For the first time in more than four decades, four Marist men’s basketball players received postseason recognition for their on-court contributions during the 2025-26 regular season. The program has not had more than three such recognitions — excluding academic and postseason-based awards — in any season since 1984-85 as a member of the ECAC Metro Conference.
The honorees include two All-MAAC Third Team selections in sophomore guard Justin Menard and senior guard Elijah Lewis, as well as a MAAC All-Defensive Team spot for senior forward Jaden Daughtry. Graduate student guard Rhyjon Blackwell earned the MAAC Sixth Player of the Year honor, Marist’s first individual player award since 2021-22.
Justin Menard
Menard enjoyed a breakout campaign in his first season with Marist. The sophomore transferred in after spending his freshman season with MAAC foe Iona and spent most of the season as one of Marist’s go-to scorers.
The guard averaged just 5.5 points per game last season, but saw his numbers climb tremendously in Poughkeepsie. Menard led Marist in a host of offensive categories, including points per game, assists per game, field goals made and 3-pointers made. His numbers also jumped when the Red Foxes needed him most — over the season’s final six games, beginning Feb. 7 at Fairfield, when Lewis suffered a season-ending knee injury, Menard averaged 19.3 points and shot 37.1% from deep, above his season averages of 12.6 points and 35.9%.
Menard is the type of player who looks to rise to the moment rather than shy away from it. He has made numerous big shots, including a game-winning 3-pointer with under 20 seconds remaining against Sacred Heart on Feb. 22. Menard wears his emotions on his sleeve, and as Marist head coach John Dunne said after he scored 19 points against Saint Peter’s on Sunday, “The kid’s got guts.”
Elijah Lewis
Lewis earned All-MAAC Third Team honors for the second consecutive season. A senior wrapping up his second season at Marist after transferring from Division II Adelphi, Lewis carved out a role as an offensive leader for the Red Foxes. While his numbers on the floor were stellar at 12 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, Lewis’ importance has been most clear since he went down.
Including the game in which Lewis hurt his knee, Marist went 2-4 to finish the season. Lewis shot 47.4% from the field on the season — a very solid rate for a guard — while Marist has shot below 40% as a team in those six games. For a team that at times lacks offensive firepower, the loss of a consistent scorer has proven tough to overcome.
Lewis provided a steady presence in big moments, including in Marist’s lone overtime game of the season against Canisius on Jan. 30. In that game, Lewis had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists, including an inbound to Blackwell in the final two seconds of regulation to force overtime.
Jaden Daughtry
If there is a mold for a typical John Dunne player, Daughtry is pretty close to it; he is ferocious on defense and plays with nonstop energy. Daughtry averaged just under a block per game and 1.3 steals while also consistently interrupting passing lanes and providing consistent strength on the boards.
During the season, Dunne praised him as a potential MAAC Defensive Player of the Year candidate. While Merrimack’s junior forward KC Ugwuakazi beat out Daughtry for that award, a spot on the first MAAC All-Defensive team is well-deserved for the senior.
Daughtry had one of Marist’s two double-doubles all season. On Feb. 12 against Merrimack, he had 10 points and 10 rebounds. He had a tendency to perform well against stiffer competition, with three of his four double-digit scoring efforts coming against Merrimack, Siena and Georgia Tech.
Rhyjon Blackwell
Blackwell made massive contributions during his one-and-only season in Poughkeepsie. A journeyman who has played across the country at various collegiate levels, he moved into the starting lineup after Lewis’ injury but spent the entire season before that providing a jolt off the bench. Throughout the season, Dunne preached his coachability and leadership as a veteran player in his fifth collegiate season.
The uber-athletic guard plays with the same kind of energy and tenacity as Daughtry does on the defensive end. Despite being only six feet tall, Blackwell has an incredible ability to jump, which aids him on the glass and is a huge reason why he averaged 3.7 rebounds per game.
He also set the tone for his offensive contributions right out of the gate with 24 points in the season opener against Xavier. Blackwell averaged 12 points and ranked second behind Menard in several offensive categories. He is capable of completely taking over, as he did when he racked up 21 points in the first half against Rider on Feb. 5.
All four honorees will suit up when Marist plays Quinnipiac in the MAAC Tournament quarterfinal tonight at 6 p.m.
Edited by Ben Leeds
Photo by Quinn DiFiore
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