ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley College men's basketball team enters its next chapter this season with a new coaching staff and several new players, joining a strong group of returners who are aiming to bring the program all the way to the postseason. First-year Head Coach Matt Miller is excited to begin his tenure at the helm and showcase what this team has in store.
Lebanon Valley is coming off a season in which it recorded seven victories, including five wins against conference opponents. Entering 2026-27, the squad is ranked fifth out of nine teams in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll.
Miller was hired as the 25th Head Coach in program history in June after serving as an Assistant Coach for Division I University of New Hampshire for two seasons. He is joined on the bench by Assistant Coaches Michael Palazzi and Vincent Gambelunghe.
"This is a fun group to work with that already has a variety of skills," Miller said. "We have a lot of positive attributes, some collective size, athleticism, and shooting ability. I want to really impact our process and provide a culture of development in which these guys can continually improve and maximize their potential. If we can make this the fabric that defines who we are, I think the wins will come."
All-MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year and Second Team honoree Giovanni Sejuste headlines the 10 returning players from last season. The program also welcomes eight newcomers, including four first-year and four transfer student-athletes. Sejuste, a sophomore guard, led the team with 13.8 points per game and 5.1 total rebounds per game, while tying sophomore guard Demarcus Bandy for the team lead in blocks with 19. In the MAC Freedom, Sejuste ranked third in field goal percentage and tied for fourth in blocks per game. Lebanon Valley expects Bandy (10.5 points per game, 46 steals) and sophomore guard/forward Reed Melvin (11.6 points per game) to be key contributors. In the conference, Bandy ranked third in steals per game, while tying for fourth in blocked shots per game.
Junior guard Jason Penn returns as the squad's top three-point shooter, averaging 10.3 points per game last year. He finished second in the MAC Freedom with an 87.9 free throw percentage. Lebanon Valley will also depend heavily on junior guard/forward Phil Unangst, who led the team in offensive rebounds, and junior guards Michael Main and Tyler Kerlin.
Additionally, LVC anticipates that its first-year class and transfer student-athletes will make an impact. Junior guard Najeh Allen leads the group of transfers, after recording 14.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for Hagerstown Community College last season. Junior forward Logan McKee is another stat-sheet stuffer new to the roster, following a campaign in which he averaged 7.8 points per game for Stockton University. Sophomore forward/center Aurek Fenn comes to the Flying Dutchmen after redshirting for Division II Frostburg State University last winter.
Lebanon Valley will open the season on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m., at Albright College in Reading. The program's home opener is scheduled for Nov. 18, at 7 p.m., against Stevenson University at Sorrentino Gymnasium. The Dutchmen will begin MAC Freedom competition on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m., at FDU-Florham in Madison, New Jersey.
A key date on the schedule is Saturday, Jan. 23, at 4 p.m., when the team will host Arcadia University for Hot Dog Frank Day and the annual alumni game. Lebanon Valley will close out the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 3 p.m., against Misericordia for Senior Day. LVC's full schedule can be found here.
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Photo credits: Travis Boyd (Action Photos) and Devin McDonnell (Media Day Photos)
