University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Football Announces Roster Additions
1/24/2026 4:36:00 PM | Football
STORRS, CT – UConn head football coach Jason Candle announced the addition of 65 players to the roster for the 2026 spring semester. Candle and his coaching staff announced the signing of 58 student-athletes through the transfer portal including 21 who come to Storrs from Power Four programs. Seven freshman student-athletes are enrolled for the spring semester.
The Huskies have 30 new players on offense, 32 on defense and three new specialists.
OFFENSE
Jacob Merklinger – QB
6-3 / 215 - Savannah, GA / Calvary Day / Tennessee
Merklinger spent two seasons at Tennessee. He played four games for the Volunteers in 2025 and completed 13 of 24 passes for 173 yards and two scores. He completed nine of 14 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns against East Tennessee State. In 2024 he appeared in two games, passing for 48 yards and rushing for 22 yards. He Was a four-star recruit coming out of high school.
Kalieb Osborne – QB
6-3 / 204 - Pontiac, MI / Waterford Mott HS / Toledo
Osborne played two seasons at Toledo and appeared in seven games in 2025. He finished the season 32 of 52 passing for 427 yards and three touchdowns. He started the Rockets bowl game against Louisville in December, completing 17 of 28 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown and ran it 18 times for 77 yards. On the season, he had 282 yards rushing and two touchdowns. A three-star prospect out of high school, used his redshirt season in 2024.
Bo Polston – QB
6-2 / 200 - Indianapolis, IN / Decatur Central HS
A three-star recruit out of Indianapolis. Over his high school career, he passed for 6,425 yards and 66 TDs and ran for 1,519 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping the Decatur Central Hawks to a Class 5A State Championship as a junior.
Cyncir Bowers – RB
5-10 / 191 - Harrisburg, PA / Bishop McDevitt HS / West Virginia
Bowers played at West Virginia in 2025. He played in 10 games, rushing for for 249 yards and two touchdowns and caught 8 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. He ran for 65 yards and a touchdown vs Houston and had 131 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown against Arizona State. He was at Iowa Central CC in 2024.
Kenji Christian – RB
6-2 / 207 - Birmingham, AL / Pinson Valley HS / Toledo
Christian played for Toledo in 2025 and finished with 546 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He hauled in 17 passes for 193 yards and one receiving score. Prior to heading to Toledo, spent two seasons at North Carolina A&T. He had had 718 yards and six touchdowns in 2023 and rushed for 256 yards in three games in injury-shortened 2024 season. Started his college career at Viriginia Tech but did not see game action in two seasons.
Trey Cornist – RB
6-0 / 215 - Cincinnati, OH / Winton Woods HS / Central Michigan
Cornist played at Central Michigan in 2025. He played in all 13 games for the Chippewas, rushing for 470 yards and a score. He previously played at Tulane in 2024, and in six games
ran for 149 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 21 yards
Jaden Hart - RB
5-11/ 210 - Michigan City, IN / Michigan City HS / Syracuse
Hart played two seasons at Syracuse. In 2025, he appeared in 10 games in 2025, rushing for 53 yards on 15 attempts. He played in eight games in 2024, rushing for 18 yards on three carries, making two catches on the season. He was a three-star recruit and top-10 prospect from the state of Indiana coming out of high school
Dashun Reeder – RB
6-0 / 190 - Greenville, SC/Christ Church Episcopal School/Northwestern
Reeder spent the 2025 season at Northwestern. He had two seasons at Northwestern and in the fall played in seven games and had 22 carries for 222 yards and a touchdown. He scored on a 79-yard touchdown run against No. 4 Oregon.
Shawn Simeon – RB
5-10 / 180 – Naple, FL / Naples HS / Toledo
Simeon played at Toledo in 2025. He appeared in one game, rushing for 10 yards on one carry against NIU. Coming out of high school, Simeon was A three-star recruit, according to 247 Sports...Rushed for 2,040 yards as a junior and set single-game school records with 387 rushing yards and seven touchdowns during the playoffs.
Cam Abshire- WR
6-4 / 185 - Roanoke, VA / Northside HS /Oklahoma State
Abshire played the 2025 season at Oklahoma State and was previously at Emory & Henry. Last fall, he played in 12 games for the Cowboys and made 10 catches for 92 yards. At E&H, he was an All-South Atlantic Conference selection and an honorable mention for both the D2Football.com Elite 100 team and Don Hansen All-America team.
Julian Allen – WR
6-1 / 188 - St. Petersburg, FL / Clearwater Central Catholic / Toledo
Allen spent the last three seasons at Toledo. He saw action in seven games in 2025 and had three catches for 15 yards. He was a special teams contributor in eight games in 2024.
Logan Barnes - WR
6-4 / 180 - Marion, IN / Marion HS
A freshman wide receiver from Marion High School. A three-star recruit by 247Sports and ranked as the No. 35 player in Indiana's class of 2026 by Rivals, originally committed to Toledo. Barnes won All-North Central Athletic Conference honors in football, baseball, basketball and track. A triple threat athlete at Marion, Barnes threw for 702 yards with two passing touchdowns, rushed for 675 yards with seven rushing touchdowns, and earned 400 receiving yards with five receiving touchdowns.
Javon Brown - WR
6-4 / 198 - Williston, FL / Williston HS / Toledo
Brown spent the last two seasons at Toledo. He played in 13 games in 2025 and had eight catches for 156 yards and a touchdown. He pulled in five catches for 94 yards against Morgan State. He used his redshirt season in 2024.
Kamren Flowers – WR
6-0 / 170 - Detroit, MI / West Bloomfield HS / Toledo
Flowers was at Toledo in 2025 and did not see action, using his redshirt season. He was a four-star recruit and the No. 2 wide receiver in the state of Michigan according to ESPN coming out of high school. He was listed as a three-star recruit and the No. 15 player in the state by 247Sports. He earned first-team all-region honors and was named to the OAA Dream Team.
Zy'marion Lang - WR
6-3 / 180 - Sarasota, FL / Cardinal Mooney HS / Toledo
Lang was at Toledo the last two seasons. He did not see game action in 2025 but played in 10 games in 2024. He caught four passes for 60 yards and two touchdowns He had an 18-yard touchdown pass vs. Duquesne and caught two passes for 38 yards and a touchdown vs. Central Michigan.
Emanuel Ross – WR
6-2 / 202 - Jackson, NJ / Red Bank Catholic HS / Syracuse
Ross spent the past two seasons at Syracuse. He played in six games in 2025, catching 10 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown. He hauled in five passes for 57 yards against Duke. In 2024, he caught five passes for 78 yards in four games.
Ryder Treadway – WR
6-3 / 193 - Frisco, TX / Wakeland HS / Toledo
Treadway played at Toledo in 2025. During his freshman season, he played in 11 games and had 13 catches for 176 yards and three touchdowns. He had a season-best four catches for 55 yards and a score against Miami (OH). He scored touchdowns against Kent State and Ball State. Coming out of high school, Treadway was a three-star recruit, according to 247 Sports. He was a Texas 5A-1 first-team all-district wide receiver in both his junior and senior seasons.
Jediyah Willoughby – WR
6-1 / 202 - Fairburn, GA / Langston Hughes HS / Toledo
Willoughby spent three seasons at Toledo. He did not see game action in 2025 but played in 12 games in 2024. He had a catch for 10 yards vs. Duquesne. He was primarily a special teams player. As a freshman in 2023, he played in four games with a reception.
Ky "Flash" Wilson – WR
5-9 / 180 - Farrell, PA / Farrell HS / Youngstown State
Wilson was at Youngstown State in 2025 and the previous two seasons at Slippery Rock. Last fall, he played in 13 games and recorded 753 all-purpose yards and 883 kick return yards. He had 64 catches and 652 yards on the year.
Alex Godavitarne – TE
6-4 / 235 - Washington, D.C. / Wilson HS / Wheeling
Godavitarne was at Wheeling the last four seasons. In 2025, he played in 11 games with 19 catches for 255 yards and five touchdowns. Did not see game action as a freshman but in his three seasons playing, appeared in 23 games 24 catches for 303 yards and six touchdowns.
Matt Ragan - TE
6-5 / 248 - Westboro, MA/Lawrence Academy/Boston College
Ragan spent four seasons at Boston College. He did not see game action in 2025. He played in four games in 2023 and 2024 combined. Coming out of high school, he was a four-star recruit by 247Sports and three-star by ESPN and Rivals He was rated the No. 14 tight end in the class and No. 2 player in Massachusetts by 247Sports.
Raphael Greene-Nyarko – OL
6-6 / 340 - Cincinnati, OH / Winton Woods HS / Toledo
Greene-Nyarko played at Toledo in 2025 and saw action in four games as a freshman. Coming out of high school he was a three-star recruit who played on the offensive line at Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati. He was listed as the No. 70 player in the state by 247Sports.
Hannes Hammer – OL
6-7 / 313 - Cologne, Germany / North Cross School (VA) / Virginia Tech
Hammer spent the last two seasons at Virginia Tech. He played in five games in 2025 and saw action in one game as a freshman in 2024. Coming out of high school, he was rated a 3-star recruit by 247 Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals and ranked No. 66 offensive tackle and No. 23 recruit in Virginia by 247 Sports. He was ranked the No. 122 offensive tackle and No. 43 recruit in Virginia by ESPN.
Fred Johnson – OL
6-5 / 290 - Cleveland, OH / Glenville HS / Louisville
Played at Louisville the last two seasons. He played in two games during his time with the Cardinals. Coming out of high school he was a consensus three-star prospect and ranked by 247Sports Composite as the No. 64 interior offensive lineman nationally and the No. 35 player in Ohio.
Terrence Moore – OL
6-5 / 305 - Massillon, OH / Massillon Washington HS / Toledo
Moore spent the 2025 season at Toledo but did not see game action. He transferred after four seasons at Pittsburgh. He played in 40 games for the Panthers and started 10. In 2023, stared nine of 12 games for Pitt.
Ben Mulholland – OL
6-4 / 315 - Cypress, TX / Bridgeland / Houston Christian
Mulholland played the last two seasons at Houston Christian. In 2025, he played in 12 games. Coming out of high school, he was a first team all-district selection as a senior, helping lead Bridgeland to a district title, and was a second team all-district pick as a junior while tying for the district crown.
Nathan Pahanich – OL
6-4 / 291 - Princeton, NJ / The Hun School / Wake Forest
Pahanich played at Wake Forest in 2025. He did not see game action last fall. Coming out of high school he garnered First Team All-New Jersey Prep A honors and First Team All-MAPL accolades as a senior. He was ranked as the 90th best offensive tackle recruit in the country and the 35th best overall recruit in the state of New Jersey.
Christian Richter - OL
6-6 / 300 - Baltimore, MD / St. Paul's HS / Marshall
Richter played two seasons at Marshall. He appeared in eight games for the Herd in 2025 and six games in 2024. He transferred to Marshall from Lehigh after the 2023 season.
Dominic Rivera - OL
6-8 / 325 - Olmstead Falls, OH / Perry HS / Toledo
Rivera played the 2025 season at Toledo and spent two seasons prior at Rutgers but did not see game action. He was a four-star recruit in football coming out of Olmsted Falls High School and earned first-team all-state, all-district and all-conference honors.
Isiah Switzer – OL
6-6 / 285 - Cleveland, OH / Glenville HS / Toledo
Switzer spent the 2025 season at Toledo. He did not see game action as a freshman. Coming out of high school, was a three-star recruit by 247Sports.
DEFENSE
Desmond Aladuge – DT
6-4 / 285 - Milford, DE / Milford HS / Duke
Aladuge spent the last three seasons at Duke. He played in four games for Duke in 2025. In 2024, he appeared seven games and made seven tackles, 1.5 for a loss. Out of high school he was rated a three-star prospect by ESPN.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com. He was charted as the No. 1 prospect from the state of Delaware according to ESPN.com.
Chamberlain Campbell – DE
6-6 / 240 - St. Petersburg, FL / Lakewood HS / Toledo
Campbell played at Toledo in 2025. He appeared in 12 games for the Rockets, recording six total tackles and a sack. He spent two years at Ole Miss, played in two games and recorded a QB hurry.
Esean Carter – DT
6-2 / 285 - Detroit, MI / Martin Luther King HS / Toledo
Carter played his whole career at Toledo. In 2025 he was an All-MAC third team selection. He stared all 13 games and posted 36 tackles, 3.0 sacks, three QB hurries. In his career with the Rockets he appeared in 40 games, posting 58 total tackles and 5.0 sacks.
Avery Dunn – DL
6-4 / 250 - Shaker Heights, OH / Shaker Heights HS / Toledo
Dunn played at Toledo in 2025. He played in 11 games and finished with 14 total tackles and a sack on the season. He transferred in from Michigan State where he played three seasons. He had 28 tackles and 3.0 sacks in nine games 2022 and 12 tackles and three QB hurries in 10 games in 2023 He played in only one game in 2024 due to injuries.
Melvin Hills III – DL
6-3 / 302 - New Iberia, LA / Lafayette Christian Academy / Texas
Hills played the last two seasons at Texas. In 2025 he appeared in four games after not seeing game action as a freshman in 2024. Out of high school he was a two-time all-state honoree. He was rated No. 62 among defensive linemen and No. 17 overall in the state of Louisiana by On3, ranked No. 38 among defensive linemen and No. 15 overall in the state of Louisiana by Rivals and rated No. 92 among defensive linemen and No. 26 overall in the state of Louisiana by 247Sports. He was ranked No. 37 among defensive linemen and No. 15 overall in the state of Louisiana by ESPN.
Mateo Kipke - EDGE
6-5 / 240 - Dexter, MI / Dexter HS
Kipke led Dexter High School to its first-ever state championship game appearance during his senior season in 2025, recording 59 tackles, 38 pressures, 9.0 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. He served as a three-year defensive line starter and two-way player during his senior season. He had more than 13 Division I offers
Makijah Latiker – EDGE
6-6 / 250 - Fayetteville, NC / Trinity Christian School
Latiker was a three-year starter on the defensive line and a two-way player as a senior at Trinity Christian School. He recorded 37 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and three sacks in his final season with the school. He was named to the All-Conference Second Team in his first two years and made it to the All-Conference First Team in his final two.
Andrew Laurich – DL
6-3 / 295 - Yorkville, IL / Yorkville HS / Colorado State
Laurich spent the last three seasons at Colorado State. He played in 10 games in 2025, posting 30 total tackles with 1.0 for a loss. In 2024, he played in all 13 games and had seven tackles and 2.4 tackles for loss.
Anas Luqman – DL
6-4 / 260 - Cincinnati, OH / Princeton (OH) HS / Ohio
Luqman played at Ohio in 2025. He appeared in all 13 games and finished the year with 34 total tackles, 9.0 for a loss and 4.0 sacks. He had six QB hurries. Was a Arkansas Pine Bluff prior and appeared in 26 games in three seasons. Had 33 total tackles and 2.0 sacks in 2024
Joshua Mickens – DE
6-3 / 250 - Indianapolis, IN / Lawrence Central HS / Ohio State
Mickens spent the last three seasons at Ohio State. In 2025 he appeared in seven games and had three total tackles. In his time with the Buckeyes, played in 12 games with six total tackles and a sack. He is a two-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and an Academic All-Big Ten Conference honoree. Coming out of high school he was a top-150 prospect who was the No. 1-rated player in the state of Indiana as a senior in 2022.
Tahjae Mullix – DL
6-0 / 282 - Covington, GA / Newton HS / Oregon State
Mullix played at Oregon State in 2025. He appeared in four games making six tackles, 2.5 for loss, and a sack. He spent two seasons Western Carolina, appearing in 22 games, making 49 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, with 1.5 sacks. His freshman season was at Western Illinois, playing in eight games with 10 tackles, three for loss and half sack.
Odera Orizu – DE
6-4 / 256 - Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian HS / NC State
Played at NC State for three seasons but did not see game action. Coming out of high school at Charlotte Christian, had 43 tackles and two sacks his senior season.
Shamar Riser-Pressley – EDGE
6-6 / 271 - Detroit, MI / Clintondale HS / Buffalo
Riser-Pressley spent the last two seasons at Buffalo. In 2025 he appeared in 11 games and recorded three tackles. He appeared in two games in his freshman season.
Terris Dudley – LB
6-3 / 200 - Hilliard OH / Hilliard Bradley HS / NC State
Dudley played at NC State in 2025 but did not see game action. Coming out of high school, was a three star prospect ranked as the nation's No. 93 linebacker and the 43rd-ranked player in Ohio by 247Sports. He totaled 176 tackles, three interceptions, 15 pass breakups and four sacks and was n all-state, all-district, and all-conference player at Hilliard Bradley High School.
Jayden Jones – LB
6-2 / 210 - Millville, NJ/Millville HS
Jones finished his senior year at Millville High School with 29 tackles, eight sacks, to go along with four tackles for a loss and an interception. As a junior, had65 tackles, six sacks, 14 tackles for loss. A three-star recruit by 247Sports.
John Lista – LB
6-2 / 220 - Fair Haven, NJ / Rumson-Fair Haven HS / Penn
Lista spent the last four seasons at Penn. In 2025 he played nine games and finished with 78 tackles (47 solo tackles), adding six tackles for loss and two sacks. He had five hurries, five pass breakups and one fumble recovered. Over his Penn career he played in 26 games, totalling 183 tackles, 14.5 for loss, with seven sacks.
Luke Murphy – LB
6-3 / 235 - Massilon, OH / Massilon Washington HS / Coastal Carolina
Murphy played at Coastal Carolina in 2025. He appeared in 12 games and made 37 tackles and four tackles for loss. He also played at Washington, Eastern Michigan and Kent State. At Eastern Michigan in 2024, he played in 12 games with 94 tackles.
Zakaih Saez – LB
6-4 / 230 - Lake Worth, FL / Saint Thomas Aquinas / Oregon State
Saez spent the last three seasons at Oregon State. In 2025 he played in nine games recording 13 tackles, a sack and two pass break-ups. In 2024 he had 24 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, a sack, an interception, two QB hurries and a fumble recovery in nine games.
K'Von Sherman - LB
6-2 / 236 - Pearland, TX / Pearland HS / Toledo
Sherman played the last two seasons at Toledo. In 2025 he was a first-team All-MAC selection after leading the team with 94 tackles and 14.5 TFLs. He had 4.5 sacks and six QB hurries as well. In 2024, he played in 13 games and finished with 11 total tackles. He went to Toledo from Hutchinson CC.
Rickey Williams – LB
6-2 / 230 - Akron, OH / Archbishop Hoban HS / Toledo
Williams played at Toledo in 2025. He saw action in all 13 games and posted 14 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss. He transferred in from West Virginia. As a freshman for the Mountaineers he played in three games. Coming out of high school, he was rated a three-star prospect according to ESPN, 247Sports, On3 and Rivals...ESPN listed him as the No. 40 linebacker nationally and the No. 34 player in Ohio
Shmar Akande – CB
6-1 / 180 - Pembroke Pines, FL / West Broward HS
Shmar was ranked as the No. 67 cornerback in the country and the No. 63 player in Florida's 2026 class by Rivals. He is listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports. Akande played three varsity years at West Broward High School, tallying 63 tackles, 39 pass deflections, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
CJ Bell, Jr. – DB
6-1 / 186 - Mansfield, MA / Mansfield HS / Iowa
Bell played the 2025 season at Iowa. He appeared in one game as a freshman. Coming out of high school he was an All-MIAA first-team defense and team captain sophomore year… first-team all-league as a junior.
Jayden Davis – DB
6-1 / 192 - Fresno, CA / Bullard HS / Fresno State
Davis played four seasons at Fresno State. In 2025 he appeared in all 12 games and had 37 tackles (24 solo) … added 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, one interception, and two quarterback hurries. Over his career in Fresno, he appeared in 33 games and made 92 total tackles, 3.0 for loss, with one sack, two interceptions and four pass break-ups.
Renick Dorilas – DB
5-11 / 168 - Newark, NJ / Don Bosco Prep / Rutgers
Dorilas played the 2025 season at Rutgers. He played in one game as a freshman. Coming out of high school at Don Bosco Prep, he was a four-star signee and No. 7 overall player in New Jersey by Rivals.
Moussa Kane – DB
6-1 / 195 - Harlem, NY / Blair Academy / Duke
Kane played the last three seasons at Duke. In 2025, Kane played in 10 games and recorded 17 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, two INTs and one fumble recovery. Over his three seasons, he appeared in 18 games and made 21 total tackles with two career interceptions.
Tyler McKinstry – CB
5-9 / 182 - Atlanta, GA / Westlake HS / Toledo
McKinstry played the last two seasons at Toledo. In 2025 he played in 13 games and made six total tackles. In 2024, played in 10 games primarily on special teams and make three tackles. Coming out of high school, he was Three-star prospect, according to 247 Sports and named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's All-Region team as a return specialist.
Stephen Miller - S
6-1 / 185 - Greensboro, GA / Greene County HS / USC
Miller played the 2025 season at USC. He played in one game and registered a tackle. Coming out of high school, Miller was a three-star recruit, is rated as the No. 38 player is the state of Georgia by Rivals, No. 64 by On3, No. 67 by 247Sports and No. 69 by ESPN. He is touted as the No. 22 safety in the nation by Rivals, No. 39 by ESPN, No. 43 by 247Sports and No. 46 by On3.
Braedyn Moore – DB
6-2 / 204 - Hamilton, OH / Stephen T. Badin HS / Toledo
Moore played the 2025 season at Toledo. He played in all 13 games and recorded six tackles. He transferred in from Wisconsin after two seasons. He played in seven games in 2024, garnering two tackles and recovering one fumble. He played four games on special teams as a true freshman in 2023.
Jayden Price – S
6-3 / 185 - Seven Fields, PA / Seneca Valley HS / Toledo
Price was at Toledo in 2025 as a freshman. He played in two games for the Rockets and recorded one tackle. Coming out of high school, he was a two-time WPIAL First-Team selection at Seneca Valley and listed as a three-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports.
Tracy Revels – DB
6-1 / 184 - Texarkana, TX / Liberty-Eylau HS / Michigan State
Revels played at Michigan State in 2025 but did not see game action. He was a transfer from Bowling Green. In 2024, he played in 12 games, starting the last seven games at safety. He recorded 40 tackles (17 solo, 23 assists) and one pass break-up.
Zion Paret – DB
6-0 / 180 - Miami, FL / Miami Central HS / Florida Atlantic
Paret played at Florida Atlantic in 2025 as a freshman. He played in 11 games and finished with 16 total tackles, nine solo, and a pass break-up. Coming out of high school, he was invited to the Broward County All-Star Game and was rated as the 141st best CB prospect nationally.
Elijah Whitaker – CB
6-0 / 175 - Griffin, GA / Spalding HS
Spalding is a three-star recruit by 247Sports from Spalding High School. He was a two-time first team All-Region player and helped Spalding to a 12-1 record. He was invited to the Georgia Junior Bowl.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Mike Baker – K
5-9 / 185 - Wilmette, IL / Loyola Academy / Ole Miss
Played at Ole' Miss in 2025. He played in three games as the Rebels' backup kicker and was a perfect 3-for-3 on PATs. He tallied five kickoffs on the season with one touchback. As a freshman in 2024, he played in three total games and was redshirted, handling two kickoffs and one extra point.
Tommy Warner - P
6-3 / 199 - Melbourne, Australia/Caulfield Grammer School/NW Missouri State
Warner played at Northwest Missouri State in 2025. He played in 12 games and was an honorable mention All-MIAA selection. He led team with 47 punts for 1,887 yards and pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 14 times. He had a season long punt of 57 yards against Central Oklahoma.
David LaGanga – LS
6-0 / 212 - Staten Island, NY / Xavierian HS / Kentucky
LaGanga played at Kentucky in 2025 and played in one game. He transferred to Kentucky from Lehigh where he played in 24 career games. He was named Third Team Patriot League All-Conference (2024) and First Team Patriot League All-Conference (2023).
