The Pitt-Johnstown men's basketball program has unveiled its 2026-27 recruiting class, welcoming seven newcomers to the roster, including four incoming freshmen and three collegiate transfers. The class marks the first for new Head Coach Patrick Grubbs, who steps into the role following Bob Rukavina's retirement. Grubbs shared his thoughts on each addition below.
 




Blake Batts  Sophomore  Guard   6'2"   185 lbs. Wilmington, N.C./(Home Schooled) (Covenant Coll.)
            A sharpshooting transfer from Covenant College, Blake hails from Wilmington, NC, where he earned back-to-back NCHEAC Player of the Year honors in 2023-24 and 2024-25 and led his team to a conference championship in 2025. He capped his outstanding prep career with 2,177 points and 341 made three-pointers.
Coach Grubbs: "Blake is first and foremost an outstanding young man. He is absolutely someone who will help build our culture and set the standard for what being a Mountain Cat is all about. On the court, Blake's greatest strength is his ability to stretch the floor and shoot the ball at a high clip. His skillset helps fill an area of need and enhances our overall backcourt."
Blake Batts' Highlight Tape
 
Lucas Boyd   Freshman  Guard  6'3"  190 lbs.  Aukland, New Zealand/Windemere High School (Fla.)
A versatile guard originally from Auckland, New Zealand, Lucas starred at Windemere High School in Florida, leading the team to a 2025 Florida State Runner-Up finish. Despite an injury that sidelined him for his senior season, he still averaged 15 ppg. and 8 apg. A two-year varsity captain, Lucas made his mark across the board, posting career averages of 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals per game — a stat line that speaks to his versatility, unselfish approach, and knack for making teammates better. He capped his high school career as a First Team All-Metro selection and an Orlando Sentinel All-Area Honorable Mention honoree.
Coach Grubbs: "The best aspect about Lucas' game is that he is willing to do whatever it takes for the best of the team. Capable of being a pass-first creator or efficient scorer, Lucas will take on any role for the team to win. Having the ability to play on and off the ball will allow us to use him in a variety of ways. We're very anxious to see what the future holds for him as his best days of basketball are undoubtedly ahead!"  
Jayden Gray   Freshman   Guard   6'4"   185 lbs.    Clayton, N.C. / Clayton High School
            An explosive, high-level athlete, Jayden made his presence felt in every facet of the game at Clayton High School in North Carolina. A four-year starter, he closed out his prep career with more than 1,000 points, averaging 18 ppg, 6 rpg., and 4 apg., and capped his senior season with an All-Conference selection.
Coach Grubbs: "Thriving in the open floor and playing downhill, Jayden has the unique ability to finish above the rim and through contact with relative ease. While his athleticism is the first thing to catch your eye, Jayden is also highly capable of knocking down the open shot and creating for his teammates. The more you watch him play, the more you notice his relentless motor and competitive spirit. I believe he is someone that the Mountain Cat faithful will highly enjoy watching over these next five years!"  
Andrew Hoxie  Red-Shirt Sophomore   Guard/Forward    6'7"  190 lbs.   Phoenix, Ariz. / Maricopa H.S. (South Mountain Community College)
            A native of Maricopa, Arizona, Andrew attended Phoenix Prep before spending the past two seasons at South Mountain Community College, where he averaged 8.1 ppg and 4.1 rpg.
Coach Grubbs: "Andrew is a long, athletic wing forward who has the capability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. His length allows him to defend the perimeter while also protecting the rim, as he has an innate ability to block and alter shots. I think he will help us offensively — we see him getting out in transition and finishing at the rim with one of his thunderous dunks!"  
Andrew Omasits    Freshman    Guard    6'2"   180 lbs.   Pittsburgh, Pa. / Seneca Valley High School
            A Pittsburgh, PA native and Seneca Valley graduate, Andrew led his team in nearly every statistical category, topping the charts in points, assists, steals, and deflections. The Big 56 All-Section performer captained his squad to the PIAA State playoffs, and his standout play earned him a selection to the Roundball Classic All-Star Game to close out his high school career.
Coach Grubbs: "A true combo guard, Andrew will provide immediate support at both guard positions. Whether handling the ball and running the show, or being asked to space the floor with his shooting ability, Andrew can be plugged into multiple spots, which will surely help our team. In addition to his offensive skills, Andrew can apply pressure to the ball defensively and disrupt the opposition, as he does a great job taking away passing angles. We are very excited to get him up here in the fall!"  
Alec Wendt    Red-Shirt Sophomore    Forward    6'9"   215 lbs.   Omaha, Neb. / Bergen Catholic High School (South Dakota Mines)
            A skilled forward out of Omaha, Nebraska, Alec spent the past two seasons at South Dakota Mines. He attended powerhouse Bergen Catholic, helping the team reach the state championship as a junior while contributing 5.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg. He raised his production as a senior, averaging 9.1 ppg and 11.1 rpg en route to All-Conference and All-State honors.
Coach Grubbs: "We couldn't have found a better fit for how we want to play. Alec is a highly skilled forward who can play inside and on the perimeter. With much of our offense initiated through our "post" players, Alec will be able to utilize his outstanding passing ability to make his teammates better. Not only will he create open shots and scoring opportunities for others, but he will also put pressure on opposing defenses, as he possesses a nice skill set for scoring the basketball."  
Charlie Yartz    Freshman    Guard/Forward    State College, Pa. / Perkiomen Prep School
            A wing-forward from State College, PA, Charlie spent a postgraduate year at prep powerhouse Perkiomen. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 15 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.4 apg, and 1.4 spg, earning 1st Team All-County and 2nd Team All-Conference honors. His time at Perkiomen pitted him against top talent from around the country, further sharpening his game.
Coach Grubbs: "We're really excited to have Charlie a part of the program. He was someone we looked at in high school and really thought he'd bring a lot to our program. He really got a chance to develop his game at Perk, and we couldn't be happier he's on board with us. His size and ability to play on the perimeter will definitely create matchup problems for opposing teams — he's someone we can use in a variety of ways."  
 
        The Mountain Cats will open the season with a pair of games at the West Liberty (WV) Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 13 and 14, then visit Frostburg State (MD) for a non-conference game on Nov. 18.  Pitt-Johnstown and Coach Grubbs will then make their 2026-27 home debuts and start a stretch of four consecutive games in the Sports Center against Davis & Elkins on Nov. 21.