdine before transferring to Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, where he earned first-team JUCO All-American honors.
The final addition is Ryan Kalambay, a 6-9 forward who previously played at Detroit Mercy.
Five players will return from last season’s squad: 6-6 Russian guard Ilia Ermakov, 6-7 Irish center John Ikpotokin, 6-foot local guard Jack DeRose from Olean High School, 6-5 Italian guard Achille Lonati, and 6-10 forward Joe Grahovac from Santa Ana, California.
The roster will feature international diversity with Kalambay and Au-Duke both hailing from Canada.
St. Bonaventure faces significant roster turnover, losing four graduating seniors and seven additional players to the transfer portal. According to 247Sports’ tracking system, none of the departing players have announced their new destinations.
The program benefits from adding Blackwood and Waheed, both with power-conference experience.
Blackwood, a Rochester, New York native, participated in 26 games during his freshman campaign with one starting assignment, contributing 2.6 points and 1.8 rebounds across 12.2 minutes per game. The 6-7 forward represents a key piece in MacDonald’s rebuilding efforts.
Waheed did not see game action during his freshman year at Boston College and retains four full seasons of eligibility.
The Bonnies completed the 2025-26 campaign with a 17-17 overall record and struggled to a 4-14 mark in Atlantic 10 Conference competition.
MacDonald assumed the head coaching position on March 31, succeeding Mark Schmidt following his retirement after 19 seasons leading the program. The 1988 St. Bonaventure graduate compiled a 265-86 record during 12 seasons at Daemen, guiding the Wildcats to NCAA Division II East Regional titles in 2026 and 2021.
MacDonald holds the distinction of being the only coach to reach 100 victories at programs across Division I (Canisius), Division II (Daemen), and Division III (Medaille) levels.
