Two new signings for the Providence women, an ACC commitment for the Bryant men and an official staff addition for the Rhode Island women highlighted the transfer portal and business activity on the state’s college basketball scene last week.
The Friars continued to build their transfer class through a pair of pledges from Florida and East Carolina. The Bulldogs landed a prospect from Georgia Tech and the Rams went back to Albany for a chief lieutenant under new coach Colleen Mullen.
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Jason Fontenet II committed to the URI men after an abbreviated season at UC Santa Barbara. He adds some wing depth to a roster that will already include major additions in the backcourt and frontcourt. The Rams – like the majority of their peers in the Atlantic 10 and beyond – still have open scholarships and the chance to add further.
The portal is officially closed to new entries on both the men’s and women’s sides barring a coaching change or an approved NCAA waiver. Coaches had previously been forced to re-recruit their own rosters or attempt to build news ones in the midst of the NCAA Tournament. That changed to twin 15-day periods after the national championship games this spring.
Players generally would like to settle their respective futures before offseason workouts begin, but finding a fit – the right relationship, potential role and an agreements on name, image and likeness rights – is a two-way street. This space will be updated weekly with any local developments.
Here’s a look at the action from last week.
![Feb 27, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators guard Daviane Mindoudi Ongbakahoumb (12) attempts a three point basket over Oklahoma Sooners guard Aubrey Joens (20) during the second half at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL on Thursday, February 27, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Igu8rq.ef_KreENvwJvlgg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the-providence-journal/675608a9003d1d7d6b1b4509471024dd)
Daviane Mindoudi Ongbakahoumb and Taylor Barner have officially signed with the Providence women.
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Ongbakahoumb is a Spain international who played in 49 games over two seasons with the Gators. She’s a 6-foot-1 guard who averaged 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds last season. Ongbakahoumb departed after a coaching change in Gainesville – Florida hired former URI coach Tammi Reiss to the same position after an NCAA Tournament appearance with the Rams.
“Davi gives us size at the guard position and has the ability to be a top defender in the Big East,” Providence coach Erin Batth said in a statement. “Offensively, she can hit the three and get downhill when attacking the rim. We want to play fast and she will help our team be a threat in transition.”
Barner was a medical redshirt at Memphis in 2024-25 and made an immediate impact in 30 games with East Carolina. She averaged 10.2 points and hit double figures 13 times for the Pirates. Barner is a 5-foot-9 guard who should see time at the point and off the ball.
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“She was a four-star recruit out of high school and is a three-level scorer who will also be very disruptive on defense,” Batth said in a statement. “We’re excited to have her join our program.”
Ongbakahoumb and Barner join a Providence transfer class that also includes Ole Miss paint player J’Adore Young. The Friars have lost center Sami Mancini (Utah State) and Austeja Babraitis (Barry).
Providence guard Rich Barron has committed to Toledo after entering the transfer portal in late March.
Barron is expected to pursue a medical redshirt after missing the 2025-26 season. He suffered a concussion in the fall and didn’t take the floor for the Friars after playing in 60 games over his first two years.
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Barron averaged 5.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 2024-25. He was initially a George Mason commit but followed former coach Kim English when he was hired by Providence ahead of the 2023-24 season. Barron was Big East all-freshman team after playing in 33 games in his debut.
Barron, Stefan Vaaks (Illinois), Jaylen Harrell (Washington State), Oswin Erhunmwunse (Creighton), Jamier Jones (Missouri) and Nilavan Daniels (William & Mary) have all committed elsewhere after a coaching change. Bryan Hodgson stills has Daquan Davis and Jason Edwards in the portal off a roster that went 15-18 last season.
Bryant picked up a commitment from Georgia Tech guard Eric Chatfield Jr., an Atlanta native who will leave his home city after one season.
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Chatfield averaged 2.6 points and 1.4 assists with the Yellow Jackets while appearing in 14 games and making one start. He was a three-star prospect out of the prep ranks who claimed offers from Tulane, Richmond, St. Bonaventure and more.
Chatfield joins a transfer class with the Bulldogs that also includes Duane Thompson (Mohawk Valley), Andre Pasha (New Haven) and Onyx Nnani (South Florida). Bryant also expects Keegan Harvey and Ty Tabales to return after suiting up for Jamion Christian’s debut season on the sidelines in 2025-26.
The University of Rhode Island women have officially named Megan Methven associate head coach.
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Methven is the first addition to a new staff under coach Colleen Mullen, who expects more personnel to follow from her last job at Albany. Methven and Mullen have worked together for eight years – the first two with Army, the last six ascending to the top of the America East with the Great Danes.
“Megan is one of the rising stars in our profession, and I’m thrilled she is joining me at URI,” Mullen said in a statement. “She has been my right-hand person throughout building a championship culture at UAlbany, and her impact on our success has been immeasurable.”
