Brandon Noel, a fifth-year junior and star basketball player at Wright State, entered the NCAA transfer portal to seek a new opportunity for his final season. Noel leaves WSU as a decorated leader, ranking third in the Horizon League this season. His teammates, Alex Huibregtse and Keaton Norris, also entered the portal.
Noel's successes
The Wright State Men's Basketball team didn’t end the season the way they wanted to. They finished their season with a record of 15-18, losing in the HL quarterfinals against the number one seed, Robert Morris University. The success they did have was partially due to fifth-year junior Brandon Noel.
Noel was a Redshirted for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, making him eligible to play as a fifth-year junior.
However, once he did start playing, his impact at WSU was immediate. In his first full season in 2022, he played in 33 games, starting 26 of them. He ranked among the top 15 in the HL with an average of 13 points per game, which was the most among freshmen in the HL at the time.
Finishing his first season, Noel earned HL Freshman of the Year, and became a member of the HL Basketball All-Academic team before he was named 2023 HL winter Scholar-Athlete of the season.
Moving to his second season in 2023, his successes continued to grow; he averaged 34 minutes per game, ranking as the second most on the team. He made the top 15 in multiple categories for the HL statistical marks, including rebounds (third), field goal percentage (third), blocks (tenth) and points per game.
This season, Noel did not let up. He finished the season averaging 19.0 points per game with a 7.7 rebounds per game average, scoring double-figures in 29 out of 33 games.
Noel shot 55.2 percent overall from the floor earning him third in the HL and top 50 nationally. He also earned top 15 nationally for his 238 field goals made throughout his 2024-25 season.
Noel earned the National Association of Basketball Coaches Second Team Regional Honors and was recognized a second-team all-district performer.
Leaving WSU
Unfortunately, in Noel's fifth season on the team, he has officially decided to enter the transfer portal. Noel is hoping to find a new opportunity at another school for his last season of eligibility while he finishes his Master's degree in Chemistry.
"The decision to leave was a really hard one, and it was not due to me being unhappy here at all. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and would do it again in a heartbeat," Noel stated.
Fans of WSU Basketball, such as Ovid Wilson are sad to see him leave Wright State but wish Noel success.
“You can see the maturity and dedication to his craft whenever Brandon Noel steps on the floor. I’m sad to see him go, but I am excited to see what his next step will turn out to be,” Wilson said.
Noel's teammates and fellow star players Huibregtse and Norris also entered the transfer portal this month. Head Coach Clint Sargent expresses his understanding with Noel and his teammates' decision in an interview with Dayton Daily News.
“For those upperclassmen that are moving on, it was time. Those exit meetings, those conversations, were very appreciative. The families that have been here — you look at the Noel family, five years; Huibregtse family, five years; Norris family, four years … We helped those kids grow up, and it was time,” Sargent said.
However, Sargent is already looking to improve the team and make some roster changes for next season.
“We didn’t have a good enough year. There’s some opportunity for us to make some changes with our roster and to learn what we need to do to get back to the top of this league,” Sargent told Dayton Daily News.
“The No. 1 thing I need to have and demand is discipline and respect. That will lead it all. And, yes, within some of the basketball, we’ll look athletically because our league is athletic. But the lead narrative is discipline and respect. That’s what I’m looking for from top to bottom. And when we find that again, we will win.”
Although Noel is parting ways with WSU, as a leader he left a massive imprint on the team and has inspired future Raiders.
