The University of the Virgin Islands men’s basketball team is poised to enter the second year of the Kevin Sheppard era with renewed focus and a revamped roster, challenging their conference rivals in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference for a championship.

Head coach Kevin Sheppard, a native of the Virgin Islands, returns for his second season at the helm of the Buccaneers basketball program. In his inaugural season, Sheppard and the Buccaneers made a significant impact in the conference, gaining recognition for their dynamic style of play, characterized by fast-paced transitions and converting defense into immediate offense. By the winter break, Sheppard’s Buccaneers led the entire NAIA in two statistical categories: steals and opponents’ turnovers per game. However, the team faced challenges in the latter half of the season due to a depleted roster caused by inactive student-athletes.

Last season, the team finished in the middle of the pack in the HBCUAC, defying expectations after being projected to finish 11th in the conference. They concluded the season as the number eight seed, entering the conference tournament with a 9-13 overall record (7-10 HBCUAC). This season, the Buccaneers face an even greater challenge, as they are ranked 14th in the 2025-26 HBCUAC preseason poll.

“Preseason rankings don’t hold much weight for me; the games still need to be played,” stated Coach Sheppard. “We surprised many last year, and we may need to do so again to demonstrate that we are more than just a one-year team. We aspire to become a perennial power in our conference. Although we lost key players like Amayoa’ah Phillips and Jalil Langston, this is a new year with a new team. I am very pleased with the additions we made in the offseason, and I believe we will have a strong showing this year.”

To address a depleted roster, the Buccaneers coaching staff placed heavy emphasis on their recruiting efforts during the offseason, resulting in a significantly revamped lineup for the 2025-26 campaign. A total of 10 players transferred to UVI to continue their collegiate basketball careers, with recruits traveling from as far west as Washington and as far east as Connecticut. The team has also broadened its horizons by adding two internationally-born athletes: Mustafa Mohamed from Sudan and Sebastian Dokum from Ghana.

Only five student-athletes have returned to the Buccaneers: seniors Denny Gonzalez and Eliyah Stevens, juniors Khaleed Heywood and Chad Molloy, and sophomore Jace Camacho. Molloy, now in his second season with the Buccaneers, will serve as the team’s captain.

The team will have some soul searching to do after losing their two leading scorers, Amayoa’ah Phillips and Jalil Langston, along with four of their five starters. The sole returning starter is Molloy, who also leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists per game, amongst the returners with averages of 10.9, 4.3, and 3.4, respectively.

The 2025-26 edition of the team will have the opportunity to build cohesion in a familiar setting as they open the season at home at the Elridge W. Blake Sports and Fitness Center with back-to-back exhibition games on October 24th and 31st. Last season, the team defended its home court with a 5-1 record, with their sole loss coming to Kuyper College, a team they had defeated just two days earlier.

For the Buccaneers to have a successful season, they must excel as road warriors. Of the team’s 24 total games, 13 will be played away from the Elridge W. Blake Sports and Fitness Center. This could be the team’s Achilles’ heel, as they recorded just a 3-9 road record last season. Over the course of five months, the team will travel more than 20,000 miles, with trips to Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana, culminating in the HBCUAC Conference tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.