The first Division I player to join University at Albany men’s basketball via the NCAA transfer portal this offseason is coming to the Great Danes from one of their biggest America East rivals.
Ben Michaels, a 6-foot-8 forward, announced his commitment to join coach Dwayne Killings’ program in a social media post Friday. A native of Ipswich, England, Michaels spent the 2025-26 season at Vermont.
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Michaels played his sophomore season with the Catamounts after spending his freshman season at the University at Buffalo, where he was named to the 2024-25 Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team.
In his lone season at Vermont, Michaels – who finished his high school career at powerhouse Long Island Lutheran – appeared in 31 games and made 11 starts. In 13.1 minutes per game, he averaged two points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 36.7% from the field.
Michaels’ role in coach John Becker’s lineup fluctuated throughout the season. He played most prominently in mid-to-late January, when he made seven consecutive starts. But, after starting Vermont’s Feb. 5 game at Maine, Michaels saw just 20 combined minutes of action over his final eight appearances of the season.
At Buffalo in 2024-25, Michaels appeared in 29 games, making 15 starts. He averaged 8.1 points and four rebounds while shooting 45.6% from the field in 22.4 minutes per game for the Bulls en route to being named one of the MAC’s top rookies.
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Since the end of UAlbany’s 11-21 season, Michaels is the fourth player to commit to join Killings’ program. The Great Danes previously landed commitments from Papa Kounta, a junior college guard originally from Senegal; Ollie Engen, a high-scoring guard from Canada; and, Petar Miovic, a 6-foot-8 forward from Croatia.
UAlbany also has signed one incoming freshman, guard Tyler Jones of Memphis, Tenn., who played at Christ School in North Carolina.
Guards Zacharie Matulu, Abdoulaye Fall, Wilkin Paulino and Miles Rose are the only players from UAlbany’s 2025-26 roster that did not enter the NCAA transfer portal.
This article originally published at UAlbany men’s basketball lands transfer commitment from Vermont’s Ben Michaels.
