University of Dayton Men’s Basketball Adds Seven to 2026-27 Roster

Photo via daytonmbb Instagram

Gabriel Ward | Sports Editor

DAYTON, Ohio – The University of Dayton men’s basketball team has added four players to its roster over the weekend. Travis Perry, Jalen Haynes, Tristian Ford and Zaide Lowery all announced their transfer commitment to Dayton. The four transfers will also be joined by the incoming high-school class, which includes four-star recruits Aiden Derkack and Cody Peck, as well as three-star recruit Julian Washington.

Incoming Flyers

Julian Washington, Guard, Margaretta (H.S.)

Washington was named to the OHSAA Division V All-Ohio First Team and also took home MVP of the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star game. Washington is a player who can both shoot and get to the rim. In his senior year with the Polar Bears, Washington averaged 23.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. 

Aiden Derkack, Guard, SPIRE Academy (H.S.)

Aiden, the younger brother of former Flyer Jordan Derkack, is a top-75 recruit and the second-highest UD commit in the 247Sports era (DaRon Holmes). Derkack was a former Providence commit but flipped to Dayton after the Friars and coach Kim English parted ways. Derkack plays to get his teammates involved while also being a lockdown defender. Although not a score-first guard, Derkack has found success attacking from the wing. 

Cody Peck, Center, Davidson Day (H.S.)

Peck, a top-100 recruit, is the fifth-highest UD commit in the 247Sports era. Peck has family ties to Anthony Grant, as his father played at Marshall while coach Grant was an assistant for the Thundering Herd. A player with an explosive first step who can finish above the rim, Peck’s game also extends beyond the three-point line. 

Travis Perry, Guard, Ole Miss

Last season for the Rebels, Perry averaged 5.3 points, 1.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game on 34.3% shooting. In an SEC Tournament game against Georgia, Perry scored 16 points on 4-9 shooting; 12 of his 16 points came from beyond the three-point line. Perry loves to shoot the three-ball as he averages just under four attempts per game.

Jalen Haynes, Forward, Cincinnati (George Mason)

Haynes missed the entirety of last season for the Bearcats after having knee surgery in October. Prior to joining the Bearcats, Haynes was an All-A10 selection for George Mason and averaged 14.1 points, six rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Dayton fans should be familiar with Haynes’ game, in 2025 Haynes scored 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting to lead the Patriots to a 67-59 victory in UD Arena en route to a share of the Atlantic 10 regular season title.

Tristian Ford, Guard, Murray State

Ford is the most unknown of all the incoming Flyers, as he redshirted his freshman season at Murray State. Out of high school, Ford was a three-star prospect. In the 2023-24 high school season, Ford averaged 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game.

Zaide Lowery, Guard, Marquette

Lowery was at Marquette for two full seasons, showing signs of development. But during this past season, he left the team after playing in 11 games. In a press conference, Marquette coach Shaka Smart stated, “It was something that we spent a lot of time talking really, over the last few weeks. And ultimately, stuff like this is never an easy decision. But it became clear that it was the best thing for him and the best thing for the program.” Prior to stepping away, Lowery was averaging 8.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Lowery has faced the Flyers twice before, with UD winning both. In Dayton’s 2024 upset over the No. 6-ranked Golden Eagles, Lowery played 19 minutes, scoring two points. In the Flyers’ win over Marquette this past season, Lowery had 10 points, 3 steals, 3 rebounds and an assist. 

Along with the incoming class, Amaël L’Etang, Jaiun Simon, Malcolm Thomas and Damon Friery announced their return to UD. While Bryce Heard, Sean Pouedet and De’Shayne Montgomery have entered the transfer portal.