Men's Basketball Season of Holy Cross Draws to a Close Against Colgate, Yet a Promising Future Awaits

The Holy Cross Crusaders are gearing up for the upcoming Patriot League basketball tournaments, fresh off a four-game winning streak. The Crusaders, who are the defending champions, have been making waves in the league with their impressive performances.

In the recent past, Jack Faggiano wrote an article previewing the Patriot League basketball tournaments, highlighting the Crusaders as a team to watch. The team's current form is a testament to Faggiano's prediction.

The Crusaders' success on the court is due in large part to the stellar play of junior Caleb Kenney. Kenney, who won the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year award, averaged 6.5 rebounds per game, led the team with 2.2 blocks, and 0.8 steals per game. His defensive prowess has been instrumental in the team's victories.

Junior Caleb Kenney and sophomore Will Batchelder are expected to lead the team next season, with Batchelder showing promising signs of growth. Freshman Joe Nugent has also been a standout, shooting 40.3% from three point range, hitting 56 of them this past season.

The Crusaders' basketball team started the season on a high note, winning their first Patriot League game of the year against the Colgate Raiders. They went on to beat Georgetown on the road, Lehigh in overtime on the road, won the Turnpike Trophy at home against Boston University, Winter Homecoming against American, and their Cousy Cup game against Bucknell.

The team's most significant victory came in their first tournament game since 2019, a 84-68 road victory against Army. Joe Octave led the team with 28 points in this game.

However, the Crusaders' run came to an end in the Patriot League quarterfinals, where they lost to the Colgate Raiders with a score of 81-64. Despite this setback, the team has shown promising potential for the future.

On the football field, the Holy Cross Crusaders had a tough outing against Army, losing in a tight contest. Matthew Sluka started as the quarterback for the Crusaders in this game.

Meanwhile, the women's basketball team of Holy Cross Crusaders has already clinched a trip to the Patriot League tournament. They won the Patriot League title last season.

Dave Paulsen is the head coach of the Holy Cross Crusaders in his first season. The assistant coach who was replaced by Paulsen when he took over as head coach is not explicitly named in the search results. However, Bryson Johnson is identified as the associate head coach in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, and Paulsen is the head coach as of 2025, indicating Johnson is part of the current staff but does not specify who he replaced.

Ben Kuchipudi '25 wrote an article about the Holy Cross Crusaders' victory over the Colgate Raiders. The Crusaders finished the season with a record of 10-22 and 6-12 in Patriot League play, placing ninth.

As the Patriot League basketball tournaments approach, the Holy Cross Crusaders will be looking to build on their recent success and make a run for the title once again.

Men's Basketball Season of Holy Cross Draws to a Close Against Colgate, Yet a Promising Future Awaits