Marquette Crusaders Prepare for 2025-26 Season Amid Key Injuries

The Marquette Crusaders boys basketball team is gearing up for the 2025-26 season with a roster that combines experience, size, and talent. However, they will face significant challenges early on, as two key returning senior starters, Alec Novotney and Matt Graham, will not be available for at least the first couple of months due to injuries.

Head coach Todd Hopkins, who holds a commendable record of 178 wins to 90 losses over more than nine seasons, expressed optimism despite the setbacks. “We’ll have some size which will help, and we’ll have some experience back as well,” he stated. Novotney is recovering from left shoulder surgery and is expected to return around mid-January. Graham is sidelined with an unclear timeline for recovery from a shoulder injury sustained during football season.

Novotney was a significant contributor last season, averaging 20.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 3.4 steals per game. His accolades include selections to the Husker Hardcourt Tip-Off, Shipyard Showdown, and Tri-County Conference (TCC) all-tournament teams. He also became the seventh player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points in January 2025, earning a first-team TCC selection and an IBCA Class 1A special mention.

Despite the absence of Novotney and Graham, Marquette retains several key players, including junior guard Griffin Dobberstein and junior forward Lucas Craig. Dobberstein, who averaged 11.7 points and earned honorable mention in the Times All-Area selections, is expected to step up significantly. “Griffin can score when needed; he can shoot from the outside or take it to the rim,” Hopkins noted.

Craig, standing at 6-foot-3, has reportedly improved his mid-range shooting and physical play during practices. “He’s come into this season with a lot more confidence in his abilities,” Hopkins added.

Alongside Dobberstein and Craig, the Crusaders will rely on junior guards Easton DeBernardi, Braxton Nelle, Ben Walker, and Caden Durdan, as well as sophomore guards Nehemiyah Thomas and Sawyer Ernat. Forwards Connor Baker, Luke McCullough, and Blayden Cassel will also play crucial roles in filling the void left by the injured starters.

“This group went through some growing pains last season,” said Hopkins. “Hopefully they can use those experiences this year, especially in the first two months without Alec and maybe Matt.” He emphasized the need for players like McCullough and Cassel to perform like upperclassmen and for the entire team to elevate their game.

With last season’s overall record of 17-16 and a TCC record of 6-3, the Crusaders are determined to improve. “One thing we had last year was toughness in down low from graduated forward Jaxon Rix, that ‘don’t mess with my guys’ type of player. We need some guys to step into that role as well,” Hopkins remarked.

The Marquette Crusaders will kick off their season on November 14, 2025, facing Earlville at the Huskers Hardwood Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Serena. The team will also begin their home and TCC season on December 2, 2025, against DePue. As they navigate the early part of the season, the Crusaders will aim to harness their collective strength and resilience to overcome the absence of their key players.