KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Truman State Men's Basketball Head Coach Mike Worley announced the addition of seven transfer Student Athletes to the 2025-26 roster.
 
The new Bulldogs include senior Julian Brown (Middletown, N.Y./Samford/Wagner), junior Ty Love (Petersburg, Va./Gaston CC), redshirt junior Sean Burress, Jr. (Chicago/Sauk Valley CC/Ga. Southwestern), sophomore Jahki Parrinello (Bronx, N.Y./Allan Hancock), junior Justin Duff (St. Louis/Missouri Southern), senior Ja'Vion Byers (Liberty, Mo./Northwest Missouri), and freshman Darin Donalds (Naples, Fla./First Baptist).
 
"I am extremely excited to welcome seven new student-athletes to our Truman State Bulldog Men's Basketball team," head coach Mike Worley said. "Each one of these young men possess the type of character, dedication to their craft and desire to earn a quality degree that we need to succeed on the court." 
 
Julian Brown (Middletown, N.Y./Samford/Wagner)
Julian Brown joins the Bulldogs for his senior season following a season at Samford (Ala.) and two at Wagner (N.Y.). The 6-1 guard saw action in 27 games as a junior averaging 4.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game dropping a season-high 15 points while tallying two assists and two steals against Mercer (Ga.). In more than 50 games at Wagner, Brown averaged 7.8 points per game showing with a sophomore campaign where he averaged 10.0 points per game. He finished his high school career averaging 15.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and three assists per game while being a two-time all-Bergen County, first-team all-Big North Division, and second-team all-north New Jersey selection at Bergen Catholic.
 
"Julian is a proven combo shooter & scorer coming from the Division I level," Worley said. "Brown plays with an edge and is passionate about his craft. He wants to get better every day and he puts the time in to do that."
 
Ty Love (Petersburg, Va./Gaston CC)
Ty Love, a 2023 graduate of Hopewell High School, arrives at Truman State following two seasons at Gaston (N.C.) Community College where the 6-1 guard competed in more than sixty games. Love finished his time at Gaston with 13.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. His 32-point night against Richard Bland (Va.) saw him score 32 points shooting 53 percent from the field, 40 percent from behind the arc, and 92 percent at the free throw line. 
 
"Ty is a gifted finisher and bucket-getter in the paint," Worley said. "Love has an effervescent personality and is a likeable demeanor that brings positivity to the team."
 
Sean Burress, Jr. (Chicago/Sauk Valley CC/Ga. Southwestern)
Sean Burress started his collegiate career at Southwestern Michigan where he played in 26 games and finished in the Top 25 NJCAA Division I in free throw attempts. With a season-high 22 points, five boards, four assists, and three steals against Lake Michigan, Burress completed the season with 12.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. The 6-1 guard played the following season at Sauk Valley (Ill.) Community College dropping 11.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, with his 147 assists the eighth best in NJCAA Division I. Burress redshirted the 2024-25 season at Georgia Southwestern and is a 2023 graduate of Thornton High School.
 
"I recruited Sean while I was at Troy University as well. He was an excellent passer and creator in junior college at Sauk Valley," Worley said. "Burress brings speed and acceleration to the back-court with an ability to create for others."
 
Jahki Parrinello (Bronx, N.Y./Allan Hancock)
Jahki Parinello arrives at Truman State following a freshman season at Allan Hancock (Calif.). A starter in 28 of 31 games, Parrinello averaged 8.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists with a season0igh 18 points shooting 53.3 percent from the field against MiraCosta. The effort earned the 6-0 guard an all-Western State Conference honorable mention nod.
 
"Jahki has taken a circuitous route to Kirksville and maintained a positive outlook the entire time," Worley said. "Parrinello is a pass first point guard in a long line of New York City guards that know how to facilitate for others. He's been coached by a very good friend & basketball mind, Eric Jones, at Our Savior Lutheran in NYC. We look forward to adding him to our Bulldog family."
 
Justin Duff (St. Louis/Missouri Southern)
Justin Duff transfers to Truman State following two seasons at Missouri Southern where the 6-3 guard competed in 41 games. Seeing limited action during his freshman season, Duff finished his time with the Lions averaging 5.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game with his numbers across the board increasing during his sophomore campaign. Going a perfect 7-7 from the line, Duff dropped 18 points against Arkansas-Ft. Smith finish 7-8 from the floor and 3-4 from behind the three-point line. The DeSmet grad finished the seventh-leading scorer in school history with more than 1,100 points, the career leader in three-point field goals made with 147, and a three-point shooting clip of more than 40 percent across three seasons. Duff was a two-time all-MCC selection with all-metro, all-district, and all-state honors.
 
"Justin has proven he can shoot the basketball converting 37 three pointers while at Missouri Southern in the MIAA," Worley said. "He's a teammate who never over compensates or forces anything on-the-floor. He will be a great addition to an overall unselfish roster."
 
Ja'Vion Byers (Liberty, Mo./Northwest Missouri)
Ja'Vion Byers joins the Bulldogs for his senior following a season at Northwest Missouri State where 6-2 guard averaged 7.8 points, 1.9 boards, and 1.4 assists in 28 games. He shot 53.3 percent from the field against Pittsburg State (Kan.) with 23 points including four three-point field goals made. A sophomore season at Lake Region State (N.D.) saw Byers average 18.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists across 27 games played after transferring from Butler (Kan.) Community College. His best performance at Lakes Region came against United Tribes Technical College (N.D.) scoring 31 points with six threes on a 67 percent night behind the arc. Byers was a two-time all-conference selection at Liberty High School.
 
"Ja'Vion comes highly recommended from Ben McCollum the former Northwest Missouri State and current Iowa head coach," said Worley. "Byers plays with great pace and has a high level of basketball acuity. He's seldom sped up playing to fast and is always looking to pass first."
 
Darin Donalds (Naples, Fla./First Baptist)
True freshman Darin Donalds competed in 46 games across three seasons at First Baptist where he averaged 2.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game. A 2025 graduate, Donalds contributed to a First Baptist squad that went 77-17 during his three seasons on the team while also winning a 2023 state title in football.
Darin joins us from south Florida where his academic pedigree and background fit the culture of Truman like a glove," Worley said. "Darin will represent Truman well as a Bulldog and contribute greatly to the culture we plan to build here in Kirksville."