The Idaho men’s basketball team announced on May 5 the signing of two high school players, Ryan Carney and Jalen Williams, to its roster for the 2026-27 season.
The addition of Carney and Williams is part of the team’s efforts to strengthen its lineup with players who have shown both athletic skill and academic achievement. Head coach Alex Pribble said, “We are excited to welcome these two young men into our program. They both represent exactly what we are looking for in Idaho men’s basketball players – a standard of excellence on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. These are guys who can have a long-term impact on this program and this university.”
Carney completed his high school career at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, where he was named Greater Spokane League Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-GSL Second Team honors. He played a key role in leading his team to their second consecutive state 4A title game appearance. Pribble said about Carney, “It’s important to us to keep the best regional players in a Vandal uniform, and that’s exactly who Ryan is. As a Spokane native, who played at the powerhouse Gonzaga prep, he’s got the pedigree. Ryan impacts the game in a lot of ways, but my favorite part of his game is how he competes defensively. He has great length as a guard and can be very disruptive on that end of the court. Ryan is a terrific student as well, and he will add a lot to this program over the next few years.”
Williams joins from San Marcos High School in California after scoring more than 2,000 career points there and becoming his school’s all-time leading scorer. During his senior year he had twelve games with over twenty points scored. Pribble said about Williams: “Jalen is a strong and athletic point guard who has a chance to be really special,” adding that “He had a great prep career and was the all-time leading scorer at San Marcos High School. He also has the size and versatility to be very good defensively. We think Jalen has a very bright future here at Idaho.”
Carney and Williams are joined by Nolan Newman-Gomez as recent high school additions for Idaho’s upcoming season alongside Kase Wynott, Diego Trejo-Delgado, Hudson Ward, and TJ Wal.
Looking ahead, fans can follow updates about Vandal Hoops through social media channels or by visiting official platforms.
