SAN ANTONIO, TX — Discipline, toughness, and passion. Those are the three pillars UTSA head coach Austin Claunch says will define his men’s basketball program this season. The Roadrunners opened their 2025–26 campaign with media availability Thursday night at the Convocation Center, introducing a roster that features 11 new players and three new coaches.
The only returning players are brothers Mo and Baboucarr Nije. Mo, a graduate center, brings veteran size in the paint, while Baboucarr, a sophomore guard, earned a full scholarship after joining as a walk-on last year. Both followed Mo’s transfer from SMU to San Antonio.
Claunch, now in his second year at the helm, said he targeted players with proven winning backgrounds who could make an immediate impact. He pointed to the championship pedigree across campus as inspiration — UTSA football, under Jeff Traylor, captured back-to-back AAC titles in 2021 and 2022, while Karen Aston’s women’s basketball squad claimed last season’s regular-season crown.
Among the newcomers Claunch highlighted was junior transfer guard Vasean Allette, whom he called one of the best passers he has ever coached. Allette arrives from TCU, where he averaged 11.4 points and 3.5 assists per game in Big 12 play.
The Roadrunners will also rely on youth. Matheo Coffi, a 6-foot-8 forward from Strasbourg, France, recently joined the program and is adjusting quickly to San Antonio life with guidance from French basketball circles, including connections to former Spur Tony Parker.
Perhaps the biggest storyline, however, is the return of Austin Nunez to his hometown. A McDonald’s All-American and TABC 6A All-State standout ranked No. 57 nationally out of high school, Nunez has had a winding college journey. After stops at Arizona State, Ole Miss, and a return stint in Tempe, the senior guard will finish his career in San Antonio — where his success first blossomed.
“It’s awesome to have him here,” Claunch said. “Austin is a special talent, probably our best athlete, and one of the fastest guys I’ve coached. To have him home representing the city, with that chip on his shoulder, makes him even more dangerous. He’s had a great summer.”
Claunch emphasized that depth will be one of UTSA’s greatest strengths this season. He hasn’t named starters yet and reminded reporters he has always been comfortable experimenting with lineups, a trait that dates back to his days at Nicholls State.
The Roadrunners’ schedule will provide immediate challenges. UTSA opens with an exhibition against Incarnate Word on Oct. 25, then travels to Jacksonville, Fla., for the Jacksonville Classic on Nov. 24 against Abilene Christian. In December, the program will test itself against national powers: Alabama (Dec. 7), Colorado (Dec. 13), and USC (Dec. 17). Claunch himself has history with the Crimson Tide, serving as an assistant during the 2023–24 season before taking over at UTSA.
For Claunch, the formula for success is clear.
“I want us to be mentally and physically tough,” he said. “I want us to be loud, to play with joy, passion, and an edge. Great programs are built on discipline, and that’s the foundation we’re laying here.”
