Bears
Another game, another player out with injury for Bears
With another key player having to set out game, UCA calls on players without much time against Austin Peay
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Another day, another injury for Central Arkansas.
UCA played Saturday without another starter when sophomore point guard Brayden Fagbemi sat out due to back spasms, joining a lengthy list of six players who were not available in a 90-67 loss on the road at Austin Peay.
Leading scorers Layne Taylor and Elias Cato were also out of the lineup again and forced the UCA coaching staff to get creative with their offense and bench.
The Bears chose to run their revamped offense through freshman center Nehemiah Turner, and he responded in a big way wth a career-high 23 points, making 11 of 14 at the free-throw line.
His previous career high was 12 points. The 6-foot-11 center from Auburndale, Fla., played a season-high 28 minutes.
“Like (assistant coach) Max (Shulman) just said, very few times in your basketball career or life do you get this. Some of these guys are getting opportunities of a lifetime right now,” said UCA coach John Shulman. “And it stinks for our team. But all of a sudden Nemo gets thrown into this situation where you’ve got limited guys on the roster, are you going to take advantage of it or not? And good gracious, he’s taken advantage of it.
“And just think about Nemo now and then Nemo three weeks ago. Hey, Elias (Cato) is going to be back here in a little bit, and Brayden is going to be back, then you start thinking about what does he look like next year. Their (APSU) center, (Sai) Witt, is a 25-year-old graduate student, and Nemo is a freshman. So I’m really, really proud of Nemo.”
UCA also played several walk-ons for extended minutes along with normal starters Cole McCormick and Michael Evbagharu, who finished with 9 points and 8 rebounds. Sophomore D.J. Seixas drew the start in Fagbami’s place and had 5 points and 7 rebounds. Redshirt freshman Ben Fox added 9 points (3 threes) as all 11 players who dressed out saw action for the Bears.
The Bears drew 11 fouls and shot 13 free-throws in the first half, but made just six. UCA made four three-pointers in the opening five minutes of the game, two from Fox and one each from McCormick and Evbagharu and was down 16-15 with 14:50 left in the half.
The Governors then put together a 15-3 scoring run to push their lead to 28-17 at the midway point of the half. UCA cut the defiicit back to five with four points from Turner and a dunk by McCormick. APSU nailed two more three-pointers in the final five minutes to take a 46-32 lead to the locker room.
“Are you going to be mad at Ethan Thomas, you going to be mad at Connor Mancell, you going to be mad at OD (Owen Dehrmann),” said Shulman. They came in and did a wonderful job. And Glo (Glory Etim) gave us some great minutes late. I’m happy for them.
“It kind of stinks going through this, and nobody wants to go through this. But we’re going to hopefully get a couple healthy soon. But I was proud of our kids’ effort because it’s a really hard time right now. But the nice thing is, we have really good memories. It ain’t going to be like this long. We’re just going through a tough time.
“I tell you this, if we didn’t have elite culture right now, we would be having major problems. While all this crap is going on, we’ve still got to win the day. I thought we won the day. We didn’t win the game, but we stayed together and kept batlting. You talk about a perfect time to separate? This was a great time to separate. And we’re not.
“This is going to pay dividends. It doesn’t feel real good right now, But I know it will pay dividends down the road.”
Thomas had 9 points and 4 assists off the bench, while Derhmann and Mancell both played career high minutes. The Governors made 17 (of 42) three-point shots and got 27 points from Tate McCubbin.
UCA returns home for two games next week, hosting Jacksonville on Thursday night and North Florida on Saturday afternoon.
Bears
Shulman brings a little Australia flavor to UCA’s lineup for inside game
Three-time gold medal captain of the U16-U18 Victorian national championship teams is second Australian to join Shulman’s lineup
CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas has added a second Australian student-athlete to the roster in guard Harrison Beauchamp, according to UCA coach John Shulman.
Beauchamp is a 6-foot-6 freshman guard from Victoria, Australia who most recently played at Marcelin College.
He is a current NBL1 player, was captain of the Australian U17 national team, was the 2024 FIBA World Cup group state Most Valuable Player (where he averaged 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals) and was captain of the Australian National Team that won gold in Qatar in 2023.
Beauchamp is a three-time gold medal captain of the U16-U18 Victorian national championship teams and was the Victoria Junior Basketballer of the Year in 2022 and 2024.
“Harry is a guy that we had heard a lot about this spring,” said Shulman. “He has had a ton of success during his prep years, both in high school and with his national team. Once we got to lay eyes on him it was apparent that his skill set fit the things that we value.
“His ability to shoot the basketball, combined with his high IQ quickly stuck out to us. After speaking with his coaches and hearing about his competitive edge and love for the game we knew we wanted Harry in our program. We are really excited about what he brings to the table for the Bears.”
Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.
Bears
UCA strengthens program with three key coaching staff additions
UCA basketball bolsters coaching ranks with experienced additions from top programs, focusing on player development and strength training
Central Arkansas basketball coach John Shulman has made some changes to his coaching staff with three additions.
Will Braden joins the Bears as an assistant coach after serving as director of player development at Fordham University, where he spent five impactful years in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Braden’s appointment brings valuable expertise in player development, having worked closely with NBA skills coach Drew Hanlen, whose client list includes NBA stars Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton.
“Will’s experience in the Atlantic 10 and his background in player development make him an invaluable addition to our program,” said Shulman. “His work with Drew Hanlen has given him insights into elite-level skill development that will benefit our players immensely.”
The Bears are also welcoming Jake Frankiewicz as their new graduate assistant.
Frankiewicz brings a winning pedigree from his time at the University of Toledo, where he served as a student manager for a program that captured three consecutive Mid-American Conference championships.
His behind-the-scenes expertise in program operations and high-energy approach align perfectly with UCA’s culture of excellence.
Perhaps the most intriguing addition is Ivan Hadzic, who takes over as strength and conditioning coach for both men’s and women’s basketball programs.
A native of Sabac, Serbia, Hadzic’s journey through American basketball includes playing experience at Canisius University and Carson-Newman, followed by two seasons as a graduate assistant coach in strength and conditioning at Jacksonville University.
The timing of these staff additions is crucial for UCA, as the program aims to improve upon its 9-24 record from the 2024-25 season.
Shulman, who brings over two decades of coaching experience to Conway, has been methodically building his staff since taking the helm of the program.
His previous success includes multiple NCAA tournament appearances while at Chattanooga and an impressive track record of developing talent.
Hadzic’s expertise is particularly noteworthy, as he holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Association (CSCCA), and USA Weightlifting (USAW).
His comprehensive approach to strength training, combined with his understanding of basketball from a player’s perspective, offers a unique advantage to UCA’s athlete development program.
“These additions represent a significant step forward for our program,” Shulman said. “Each brings a specific skill set that addresses our needs and aligns with our vision for UCA basketball. Will’s player development background, Jake’s operational expertise, and Ivan’s strength and conditioning knowledge create a perfect combination for our staff.”
The Bears play in the ASUN, which has seen increasingly competitive play in recent years. The conference’s level of play has risen significantly, with multiple teams making deep runs in postseason tournaments.
Bears
Australian standout Truman Byrne ‘big’ addition for Shulman’s roster
Size, experience with AUSA Basketball adds size, skill, and championship experience to Shulman’s second roster at UCA
CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas has made a big addition to their men’s basketball roster for the 2025-26 season, but they had to go down under to do it.
Bears coach John Shulman signing 6-foot-10 Australian forward Truman Byrne over the weekend, adding some much-needed size to the roster.
Hailing from Melbourne and a product of Berwick College, Byrne brings a rare combination of size, skill, and championship experience.
Byrne’s basketball résumé is impressive.
As a three-time high school national champion representing the state of Victoria, he averaged 16.5 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.5 assists during his senior year.
His versatility extends beyond the basketball court. He’s also a two-time medalist in golf and was selected for Australia’s NBL league at just 17.
“We have been very meticulous with this last forward spot and I am excited to say that after sifting through hundreds of prospects that Truman Byrne is exactly what we were looking for,” Shulman said
“Within the first 10 minutes of meeting Truman I knew he fit us perfectly when it came to his personality and character. It just so happens that he is a 6-10 solid-framed kid with a great deal of skill.”
Shulman highlighted Byrne’s shooting and passing abilities as key assets for the Bears’ offensive system.
“It’s a perfect fit for us in what we are going to do offensively,” Shulman said. “While Truman has all of the abilities that we are looking for, it is also very refreshing to know that he has really been coached.
“Coming out of the AUSA program we know that he has been taught how to play the game of basketball with high IQ and a competitive edge.”
Byrne’s recruitment reflects a growing trend of NCAA programs looking internationally for talent, especially from Australia, which has produced NBA and college standouts such as Ben Simmons and Josh Giddey.
The Australian basketball development system is known for its emphasis on fundamentals and team play, traits that Shulman and his staff value highly.
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