BETHANY, W.Va. - The Bethany College men's basketball team led by first-year head coach Brandon Thorsen is ready to tip off the 2025-26 season.

Coach Thorsen is entering his first full season as the Bison's head coach after serving as the program's interim head coach in 2022-23. No stranger to Bethany, he has been a key part of the Bison's men's basketball program since 2021 when he joined as a graduate assistant. This year, Coach Thorsen will lead a senior class he has coached since their freshman year and will return 17 players including eight letterwinners and one Academic All-Presidents' Athletic Conference honoree from last year's squad that finished with a 7-18 overall record and a PAC record of 2-18.

The Green and White will be led by two returning starters from last season's backcourt in upperclassmen Troy Hixson (Grove City, Ohio/Bishop Ready) and Ryan Reasbeck (Washington, Pa./Wheeling Central Catholic). Hixson gears up for his fourth season after appearing in 25 games last season and making 22 starts. He led last year's team in three-pointers last season with 49 while scoring 282 points and grabbing 75 rebounds to lead all returners. Hixson averaged 11.3 points per game while also notching 33 assists, 20 steals, and four blocks on his way to an Academic All-PAC selection. Reasbeck comes back to lead Bethany on both sides of the ball as he serves as the team's returning leader in points per game with 14.6, assists with 34, and steals with 28 after appearing in 17 games and making 14 starts in 2024-25. Reasbeck shot an even 50% from the floor including 39 threes for a team-best 38.2% from three and scored 249 points on the year for an average of 14.6 per game.

Also back for the Bison are sophomore guard Bryson Bishop (Dayton, Ohio/Stebbins) and junior guard Cole Matthews (Nashville, Tenn./Battle Ground Academy). Through 21 games and five starts last season, Bishop returns as the team's blocks leader with 19 while also tallying 97 points, 62 rebounds, and 30 assists. Matthews nailed 23 threes in 23 games and recorded 81 points, 33 rebounds, and 20 assists on the year.

Senior guard TJ Jenkins (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) returns for his final season for the Bison as well after appearing in all 25 games and making 10 starts. Last season, he finished with 67 rebounds, 46 points, 21 assists, 14 steals, and 10 blocks. 

Leading the Bethany bigs will be sophomore Josh Coffield (Akron, Ohio/Lake) who appeared in all 25 games in his standout freshman season. He grabbed 71 rebounds last year for the Bison and scored 40 points, assisted on 15 baskets, blocked seven shots, and added two steals. Sophomore JB Mongeois (Royal Palm Beach, Fla./Palm Beach Central) is the only other returning forward for Coach Thorsen's squad and is poised for a big season after appearing in just three games in 2024-25.

Graduate guard Joe Bruggeman (Elkhorn, Neb./Mount Michael Benedictine), junior guard Loghan Brown (Woodsfield, Ohio/Monroe Central), and sophomore guard Merrick Reynolds (Marysville, Ohio) round out the Bison's returners while guards Connor Marshall (Brookville, Pa.), Ridge Martin (Sullivan, Ohio/Black River), Brandon Moore (Memphis, Tenn./Gibbs), and Koen Sartin (Princeton, W.Va.) will each get their first varsity minutes for the Green and White this year.

The Bison open the 2025-26 season on Thursday, November 6 as they travel to Bowling Green, Ohio to take on Bowling Green State (Ohio) University in an exhibition game at 7 p.m. in the Stroh Center.