HACKENSACK, N.J. – The FDU men's basketball roster for the 2025-26 season is complete with 12 new additions. Head coach Jack Castleberry introduced the Knights' signing class in full on Tuesday morning. 
 
"I can't say enough about the job our staff has done recruiting this offseason," said Castleberry. "We had to replace a lot of talented players, and I couldn't be happier with the young men we have joining the team. We've brought in skill at every position, while adding quite a bit of height and rebounding ability. When you add these players to our returners, we have a roster of high character guys that fit the culture of our program. I am excited to work with them towards the goal of winning an NEC Championship."
 
The 2025-26 class expands the geographical footprint of FDU basketball. FDU's roster now includes players from ten different states. Currently, the only state that more than one player calls home is New York. In addition to stretching across the country, FDU's roster also circles the globe. Next year's Knights squad will feature five international players, the most foreign talent FDU has had this century.
 
Height is another highlight characteristic of this year's class. Cyril Martynov, a Canadian transfer from Eastern Kentucky, is primed to be just the Knights second 7-footer since 2008. He is joined by freshman Sebastian Haubro, a Danish big man who stands at 6'10". Castleberry and his staff also added West Virginia State's (DII) leading rebounder in 6'8" forward/center Arthur Cox, a graduate student with NCAA tournament experience. Taeshaud Jackson, a 6'6" forward who finished second in the SoCon in rebounding as a sophomore (10.2rpg), figures to be a key component of the Knights' front court as well.
 
In addition to Martynov, Cox, and Jackson This class offers significant collegiate experience. Martynov, Cox and Jackson all have multiple seasons under their belt. Noah Melson, a guard from Georgia, appeared in 55 games over two years at Chattanooga. Joey Niesman averaged double-figures and landed on an All-Defensive team after 55 games at McKendree (D2). In total, this class brings 327 NCAA games played and 161 starts to the Burgundy and Blue. Of those, 217 games and 54 starts came at the Division I level.
 
The class composes of seven guards and five frontcourt players. The number five also represents the number of freshmen in this class.
 
2025-26 FDU Signing Class
 
#0 Joey Niesman (Oswego, Ill./McKendree) – G, Graduate Student, 6'2"
 
Notes on Niesman:  

• Averaged 12.4 points per game as a senior at McKendree
• Made 52 starts in 55 games across two seasons
• Shot over 40% from three, hitting 45 threes in 2024-25
• Led the team in rebounding and dished out over two assists per game
• Snatched a McKendree program NCAA Division II-era record seven steals against Malone University on 11/09/24

#1 Kody Frey (Raleigh, N.C./Green Hope) – G, Freshman, 6'5"

Notes on Frey: 

• Named all-conference in the Tar Heel State
• Played at the AAU level for 1 of 1 Elite
• Frey's father, Kevin, was a four-year starter at Xavier – graduated in 2002
• Projected business management major at FDU
• (FDU announced his signing in November 2024)

#2 Taeshaud Jackson (Denver, Colo./Northern Colorado/VMI) – F, Senior, 6'6"
 
Notes on Jackson: 

• Made 62 appearances at VMI and played 22 games last season at Northern Colorado
• Averaged a double-double (10.6 ppg/10.4 rpg) in 31 starts as a sophomore at VMI
• Ranked 10th in the league in steals at 1.3 steals per outing at VMI in 2023-24
• Has recorded a career high 16 rebounds on two separate occasions (vs. W. Carolina 02/24/24 - vs. The Citadel 02/02/23)

#7 Eric Parnell (Melbourne, Fla./Hofstra/ Eastern Florida State) – G, Senior, 6'3"
 
Notes on Parnell: 

• Started collegiate journey at Eastern Florida State where he averaged 10.1 points over 31 games
• Shot 39.8 percent from deep and 80% from the charity stripe in his first season at the JuCo level.
• Averaged 18.8 minutes over his last five games at Hofstra, appeared in 16 overall
• Dropped 12 points on 4/7 from the field in Hofstra's regular season finale against NC A&T (03/01/25)

 
#8 Noah Melson (Douglasville, Ga./Chattanooga) – G, Junior, 6'6"
 
Notes on Melson: 

• Appeared in 55 games for the Mocs
• Drilled 45 career threes
• Connected on two or more triples in nine games 
• Averaged 13.3 minutes per game over two seasons

 
#9 Sebastian Haubro (Ballerup, Denmark/BMS Herlev Wolfpack) – F/C, Freshman, 6'10"

Notes on Haubro:

• Appeared in 25 games last season for BMS Herlev in Denmark's Basket Liagen – 1.
• Totaled 121 points and 91 rebounds
• Scored in double-figures in six games
• Previously played handball and has a profile on the European Handball Federation's website  
• Ballerup, Haubro's hometown, is located about 15 kilometers from Copenhagen

           
#22 Cyril Martynov (Barrie, Ontario, Canada/Eastern Kentucky) C, Senior, 7'0"
 
Notes on Martynov:

• Began collegiate career at Georgia Tech before spending his sophomore season at Eastern Michigan
• Has played a total of 62 games across three seasons
• Averaged 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last year at EKU
• Pulled down 12 rebounds in 18 minutes of action at Central Arkansas on 01/02/25
• At 7'0", Martynov stands just five feet shorter than "Kempenfelt Kelly" – a mythical lake monster that lives in a bay near his hometown

 
#24 Ras Elijah Godbolt (Albany, N.Y./Albany Academy) - G, Freshman, 6'1"
           
Notes on Godbolt:

• Averaged 19.3 points, 6.2 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game as a senior at Albany Academy
• Godbolt's Cadets went 22-2 and captured the New York State Association of Independent Schools tournament title
• 2025 Class AA New York State Co-Player of the Year
• 2025 Times Union Large School Player of the Year

 
#35 David Jevtic (Belgrade, Serbia/KK Kolubara Lazarevac) - G, Freshman, 6'8"
           
Notes on Jevtic:

• Averaged 9.0 points in 17 games for KK Kolubara Lazarevac in Serbia last season
• Averaged 14.6 points over the last six games
• Shot 61.8% on two-point field goal attempts and 37.3% from deep
• Team that went 22-8 in Muska Liga Srbije
• Belgrade is known as the "City of Many Names" – a reference pointed towards the fact Belgrade has changed its name over 15 times throughout history

 
#55 Arthur Cox (Fayetteville, Ark.) - F/C, Graduate Student, 6'8"
           
Notes on Cox:

• Began collegiate career at Kirkwood Community College
• Averaged 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds in two seasons at West Virginia State (55 games)
• In 2023-24 Cox's Yellow Jackets appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament
• Notched double figure scoring totals in 17 games as a senior
• Led team in rebounding in 2024-25

The following players are set to join the Knights as walk-ons.
 
#11 Tyler McQuaid (Maywood, N.J./Bergan Catholic) – G, Freshman, 6'0"
 
Notes on McQuaid: 

• Played high school basketball at Bergen Catholic, located just 4.4 miles from FDU
• Member of Non-Public A State Championship team in New Jersey
• Only player to represent New Jersey on Knights' roster

 
#21 Cole Alexander (Charleston, S.C./The Citadel), F, Graduate Student, 6'7"
 
 Notes on Alexander:

• Appeared in ten games over two seasons
• Attained an impressive GPA of 4.0 at The Citadel and was named SoCon All-Academic three times
• Plans to pursue a career in medicine

 
The 2025-26 season marks the third year of the Jack Castleberry era in Hackensack. FDU's campaign tips in Ames against Iowa State on November 3, 2025.