Vermont adds a walk on

Sincere Clemons a 6'2" guard from Ithaca, NY by way of Northfield Mount Hermon announced his commitment to the Catamounts as a walk on. With all of the walk ons from this past season departing to continue their careers elsewhere, there are spots available. These roster spots are such important parts of building team culture and making practices even more competitive. Vermont has always found creative ways to fill these roster spots with guys who are ready to compete. It is a win win for guys who are looking to take their shot at the college game and be a part of winning, and the Vermont program gets players who can help fill in the practice gaps. Clemons is a high IQ, playmaking guard who will be looking to get stronger and give himself a chance at finding a scholarship down the road. Great opportunity to play in a program with a great reputation for player development. 

Vermont rounds out their 2024 recruiting class

Vermont finished their 2024 recruiting cycle with a commitment from 6'4" G Ben Wesson from Charlottesville, VA. Wesson played his high school basketball at Albemarle High School and was named the regional player of the year this past season. He is only 17 years old and was considering a potential prep year to get ready for the college game. Vermont swooped in and offered him the last 2024 slot and he will have a chance to redshirt this season and hit the ground running the following season. The coaching staff has done a great job this cycle adding immediate impact transfers (Jayhlon Young and Shy Odom) and future contributors (Sean Blake, Drew Bessette, and Wesson). Due to their strong veteran rotation, all of the freshman next year will be able to sit for a year and adjust to the college game, giving them a leg up for the 25-26 season when they will have minutes available to potentially add depth to the rotation as redshirt freshman. Freshman across the country are about to have their chance to impact college basketball again as teams get much younger following this season. This feels like a return to the previous era when the Vermont coaching staff always added a combination of freshmen and transfers (when they used to have to sit out) to balance and plan for current and future seasons simultaneously. The Vermont program has had a strong track record with redshirt season development. Now back to Wesson. He is a great fit in the Vermont program. A bit of a late bloomer who has elite shooting potential and playmaking instincts. He plays with a strong motor and has good defensive fundamentals. With a prep year to get stronger and adjust to the college game, he is set up to have an impact early in his career as a shooter. Pick your comparison over the years (Cam Ward, Stef Smith, TJ Hurley, etc.) and Wesson's skill set has often blossomed in the Vermont system.  A plug and play Catamount. Another successful recruiting season with loads of potential and for the first time in a few years, completed in early May so the coaching staff gets a little bit of a break before the summer program. Another exciting season in Catamount country is on tap!

Shy Odom commits to Vermont

Vermont received a commitment from 6'6 F Shy Odom, a native of Roxbury, MA who played two seasons at Howard and has two years of eligibility remaining. This is an absolutely massive add for the Catamounts. Odom had a huge freshman season at Howard where he won MEAC rookie of the year after averaging 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds and then led the Bison to a NCAA tourney berth, winning the MEAC tourney MVP. In Howard's first round game he finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds against Kansas. This season he was named the MEAC preseason player of the year before struggling a bit while battling injuries. Prior to Howard he played at top tier Sierra Canyon HS with Bronny James and others. The Vermont coaching staff has been scouring the portal looking for a player who can add a post presence to the current roster. Odom fits that role perfectly. He is at his best attacking the rim and using his strength and physicality to finish through contact. Odom can score with his back to the basket or attack off the dribble. He is a strong rebounder who has been particularly effective on the offensive glass. Defensively he is able to wall up opposing players, good shot blocking instincts, and has versatility to guard multiple positions. He also has strong playmaking skills as he averaged 2.4 assists last season. Odom is going to be a dynamic player for Vermont. This is the third season in a row that the Vermont coaching staff has landed a player to put an already strong roster over the top (Dylan Penn, Shamir Bogues, and now Odom). With the addition of Odom, Vermont has the depth and versatility to once again make a championship run and beyond. Odom will provide the physical post presence that Vermont has been looking to add the last few offseasons. With two more seasons he will also provide a great veteran presence when Vermont gets very young following the graduation of all of the COVID year players. One more scholarship to go for Vermont and my guess is that it will be filled with an eye to the future as opposed to an impact for next season.