Northern Kentucky enters the 2026–27 season in full rebuild mode after finishing 20–14 overall and 10–10 in the Horizon League last year. The Norse graduated their top five scorers from the 2025–26 roster, leaving head coach Darrin Horn with one of the most dramatic roster overhauls of his tenure. Only one starter returns — sophomore point guard Ethan Elliott — while the rest of the rotation will be built around international additions, transfers, and developing pieces already in the program.
Returning Players
Ethan Elliott, 6-3, G, Sophomore, Perth, Australia
Last season, Elliott made 31 starts in 32 appearances for the Norse. He averaged 5.1 PPG, 4.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game. Elliott finished 15th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio with 3.32 A/TO and ranked 4th in the Horizon League last season with 146 assists and 4.6 assists per game.
Bryce Darbyshire, 6-4, G, Senior, Cincinnati, Ohio
Last season, Darbyshire made 25 appearances averaging 6.8 minutes, 1.5 points, and 1.2 rebounds per game. He shot 46.7% from the field, 38.9% from three, and 33.3% from the line.
Donovan Rakotonanahary, 6-6, F, Junior, Antananarivo, Madagascar
Last season, Rakotonanahary made 32 appearances off the bench, averaging 3.0 PPG, 2,3 rebounds, and 0.6 steals per game. He shot 70.2% from the field, 33.3% from three and 55.6% from the line.
Ryan Tolliver, 6-7, F, Sophomore, Hartford, Connecticut
In 2025-26, Tolliver made 22 appearances with one start, averaging 6.9 minutes, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.0 points per game. He shot 47.1% from the field and 77.8% from the free throw line.
JJ Apathjang, 6-4, G, Sophomore, Salt Lake City, Utah
Apathjang did not play during his freshman season but returns as a developing guard with size and athleticism. He will compete for minutes in a newly rebuilt backcourt.
Incoming Players
Willie Foster, 6-2, G, Freshman, Lima, Ohio, Lima Senior High
Foster spent his final two years of his high school career at Lima Senior High, leading the team to a 44-8 record. In his senior year, he led the Spartans to an OHSAA Division ll final four appearance, winning district and regional championships. Foster was named Division ll FirstTeam All-Ohio after averaging 15.5 PPG in his senior year.
Gabrielius Jokubauskas, 6-5, G, Freshman, Vilnius, Lithuania, Pilaite Gymnasium
Jokubauskas spent the last three seasons in the National Basketball League with Rytas Vilnius’ second team. He averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals with the team in 34 games in 2025-26. He shot 45.1% from the field, 31.6% from three on 3.4 attempts per game, and 69.0% from the free throw line last season.
BJ Davis-Ray, 6-6, G, Sophomore, St. Louis, Missouri, SMU
Davis-Ray played 225 minutes in 32 games for Southern Methodist, averaging 1.3 points and 0.7 rebounds per game. He shot 35.6% from the floor and 21.7% from three on 23 attempts.
Erik Acker, 6-3, G, Senior, East New York, N.Y., LaSalle
Acker played the last two seasons at La Salle, making 44 appearances and 11 starts, averaging 5.6 points, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game. During his career, he shot 39.8% from the field and 30.9% from three, including a career-best 36.4% from three in 2025-26.
“Erik is extremely athletic,” Horn said. “Great vertically, he can really run, he is great with the basketball. When we thought about our needs, here is a guy we were aware of already that comes in the portal and we feel like he is a great fit. He has some areas to improve on, he has to get better defensively, he has to get more physical in how he plays, but also, he brings a great presence and energy to the floor and can impact the game on both ends.”
Patrick Otto Mae, 6-9, F, Freshman, Tallinn, Estonia, Tilton Prep School
Mae competed with Estonia’s U20 national team at the 2026 U20 EuroBasket Division B, where he averaged 11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 21.1 minutes per game across six contests. He also starred at Tilton Prep School in New Hampshire, averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per game while shooting 49% from the field and 68% from the free-throw line.
Will Shortt, 6-8, F, Junior, Sydney, Australia, Niagara
In two seasons with the Niagara Purple Eagles, Shortt made 61 appearances, including 25 starts in his sophomore season. In 2025-26, he averaged 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks a night. Shortt shot 60.5% from the field as a sophomore on 4.9 attempts a game.
Noah Pagotto, 6-8, F, Senior, Port Macquaire, Australia, East Texas A&M
During the 2025-26 season at East Texas A&M, Pagotto made 32 appearances and 22 starts, playing 26.1 minutes per game, averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. Pagotto shot 55.1% from the field and 37.3% from three on 1.6 attempts and 76.8% from the free throw line.
“The thing with Noah is our bigs have got to be skilled,” Horn said. “And a lot of people think that just means shooting, but for us it being able to make some plays and make some decisions with the basketball as well. They are going to play both inside and outside and Noah is a guy that is going to trail and shoot that and have the ball in his hands to make plays, and that is one of the things we liked about him and we felt like in our system he is going to have even more opportunities to do that, and really felt that he was a terrific basketball fit and brings rea l physicality in addition to that skill as well.”
Juanma Ruiz, 6-9, F, Sophomore, Begijar, Spain
Ruiz did not appear in a game last season but brings length, mobility, and a European skill set. He adds depth to a frontcourt now filled with international talent and will look to carve out a role as he continues to develop.
The Norse will open the season in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, taking on the UTEP Miners.
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