Season Preview: Men's Basketball

About The 2025-26 Cardinals 

2024-25 Season In Review: The Cardinals had just their second losing season in the last 40 years, finishing 8-17 overall and 3-13 in Empire 8 Conference play. The highlight of the season came on Dec. 30, when the Cardinals knocked off an unbeaten (9-0) RPI team 74-62 at Manning & Napier Varsity Gym behind a career-high 25 points from senior guard Cole Thompson, who shot 10 of 16 overall and 5 of 9 from 3-point range. 

Head Coach: Mike Grosodonia II (9th season at St. John Fisher)

Assistant Coaches: Tony Leonardo, Shawn Sullivan, Lou Gallo, Clay Pittinaro, Garrison Knapp and Mark Bruce. 

2024-25 Graduated Players: Connor Williams (F/C), Eric Kegler (F) and Cole Thompson (G)

2024-25 Statistical Leaders: Points (Kegler, 14.9 pg), FG% min 90 att. (Max Michalski, 58.2%), 3-point pct. (Thompson, 35.8%), Free-Throw pct. (Kegler, 78.1%), Rebounds (Williams, 7.0 pg), Assists (Kegler, 77), Steals (Max Schneider, 31), Blocks (Kegler, 22)

2025-26 Returning Players: Christian Daley (Gr. Sr., G, Dix Hills, NY), Frederick Graewert (So., G, Tirano, Italy), Ryan McCarthy (So., G, Bourne, Mass.), Jack Janes (So., G, Attica, NY), Andrew Violante (So., G, Somers, NY), Giovanni Schillaci (Jr., G, Penfield, NY), Louis Fay (Sr., F, Wellesley, Mass.), Alex Girich (So., F, Lansing, NY), Jonathan McCaffrey (Jr., G, Webster, NY), Max Michalski (So., F/C, Pittsford, NY)

2025-26 Freshmen: Mekhi Gidney (G, Buffalo, NY), Carson Kwiatkowski (G, Allegany, NY), Kurt Redeker (G, Bernardston, Mass), Griffen Hopkins (G, Farmington, NY)

Other New Varsity Players: Alex Hayes (So. G, Buffalo, NY), Kyle Proper (So. G, Moravia, NY), Shawn Minnehan (Sr. G, Livonia, NY)

About Head Coach Mike Grosodonia II

 The St. John Fisher men’s basketball program has remained one of the most consistent in Division III under Mike Grosodonia II, who became the fourth head coach of the Cardinals in October 2017. The Cardinals have won the Empire 8 Conference championship and appeared in the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament twice under his direction. 

Fisher has won at least 15 games and posted a winning record in all but one of Grosodonia’s eight seasons. He owns a 129-72 overall record with an 87-35 mark in Empire 8 regular-season play entering the 2025-26 season.

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Players To Watch

#1 Max Schneider (Sr., G) – Schneider played and started in 25 games last season and averaged a career-best 6.1 points while shooting 40.7% from the field. He led the Cardinals with 31 steals and finished second on the team with 68 assists. 

#11 Andrew Violante (So., G) – Violante played in 25 games and made one start as a freshman last season. He scored a season-high 20 points while shooting 7 of 9 from the field and 5 of 7 from the foul line against SUNY Poly on Feb. 1. 

#20 Louis Fay (Sr., F) – Fay played in 24 games and made 10 starts last season. He led the Cardinals with 42 offensive rebounds and averaged 4.3 points per game, a career-high. Fay scored a career-best 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds against Geneseo on Feb. 7. 

#22 Jonathan McCaffrey (Jr., G) – McCaffrey logged minutes in 19 games and started twice. He had a career-high 14 points while shooting 5 of 5 from the field and 4 of 4 from the foul line in a win over Hartwick on Feb. 14. 

#32 Maximus Michalski (So., F) – Michalski averaged 5.9 points and four rebounds while playing in 23 games with nine starts as a freshman. The 6-foot-5 forward scored in double figures three times in Empire 8 play and earned Empire 8 Rookie of the Week honors after posting 15 points and 10 rebounds as part of his first collegiate double-double against Nazareth on Jan. 25. Michalski finished second on the team with 18 blocked shots.