Almost immediately following the announcements of Justyn Fernandez & Bryce Hopkins entering the Transfer Portal, the Friars two All-Big East Freshmen team members, Ryan Mela and Oswin Erhunmwunse announced that they will be returning to Friartown for their Sophomore seasons. Despite the Providence coaching staff missing on the majority of their incoming transfers from this past season, they did manage to hit on both of members of their 2024-2025 recruitment class.

Mela and Oswin were the two cornerstone players from the 2024-2025 team that fans were eager to see return next season, and having their commitments announced so early is a huge relief. With their decisions locked in, the coaching staff can now focus on building around them—alongside incoming freshmen Jaylen Harrell and Jamier Jones—and assessing potential transfer additions. This clarity also gives prospective transfers a better picture of the team they’d be joining. All in all, it’s a win for everyone involved.

Let’s Go!