America East Men’s Basketball: Maine Black Bears Add 8 Newcomers Ahead of 2026–27 Season

The Maine Black Bears welcome eight new players to the program for the 2026-27 season. Three are freshmen, and five arrive via the transfer portal. Here is a look at the newest additions and key roster updates for Maine:

Villiam Garcia Adsten is a 6-foot-8 guard/forward who brings prior NCAA experience from Pacific and Drexel University, having appeared in 85 combined games between the two programs. Last season at Drexel, Adsten averaged 3.5 points and 3.8 rebounds while collecting 14 steals and 11 blocks. Off the court, he was named to the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll.

DeAndre Williams is a 6-foot-3 guard who joins the Black Bears after three seasons with Holy Cross in the Patriot League. Across 94 career games with the Crusaders, Williams averaged 6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. Last season, he posted a career-high 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting a career-best 31.1% from 3-point range.

Darius Lopes is a 6-foot-4 guard looking to re-establish himself after injury setbacks kept him off the floor during both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. A former two-time state champion at Vermont Academy, Lopes adds depth and athleticism to Maine’s backcourt.

Oliver Faubert is a 6-foot-9 forward who spent last season at Saint Mary’s College, where he made 11 appearances and scored his first collegiate point on November 22. Prior to college, Faubert attended Fort Erie International Academy, where he was ranked as the No. 1 prep player in Ontario, Canada. During his senior season, he averaged 12 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while knocking down 64.3% of his 3-point attempts.

Wesley Waddles is a 6-foot-6 freshman forward from Northridge, California, who prepped at New Hampton School.

Wyatt Triestman is a 6-foot-6 forward from East Irvington, New York, who spent two seasons at Eckerd College following a one-year stint at Westchester Community College. During his tenure at Eckerd, Triestman averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and totaled 36 steals. He enjoyed a breakout campaign last year, averaging 15.1 points per game across 25 contests. The 2026-27 season marks Triestman’s first action at the Division I level.

Hudson Franz is a 6-foot-2 freshman guard hailing from Edmond, Oklahoma, who starred at Terra Verde Discovery School. In 30 games last season, Franz produced an all-around stat line, averaging 14.2 points, 4.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.9 steals per game.

Beyond the new additions, a key presence returning to the floor for Maine is Killian Gribben, a 6-foot-10 forward who was limited to just one game last season. In 2024-25, Gribben played in 32 of 34 games for the Black Bears, averaging 5.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game. His size, length, and protection around the rim will provide a major boost to the interior defense this winter.

Maine opened its season on the road against Providence. Looking ahead, the Black Bears are scheduled to play in the Lafayette Classic from November 27–29 alongside Le Moyne College, Niagara University, and host Lafayette.

Preview: We open up the 2026-27 season on Monday night against Providence!

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— Maine Men’s Basketball (@MaineMBB) November 1, 2026