On both the men’s and women’s side, Drexel hoops believes it can do big things this season

For Zach Spiker, having a player return to Drexel for another season means more than simply keeping another name on the roster.

In an era of constant movement throughout college basketball, the Dragons’ men’s coach considers every returning player a reason for optimism. This season, that includes junior guard Josh Reed, who is preparing to take on a larger leadership role.

“Every year someone comes back to your program, it’s a gift, and it speaks to their belief in our development and our system,” Spiker said Thursday during virtual media day for the Coastal Athletic Association’s men’s and women’s basketball programs.

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Across Drexel’s basketball programs, familiar faces are assuming greater responsibilities as the Dragons prepare for the 2026-27 season.

On the men’s side, Spiker is looking to Reed to help an inexperienced roster find its footing against a demanding nonconference schedule.

On the women’s side, head coach Amy Mallon is turning to senior guard Laine McGurk to help maintain the program’s consistency after the departure of standout guard Amaris Baker.

Both programs enter the season with winning expectations, but Drexel’s men have a bit to prove coming in ranked No. 9 in the CAA’s basketball poll. It’s the opposite for Mallon and the Dragons, who will enter the season ranked as the third-best women’s team in the conference.

Reed’s development has been gradual, but Spiker believes the junior is ready for another step.

After limited playing time as a freshman, Reed became an important contributor last season, averaging nearly eight points and three rebounds while shooting 43% from the field. Spiker praised Reed’s physicality, particularly his ability to attack the basket when Drexel’s offense struggled.

This year, the coach expects improvement as a shooter and passer, along with the defensive toughness Reed has already established.

“If you know Josh Reed, if you see him, I call him Saquon from time to time because he’s built like a football player,” Spiker said, referring to Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.

Reed, an Archbishop Wood graduate and Wyndmoor native, said his relationship with the coaching staff made returning to Drexel an easy decision.

“The coaching staff does a great job making it feel like a family,” Reed said. “My first year, I felt comfortable. I trust the coaches. I trust everybody here.”

That familiarity could prove particularly valuable for a team incorporating several newcomers, including LaDricus Pittman, Adrian Petkovic, and former Power 5 guard Amaree Abram.

Their nonconference schedule includes a Nov. 3 season opener at Virginia, a matchup at Pittsburgh, and Big 5 competition. Drexel also faced St. John’s in an exhibition on Wednesday, which he believes will only benefit his young roster.

“You want to challenge your team,” Spiker said. “Every game, night in and night out, you’ve got to be ready to go.”

Coming off a season in which Drexel finished with a defense ranked in the Top 25 nationally, Spiker emphasized that another successful campaign will depend on maintaining defensive intensity while developing offensive cohesion.

“Ultimately, it’s going to come down to habits instead of goals,” he said.

For Drexel’s women’s program, expectations haven’t changed despite losing one of its most accomplished players.

The Dragons won 21 games last season and earned their second WNIT berth. Picked third, another Women’s National Invitation Tournament berth. They were picked third with senior guard Laine McGurk named to the preseason all-conference first team.

The West Chester native averaged 12.8 points last season. She started all 32 games and earned second-team All-CAA honors.

Now, with Baker no longer on the roster, McGurk is preparing to become an even more prominent leader.

But she doesn’t believe the responsibility should fall on her alone.

“It never feels like a one-person job,” McGurk said. “It feels like the seniors and the upperclassmen are always working together to help the coaches and help get the team ready.”

McGurk said she spent much of the offseason focused on supporting her teammates, particularly the six newcomers joining the program. Rather than concentrate exclusively on improving her own production, she emphasized helping to develop the players around her.

“If we’re, you know, firing on all cylinders and we’re playing as a unit, it’s only going to help me,” McGurk said. “It’s only going to help the team.”

Mallon credits the program’s continued success to its ability to retain and develop players despite the changing landscape of college basketball.

She said the Dragons have retained approximately 85% of their roster over the last two years, allowing the team’s standards to be passed from one group to the next.

Still, Mallon acknowledged that this year’s team has yet to establish its identity.

She pointed to a recent visit from former Drexel standout Bailey Greenberg, who told the team it was still discovering what kind of group it would become.

“That’s what excites me about this group, because we do, we have a lot of pieces and a lot of new additions and returnees who have something to prove,” Mallon said.

Among the additions are graduate transfers Aisha Dabo and Emilia Van Otu, who Mallon believes can contribute immediately.

Dabo brings versatility in the frontcourt, including the ability to defend inside and shoot from the perimeter. Van Otu has already helped establish expectations for the team’s younger players.

McGurk also believes players who saw limited action last season could make significant contributions. For Mallon, the challenge is maintaining the standards that have defined her program while allowing a new group to establish its own identity.

“We have the roadmap to success,” Mallon said. “We know what we need to do to get there. We just need to follow it.”