WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace College's men's basketball team enters the 2025-26 season with a roster full of new faces and high expectations.
The Lancers graduated seven players from last year's Crossroads League championship team, which advanced to the NAIA Elite Eight and captured both the regular-season and tournament titles for the third and fourth straight years, respectively.
Head coach Scott Moore welcomes six newcomers to a 14-man roster that includes only three upperclassmen—all juniors and no seniors. Despite the youth, Moore's squad is packed with potential.
One noticeable change this season will be Grace's overall size. The Lancers feature a tall, versatile lineup that could start five players each standing at least 6-foot-5.
"You'd be hard-pressed to find a more position-less team in the country," Moore said. "We are very versatile where our guys can play multiple positions on the court. Almost all of our players can handle the ball well and score in the post. It will be fun to mesh our new players' skill sets with the returners and see how we can put players in positions to succeed."
The returners are led by juniors Ian Raasch and Gage Sefton, both of whom have steadily expanded their roles throughout their careers.
Raasch earned NCCAA Second Team All-American honors last season after averaging 16.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 63 percent from the floor. He elevated his play in the postseason, averaging nearly 20 points per contest.
Sefton started every game in 2024-25, posting 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 58 percent.
Moore praised the duo's leadership of the young squad: "You want your best players to be your leaders, and we have that right now without question. I've been proud to see their growth as leaders; those two guys are who our new players are looking up to."
Junior Seth Martin and sophomore Caleb Herrold were also singled out for stepping up as team leaders.
Grace's sophomore class has made significant strides. Hunter Walston, a steady contributor as a freshman, averaged over seven points per game in postseason play and will be a primary ballhandler this season.
Isaac Schultz and Cannen Houser have shown notable growth over the offseason. Schultz, at 6-foot-7, provides a key interior presence, while Houser brings a deadly shooting threat to the guard rotation.
Cole Hayworth returns for his second year after redshirting last year; the 6-6 forward is extremely athletic and is an adept rebounder and defender.
Moore's incoming freshman class is remarkably consistent in size—each player stands between 6-foot-5 and 6-7—and all bring winning pedigrees from high school.
Gavin Betten is a 6-7 post. He was the Indiana 2A Player of the Year, leading Manchester to a state title as a senior. He averaged 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks per game in his final campaign.
Grady Carpenter is "one of the biggest point guards in the country," according to Moore. The 6-6 point guard is a weapon on offense with his unselfish passing and physical scoring ability.
Michael Wellman is a tough, high-IQ 6-6 forward with a knack for making winning plays.
Tyler Raasch has been one of the surprises of the preseason in Moore's eyes. Tyler, the younger brother of Ian, is a 6-8 center with a strong defensive game and ability to shoot, dribble and pass well.
Luke Bricker has been "super impressive," according to Moore. The Warsaw Tiger product is an elite 3-point shooter who can score from multiple levels of the court.
Bryce Sefton (brother of Gage) is another Lancer sibling to join the fold. He enjoyed a decorated career at high school powerhouse Blackhawk Christian, bringing a winning mindset to the roster.
"Our freshmen will have ups and downs like usual, and you'll be able to see their collegiate inexperience at times," Moore said. "Right now we are working in practice on doing things the right way—how to compete at a high level and play hard. Once we have that mastered, then we can work on being more efficient and ironing out the details. It's a long, talented, athletic group. We can't wait to see how they grow during the year."
While the roster has changed, Moore believes fans will still recognize the team's signature style of play.
"In many ways this is a completely different team, but our foundation is the exact same. We have new players, but our goals and expectations are the same as always," Moore said. "Expectations are high, which is a cool place to be as a program. These guys know what it means to put on a Grace jersey. We are going to take steps up and down as the year progresses; it will be really cool to see this group play and grow together over the next few years."
Grace's 2025-26 schedule features several marquee road trips. The Lancers will begin the year with a NCAA Div. I exhibition game at the University of Colorado on Oct. 19. The exhibition will see Grace face off with Lancer All-American Elijah Malone, who used his graduate eligibility to play for the Buffaloes.
In mid-December, Grace will travel to Hawaii for a pair of games from Dec. 16-18. On New Year's Eve, the Lancers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, playing Michigan-Dearborn after the Indiana Pacers' game earlier that day.
With a mix of youthful energy, size, and versatility, Grace's new-look squad aims to extend the program's winning tradition into another exciting season.
