Philly’s colleges are bringing in a slew of talented athletes. Here are a few names to know.
From football to basketball, we round up some of the notable names slated to play for area colleges this school year and beyond.
![Mac Etienne (right) seen here battling with Villanova's Eric Dixon last season, will do so again as a member of La Salle’s squad this season.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/vCq38irIDdaGVT35Ys4llb-U9XY=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/DP2VAZDLWNEAJI266S42F7CXA4.jpg)
Talent abounds on the Philadelphia area’s college teams as a wealth of top recruits and transfers have committed ahead of the 2024-25 season. Several more have committed for the following school year.
Between basketball and football, dozens of new players are slated to be on rosters across all six Division I schools, men and women. This is not a complete list (for example, La Salle’s women’s basketball team added 13 players this offseason) but instead, a short list of the new names you need to know and what they bring to the table.
» READ MORE: Villanova receives commitment from Alabama transfer Kris Parker
Christian Tomasco, Temple basketball
Tomasco, a 6-foot-9 redshirt junior forward from Moorestown, committed to Temple in June as a transfer from Hofstra. In high school at Archbishop Ryan, Tomasco was an all-state and all-Catholic League selection but played just 17 games for the Pride.
Jahlil White, La Salle basketball
On paper, White is a major pickup for the Explorers, especially with the loss of several key players this offseason, namely Khalil Brantley and Jhamir Brickus, the latter of whom transferred to Villanova. White, a graduate student, is headed to the Explorers after spending three seasons at Temple, where he was the 2021-22 Big 5 rookie of the year and a three-time Big 5 player of the week. Last season at Temple, White collected 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Mohamed Keita, Temple basketball
Temple added some height to its roster in June with the addition of 7-1 center Keita, a transfer from Tulsa. The stop is Keita’s third; before Tulsa, the Guinea native played as a freshman at St. John’s. He also represented his country internationally, participating in the 2018 FIBA U18 African Championships. His size is imposing, but for the Golden Hurricane last season, Keita averaged just 1.1 points and 1.5 rebounds.
Aleksandar Gavalyugov, Villanova basketball
Gavalyugov is a 6-2 Bulgarian point guard who committed to the Wildcats in June, following an impressive showing at the Adidas EuroCamp. He’s been a standout as well on the international level, playing on the FIBA youth circuits and taking part in the NBA’s Global Academy in Australia. Gavalyugov is eligible right away and could crack coach Kyle Neptune’s starting five this season.
Mac Etienne, La Salle basketball
The 6-10 Etienne, a former top-100 recruit who started his college career at UCLA, heads to Olney coming off two seasons at DePaul. Many are hoping this could be a breakout year for the highly touted transfer, who struggled to find minutes and points at UCLA and DePaul.
Dylan Williams, Penn basketball
Williams, a juco star who led Triton College (Ill.) to the national championship game last season, comes to Penn averaging 15 points and 5.4 assists. The 5-11, 175-pound Williams can spread the floor and was a 40.3% shooter from three-point range. Penn coach Steve Donahue told the team’s website that he thinks Penn “fans will really like what they see when Dylan takes the floor.”
Commitments for 2025
Camren Boykin, Temple football
Boykin, a 6-3 senior quarterback for the Maret School in Washington, highlights Temple’s 2025 football commitments as a pro-style quarterback who chose the Owls over likes of Georgetown, Coastal Carolina, Cornell, and Penn. Boykin enters his senior season looking to improve on a junior campaign that saw him throw for 1,810 yards and 19 touchdowns with just five interceptions.
Jamarcus Pierre, Temple football
Pierre is a 5-10 defensive back who committed to the Owls in June over Alabama State, Bryant, Central Michigan, and Eastern Kentucky, among others. Pierre will play his senior year at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Joseph (Jojo) Troupe, Temple football
Troupe, a 5-9, 200-pound running back, announced his commitment to the Owls at the end of June. The three-star recruit from Tampa, Fla., chose Temple over a number of top FBS programs, including Syracuse, James Madison, Boston College, and South Florida.
Owen Verna, St. Joseph’s basketball
The 6-3 guard chose the Hawks over Penn and others, committing to leaving sunny California upon graduating from Mater Dei High School to battle for time on Hawk Hill. Verna told City of Basketball Love that he grew up a Villanova fan, watching the likes of guard Ryan Arcidiacono and others.
Kennedy Henry, Villanova women’s basketball
Henry, a 6-foot guard who transferred to Westtown School from New Jersey’s Blair Academy, announced her commitment to a Wildcats program coming off a championship appearance in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament. Henry is a four-star recruit, according to ESPN, and announced her commitment to Villanova’s 2025 class over Virginia Tech and others.
Adeyeye Adebawore, Penn football
Adebawore, a 6-2, 265-pound defensive lineman from North Kansas City High School, is the brother of Indianapolis Colts lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore. But the younger brother is a beast in his own right, one who was recruited by several programs, including Army, Air Force, and Cornell.