March Madness kicks off today on Thursday afternoon, and while some of the biggest Pa. schools like Villanova, Pitt, Penn State and Temple aren’t dancing, there’s still plenty of Keystone State flavor.
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Below is a look at players, coaches and staffers from Pennsylvania that will vie to cut down the nets.
Missed one? Email dsostek@pennlive.com
SOUTH REGION

North Carolina assistant coach Jeff Lebo, left, and head coach Hubert Davis speak during NCAA college basketball practice in Chapel Hill, N.C., Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)AP
No. 6 OLE MISS
Mikeal Brown-Jones, F (Girard College) — Averaging 4.1 points per game after transferring from UNC Greensboro, Brown-Jones once led Girard College to a state title game, before eventually transferring to IMG Academy)
No. 7 MARQUETTE
Al Amadou, F (Chestnut Hill Academy) — The sophomore out of Philadelphia has played in 14 games this year, averaging 1.2 points per game.
Stevie Mitchell, G (Wilson) — A senior leader and defensive stalwart out of Berks County, Mitchell has had the best year of his career, averaging 10.9 points a night and a whopping 2.3 steals a night.
Royce Parham, F (North Hills) — Parham has impressed as a freshman, earning playing time in his first year averaging 5.2 points per game.
Nevada Smith, Asst. Coach (Kiski Area) — Smith has served as head coach for multiple G-League teams, but has been back in college since 2020, first with Texas and following Shaka Smart to Marquette in 2021.
No. 10 NEW MEXICO
Dave Pilipovich (Duquesne High School) — A coach for nearly 40 years, the Pittsburgh native was the head coach at Air Force for nine years, and has been on Richard Pitino’s staff at New Mexico since 2022.
No. 15 BRYANT
Phil Martelli Jr., Head Coach (St. Joe’s Prep) — The son of the legendary St. Joe’s coach, Martelli Jr., at 43, has taken Bryant to the tournament in his second season at the helm after stops at Delaware, Niagara, Manhattan and Central Connecticut.
Ryan Daly, Asst. Coach (Archbishop Carroll) — The former St. Joe’s superstar is a rising name in the coaching ranks, as the former Radnor area standout should continue to see his stock soar.
No. 11 UNC
Jeff Lebo, Asst. Coach (Carlisle) — The former all-state Herd star has been an assistant at his alma mater since 2021 after head coaching stops at Auburn and East Carolina.
No. 12 YALE
Abby Quinn, Director of Sports Performance and Student-Athlete Innovation (Villa Marie Academy) — An Erie native, Quinn has been with Yale since 2020 and promoted into her current role in 2024
No. 16 SAINT FRANCIS (PA)
Blaze Angellotti, G (Bald Eagle) — Angellotti has appeared in four games this year, averaging 0.3 ppg.
Ryen Gresko, G (Penn Manor) — The Lancaster native has appeared in one game this year as a sophomore
Daemar Kelly, G (Penn Hills) — After transferring from Quinnipiac, the WPIAL star is averaging 8.2 points and 3.3 rebounds, starting every game for the Red Flash.
Rob Krimmel, Head Coach (State College) — A State College grad and St. Francis alum as a player, Krimmel has led the Red Flash to the tournament for the first time after winning the NEC Tournament.
Gestin Liberis, F (The George School) — In his second season with the Red Flash, the Havertown native is averaging 5.8 points and 3.7 rebounds, starting three games.
Luke McConnell, Asst. Coach (Bishop Guilfoyle) — A part of the famed McConnell basketball family, Luke actually played football at St. Francis before joining the basketball staff.
Chris Moncrief, F (Kiski School) — After starting his career at Evansville, the Turtle Creek local averages 6.1 points, starting 10 games for St. Francis.
Carson Rhodes, G (Hollidaysburg Area) — The freshman has appeared in three games, averaging 0.7 points and 1.0 rebounds.
Bobby Rosenberger, G (Perkiomen School) — Rosenberg, hailing from Quakertown, is averaging 8.5 points a night in his sophomore season, starting 23 games.
Brendan Scanlon, G (Saint Joseph’s Academy) — The State College native and senior guard has appeared in one game this season, scoring six points.
Ace Talbert, G (Scotland Campus) — The NY native who briefly attended prep school in Franklin County, Pa. is out for the season after averaging 10.2 points a night in five games.
Trey Weiand, G (Trinity) — After switching from football to basketball, Weiand has averaged 3.0 points per game in three games of action this year.
WEST REGION

Florida forward Thomas Haugh (10) slam dunks the ball against Auburn during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP
No. 1 FLORIDA
Thomas Haugh, F/C (New Oxford/Perkiomen School) — Haugh played two years at New Oxford before going the prep route, and has been a key player in two years at Florida, averaging 9.4 points and 6.0 rebounds to go with 2.1 assists for the top-seeded Gators.
Kevin Hovde, Asst. Coach (Uniontown) — After walking on as a player at Richmond, Hovde has had stops at Columbia, San Francisco and Richmond before joining Todd Golden in Gainesville in 2022.
No. 4 MARYLAND
Malachi Palmer, G/F, (Central Dauphin) — The one-time Central Dauphin product who transferred to prep school has appeared in 20 games this season for Maryland, averaging 1.8 points per game.
No. 6 MISSOURI
Ryan Sharbaugh, Asst. Coach (Wilmington High) — Sharbaugh is in his third season under Dennis Gates at Missouri, after previous stops at Bradley and Cleveland State.
No. 8 UCONN
Ahmad Nowell, G (Imhotep) — A four-star freshman who won a state title with Imhotep, Nowell has appeared in 18 games this year for the Huskies, averaging 1.5 points per game.
No. 10 ARKANSAS
John Calipari, Head Coach (Moon Area) — The legendary head coach is a Western Pa. man through and through, as the six-time Final Four coach has Arkansas in the dance in his first season as head coach after 16 seasons at Kentucky.
Adou Thiero, F (Quaker Valley) — Thiero, who transferred with Calipari to Arkansas from Kentucky, will likely miss the opening contest, but the Western Pa. native has been tremendous this year, averaging 15.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists to go along with 1.7 steals.
No. 12 COLORADO STATE
Ethan Morton, G (Butler) — The Purdue transfer and former Western Pa. star has played in 33 games and started nine for the Rams, averaging 3.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in his fifth season of college.
No. 13 GRAND CANYON
Braylon Johnson, F (Moon) — Johnson, the brother of NBA star Cam Johnson and Penn State wing Puff Johnson, left Pa. when his brother was drafted, but still hails from Moon originally. He has not played in his freshman campaign.
No. 14 UNC WILMINGTON
Kurt Kanaskie, Asst. Coach (Cumberland Valley) — The one-time all-state Cumberland Valley Eagle and head coach at Drake, IUP and Lock Haven has been at UNC Wilmington since 2020 working with Takayo Siddle.
No. 16 NORFOLK STATE
Tyrel Bladen, F (Coatesville) — The senior has played six seasons of college hoops between the Spartans and Rider, and is averaging 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds this year, starting 11 games.
Christian Ings, G (Neumann-Goretti) — The sixth-year senior has been with Bladen throughout their careers, and has started 31 of 32 games this season, averaging 11.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
EAST REGION

Boys Basketball Defense - Elijah Espinosa, Red Land. April 23, 2024. Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.comSean Simmers
No. 4 ARIZONA
Justin Kokoskie, Assc. Director of Medical Services (West Allegheny) — Hailed by many as one of the best athletic trainers in the country, the Pitt grad and Western Pa. native
No. 5 OREGON
Scott McByrne, Asst. Director of Operations (Council Rock South) — A Newtown, Pa. native, McByrne spent 10 seasons as a video coordinator for Utah before joining the Ducks in 2021.
No. 6 BYU
John Linehan, Asst. Coach (Chester) — The former Providence point guard was a star at Chester, leading his team to a state title in 1994.
No. 8 MISSISSIPPI STATE
David Anwar, Asst. Coach (Abington Friends) — A Philadelphia native, Anwar has also coached at New Mexico State, North Texas, Nebraska and UTEP.
No. 9 BAYLOR
Robert Wright III, PG (Neumann-Goretti) — The 6-foot-1 guard starred at Neumann-Goretti before transferring to Monteverde, and has excelled as a freshman for the Bears, averaging 11.3 points, 4.3 assists, 21. rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.
No. 10 VANDERBILT
AJ Hoggard, PG (Archbishop Carroll) — The Coatesville native and Michigan State transfer has been a veteran presence for the Commodores, averaging 9.8 points
No. 11 VCU
Jack Clark, F (Cheltenham) — The sixth-year senior out of Cheltenham has played at La Salle, NC State and Clemson before ending up at VCU, where he’s started 34 games, averaging 9.6 point and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Christian Fermin, F (Pocono Mountain West) — The Tobyhanna native is in his third college season, averaging 4.7 points per game for the Rams.
No. 15 ROBERT MORRIS
Tanner O’Grady, G (Upper St. Clair) — O’Grady has played in four games, averaging 1.0 points per game.
Anthony Richards, Asst. Coach (New Castle) — Richards starred at Le Moyne and New Castle before heading to RMU as an assistant this summer.
Justice Williams, G (Roman Catholic) — Williams played at Roman Catholic before transferring to prep school, and returned to Pa. after transferring from LSU, averaging 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
No. 16 AMERICAN
Nate Bollinger, Asst. Coach (Eastern York) — The YAIAA product and Millersville player enters his second season on Duane Simpkins' staff, after serving four seasons in William and Mary’s program as director of operations.
Matt Mayock, F (Westtown School) — The 6-foot-7 sophomore out of Berwyn has started 18 games for the Eagles this year, averaging 7.2 points per night to go along with 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
No. 16 MOUNT ST. MARY’S
Elijah Espinosa, F/C (Red Land) — The shot-blocking big man out of Lewisberry was a late commit to the Mount last year, but has yet to register a game in his freshman season.
Patrick Haigh, G (Bishop Guilfoyle) — The sophomore from Altoona has appeared in 17 games this season, averaging 2.0 points a night. He scored eight points in the team’s MAAC semifinal win over Merrimack.
MIDWEST

Syracuse Orange guard Quadir Copeland (24) underhands a shot for two points. The Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team take on the Virginia Tech Hokies at the JMA Wireless Dome Feb. 25, 2024. (Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com)dnett@syracuse.com
No. 2 TENNESSEE
Darlinstone Dubar, F (Scotland Campus) — A Charlotte native that played at Scotland Campus, Dubar averages 3.6 points per night for the No. 2 seed Vols after transferring from Hofstra.
No. 3 KENTUCKY
Andrew Carr, C (West Chester East) — A Delaware and Wake Forest transfer, the West Chester native big man is a top-notch stretch big, starting 26 games for the Wildcats and averaging 10.5 points, 4.8 assists and 1.7 assists a night.
No. 5 CLEMSON
Jaeden Zackery, PG (Scotland Campus) — Zackery is from Wisconsin, but spent some time in Franklin County at Scotland. After transferring from Boston College, Zackery has been terrific, averaging 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
No. 6 ILLINOIS
Will Riley, F (Phelps School) — Riley is from Canada, but played his prep school ball at the Phelps school. The freshman five-star has shined off the bench so far for the Illini, averaging 12.5 points per game off the bench.
No. 11 XAVIER
Sean Miller, Head Coach (Blackhawk) — The highly-accomplished coach is a Western Pa. legend, leading Blackhawk to a state title before embarking on a strong playing career at Pitt and coaching career that took him to Arizona and back to Xavier.
No. 12 MCNEESE STATE
Quadir Copeland, G (Gettysburg) — Copeland played at Gettysburg High School before transferring to IMG Academy, and now is in his first season at McNeese after playing two years at Syracuse. He’s thrived, averaging 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Cowboys.
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