JAMESTOWN, NY - Jamestown Community College's Naeem Richardson (Endicott, NY / Union-Endicott HS) is continuing his academic and athletic careers at Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pennsylvania.

"When I met the coach (John Szentesy), I liked him. I liked the campus, and it is closer to home (Endicott, NY)," said Richardson. "The coach was open and honest about how he felt about my game and me being able to impact their team. I liked the school in general and the community when I visited. It seems like a campus that is tight-knit. It's not a super big school and reminds me of JCC, where everyone knows each other," he added with a smile.

The freshman swing forward appeared in 20 games for the Jayhawks, starting six, while averaging 10 points on 47% shooting in his one year in green and gold.

"Jamestown gave me an opportunity to see the college basketball atmosphere. I learned a lot from X (Coach Xavier Churnac) and my teammates. This was a smaller community where I could work and get better. It prepared me for moving on to a four-year school," said Richardson. 

The New York native is making a jump in competition, going from JCC to Division 2's Mansfield. A rise in the level of his opponents is something that intrigued the Endicott product.

"I'm looking forward most to testing myself at the D2 level and seeing where I am at. I want to impact the team and winning. Overall, to improve my game and see where it goes. I want to maximize my potential," he mentioned.

Off the court, Richardson carried a GPA around 3.4 for the Jayhawks; he now plans to major in sports management as a student for the Mountaineers. 

"Academics are huge for me and my family. I am looking to take a harder course load. I want to challenge myself and get to a 4.0 GPA," said Richardson. Setting those high goals in the classroom is something Richardson feels is reachable thanks to the foundation created in Jamestown. "All the professors at JCC are really willing to help you. I feel if you reached out, they would give you the tools to succeed in their class. That really helped me academically," he added.

Richardson earned starting minutes late in his freshman year at JCC, setting up his favorite memory in the green and gold.

"When we beat SUNY Niagara in the regional semifinals, that was the best. We may have lost the championship, but to get that win for Coach X, it made me feel like we accomplished something special," he said with a grin.

Those memories also created what Naeem says he'll miss most about his 2025-26 season spent as a Jayhawk.

"I will miss this team. This is the closest team I have ever been on. We hang out all the time. I am sad I am leaving these guys, but I look forward to coming back and watching them," he said, fondly.

Richardson and his fellow Mansfield Mountaineers will start the 2026-27 season in November.