As the leaves begin to turn and the air cools, it can only mean one thing — basketball season is back. Raider Arena is gearing up for its 15th year of men’s and women’s hoops as Northwest Florida State tips off the highly anticipated 2025-26 season with the Raider Classic, set for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
The defending National Champion Raider Women return after a dominant 2024-25 campaign that saw them claim their third national title in five years, capture a seventh straight Panhandle Conference Championship, and set a program record with 32 wins.
On the men’s side, Coach Steve DeMeo and the Raiders are hungry for redemption after missing the postseason last year. With renewed energy and a reloaded roster, the men’s team looks to chase their 17th conference championship and make another run to Hutchinson, Kansas.
Raider Classic Schedule
The action tips off Halloween Day with a 3:00 p.m. men’s matchup between East Mississippi and Baton Rouge. The Raider Women begin their title defense at 5:00 p.m. against Volunteer State, followed by the Raider Men’s season opener against Southern Union at 7:00 p.m.
The excitement continues on Nov. 1, with Gulf Coast taking on Volunteer State (Women) at 1:00 p.m., followed by East Mississippi versus Southern Union (Men) at 3:00 p.m. The weekend concludes with the Raider Men facing Baton Rouge at 5:30 p.m.
General admission tickets will be FREE to the public opening weekend!
New Faces: Raider Basketball Reloads for 2025-26
Women
The defending National Champion Raiders are back and ready for another title run under Hall of Fame head coach Bart Walker. Coming off a historic 2024-25 campaign—one that delivered the program’s third national championship in five years, a seventh consecutive Panhandle Conference title, and a program-record 32 wins—the Raiders look poised for another dominant season.
This year’s roster features 14 players, with just four returners from last year’s championship squad. The remaining ten are freshmen and incoming transfers, giving the team a mix of championship experience and new energy.
Leading the returners is Kamryn Corporan, who was a key contributor off the bench last season. Corporan appeared in 28 of the Raiders’ 35 games, pacing the team in both assists (3.5) and steals (2.6) per game. Ka’Zahria Johnson and Kayla Williams also return after seeing minutes off the bench last year—Johnson even logged time in the national tournament, totaling 39 minutes. The final returner, Shakira Gresham, redshirted last season and will make her on-court debut this year.
On the sidelines, Coach Walker welcomes back assistant coach Taya Gibson and adds Matt Creamer to the staff. Creamer spent last season at South Plains College (TX) but is no stranger to the Panhandle, having coached five seasons at Chipola College (2016–2021), where he helped lead the program to an FCSAA Title and Elite Eight appearance in 2021.
Men’s Basketball
On the men’s side, the Raiders feature a completely new-look roster, returning only one player from last season: Braylon Roman. Roman started all 29 games in 2024-25, averaging 9.1 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game on his way to earning Second Team All-Conference honors.
Joining him are nine transfers and three incoming freshmen, forming a team rich in new talent and experience. Among the notable newcomers are Justin Burns and Johnny Pierce, both transferring from Panhandle Conference rivals.
Burns comes from Chipola College, where he averaged 10 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game, earning First Team All-Conference recognition. Pierce, transferring from Pensacola State, contributed 6.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in 33 appearances, helping the Pirates capture the FCSAA State Championship.
Another name to watch is Damarion “Kelly” Vann-Kelly, a sharp-shooting transfer from Northeast Oklahoma. Kelly averaged 15.8 points per game last season while shooting a blistering 49.1% from three-point range on 159 attempts—a mark that ranked ninth nationally.
With a mix of veteran leadership and fresh talent, both Raider squads are set to make noise in the 2025-26 season.
Raider Club Welcome Back
Opening weekend at Raider Arena will also be your opportunity to pick up your 2025-26 Raider Club / Champions Club passes and gifts! Pass and gift pick up will begin at 4:00 p.m. on October 31, with food and drinks being served in the Raider room during halftime of the 5:00 p.m. women’s game.
Can’t make it on opening night? No problem — you can pick up your pass and gift at any Raider Basketball event throughout the season.
