Edir Ortiz, DeAndre Lewis, Anthony Isaac, Tamaje Izuagbe and Ashton Williamson
Mastodon Basketball Announces Five Newcomers
5/14/2026 2:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne men's basketball head coach Jon Coffman announced on Thursday (May 14) the program's spring recruiting class for the 2026-27 season.
"I'm ecstatic about our 2026 spring recruiting class," Coffman said. "Our program has been built on gym rats that love to play and are obsessed with their player development coupled with versatile skill sets. Our best players over my tenure have been 'everyday guys' that obsess with their daily resumes and raising the level of their teammates, and this class fits this mold! All five are versatile players that are a great fit for how we operate and how we play the game with pace and space. I am excited about our addition of size and skill, players that fill up a stat sheet and rebounding talent. "
Edir Ortiz (6'9" | 235 | forward | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Seton Hill | NBA Academy Latin America)
2026-27 Classification: Redshirt Junior
Ortiz spent three years at NCAA Division II Seton Hill in Greensburg, Pennsylvania before joining the Mastodons. He used his 2023-24 season as a redshirt campaign before starting 43 games over his next two seasons. He comes to Fort Wayne with 590 career points. Last season he averaged 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game for the Griffins. Ortiz shot 51.8 percent from the floor and 44.8 percent from three in 2025-26. He opened the campaign with 15 consecutive games of double-digit points. He previously attended NBA Academy Latin America in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. He won gold in Centrobasket U17 in 2021, and was named the MVP of the tournament as a member of the Puerto Rico national team. He was named captain of the national team in the FIBA Americas U18 tournament.
"Edir is an ideal fit for our style of play with his size and skill," Coffman said. "He's versatile on both the offensive and defensive end. He makes those around him better with his ability to pass, shoot the three and play in the paint."
DeAndre Lewis (6'5" | 185 | guard | Canton, Miss. | East Mississippi CC | Canton HS)
2026-27 Classification: Junior
Lewis averaged 16.1 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds at East Mississippi CC last season. He shot 47.9 percent from the floor and 40.4 percent from three. Lewis scored 20 points seven times last season, including a career-best 31 at Wallace State-Hanceville. Lewis, who was a 2023-24 Jackson Clarion-Ledger Preseason Dandy Dozen pick at Canton High School, was rated 34th nationally among this year's class of junior college players by JucoRecruiting.com. He was named second team all-league in 2025-26 and was an honorable mention pick his freshman campaign.
"DeAndre is a tremendous competitor who raises the level of the players around him," Coffman said. "We love his offensive efficiency and his ability to get downhill and rebound. He is an ideal fit for our style of play with his ability to get into the paint and fill up the stat sheet."
Anthony Isaac (6'6" | 230 | forward | Brooklyn, N.Y. | Manhattan | Blinn College | Thomas Jefferson HS)
2026-27 Classification: Senior
Isaac averaged 9.5 points and 7.2 rebounds last season at Manhattan University. He finished fifth in the MAAC in rebounds per game and second in offensive rebounds per game (3.3). He recorded five double-doubles. Prior to joining the Jaspers, he played a pair of seasons in junior college at Blinn College in Texas. He was a two-time NJCAA All-Region XIV Selection. He broke the program's single-season rebounding record (352) in 2024-25 while setting the program's career rebounding record (610). He averaged 14.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game for the Buccaneers in 2024-25.
"We targeted rebounding this offseason, and Anthony is elite at rebounding the basketball," Coffman said. "We love that he has produced at the Division I level and are excited to utilize his ability to attack the rim in space when surrounded by shooters in our paint touch motion."
Tamaje Izuagbe (6'6" | 185 | guard | Burleson, Texas | Oklahoma Wesleyan | Burleson HS)
2026-27 Classification: Junior
Izuagbe was an NAIA First-Team All-American and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2025-26. He averaged 17.6 points and 5.8 rebounds last season, helping the Eagles to a 30-4 overall record. He shot 54.0 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from three while leading the team with 31 blocks on the season.
"Tamaje brings size, skill and versatility to our roster and fills up the stat sheet," Coffman said. "He can guard 4-5 positions and can really score the basketball in space. His growth from year one to year two at Oklahoma Wesleyan was phenomenal, and we look forward to his tremendous upside and continued growth in our program."
Ashton Williamson (6'3" | 170 | guard | Gary, Ind. | FIU | 21st Century Charter)
2026-27 Classification: Junior
Williamson averaged 7.7 points and 2.6 assists at FIU last season, starting 25 games. He had 11 games of double-digit scoring in 2025-26. As a freshman he played in 33 games with 16 starts, averaging 7.3 points per game and a team-best 52 steals and 28 3-pointers in 2024-25. He attended Gary 21st Century High School, graduating in 2023. He led his team to a semi-state appearance.
"Ashton brings a ton of Division I experience and is an explosive guard that lives in the paint," Coffman said. "We love that he can play with the ball in his hands and off the ball. He takes pride defending the ball, and we look forward to Ashton returning home to Indiana!"
The five join Jaiden Arnold (Cincinnati, Ohio / Cincinnati Aiken HS / Fork Union Military), Carl Thompson III (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Adam Walker (Plainfield, Ill. / Westtown HS) as previously announced additions for 2026-27. (link to release)
The Mastodons enter the 2026-27 campaign with five consecutive winning seasons.
~ Feel The Rumble ~
"I'm ecstatic about our 2026 spring recruiting class," Coffman said. "Our program has been built on gym rats that love to play and are obsessed with their player development coupled with versatile skill sets. Our best players over my tenure have been 'everyday guys' that obsess with their daily resumes and raising the level of their teammates, and this class fits this mold! All five are versatile players that are a great fit for how we operate and how we play the game with pace and space. I am excited about our addition of size and skill, players that fill up a stat sheet and rebounding talent. "
Edir Ortiz (6'9" | 235 | forward | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Seton Hill | NBA Academy Latin America)
2026-27 Classification: Redshirt Junior
Ortiz spent three years at NCAA Division II Seton Hill in Greensburg, Pennsylvania before joining the Mastodons. He used his 2023-24 season as a redshirt campaign before starting 43 games over his next two seasons. He comes to Fort Wayne with 590 career points. Last season he averaged 14.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game for the Griffins. Ortiz shot 51.8 percent from the floor and 44.8 percent from three in 2025-26. He opened the campaign with 15 consecutive games of double-digit points. He previously attended NBA Academy Latin America in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. He won gold in Centrobasket U17 in 2021, and was named the MVP of the tournament as a member of the Puerto Rico national team. He was named captain of the national team in the FIBA Americas U18 tournament.
"Edir is an ideal fit for our style of play with his size and skill," Coffman said. "He's versatile on both the offensive and defensive end. He makes those around him better with his ability to pass, shoot the three and play in the paint."
DeAndre Lewis (6'5" | 185 | guard | Canton, Miss. | East Mississippi CC | Canton HS)
2026-27 Classification: Junior
Lewis averaged 16.1 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds at East Mississippi CC last season. He shot 47.9 percent from the floor and 40.4 percent from three. Lewis scored 20 points seven times last season, including a career-best 31 at Wallace State-Hanceville. Lewis, who was a 2023-24 Jackson Clarion-Ledger Preseason Dandy Dozen pick at Canton High School, was rated 34th nationally among this year's class of junior college players by JucoRecruiting.com. He was named second team all-league in 2025-26 and was an honorable mention pick his freshman campaign.
"DeAndre is a tremendous competitor who raises the level of the players around him," Coffman said. "We love his offensive efficiency and his ability to get downhill and rebound. He is an ideal fit for our style of play with his ability to get into the paint and fill up the stat sheet."
Anthony Isaac (6'6" | 230 | forward | Brooklyn, N.Y. | Manhattan | Blinn College | Thomas Jefferson HS)
2026-27 Classification: Senior
Isaac averaged 9.5 points and 7.2 rebounds last season at Manhattan University. He finished fifth in the MAAC in rebounds per game and second in offensive rebounds per game (3.3). He recorded five double-doubles. Prior to joining the Jaspers, he played a pair of seasons in junior college at Blinn College in Texas. He was a two-time NJCAA All-Region XIV Selection. He broke the program's single-season rebounding record (352) in 2024-25 while setting the program's career rebounding record (610). He averaged 14.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game for the Buccaneers in 2024-25.
"We targeted rebounding this offseason, and Anthony is elite at rebounding the basketball," Coffman said. "We love that he has produced at the Division I level and are excited to utilize his ability to attack the rim in space when surrounded by shooters in our paint touch motion."
Tamaje Izuagbe (6'6" | 185 | guard | Burleson, Texas | Oklahoma Wesleyan | Burleson HS)
2026-27 Classification: Junior
Izuagbe was an NAIA First-Team All-American and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2025-26. He averaged 17.6 points and 5.8 rebounds last season, helping the Eagles to a 30-4 overall record. He shot 54.0 percent from the floor and 36.7 percent from three while leading the team with 31 blocks on the season.
"Tamaje brings size, skill and versatility to our roster and fills up the stat sheet," Coffman said. "He can guard 4-5 positions and can really score the basketball in space. His growth from year one to year two at Oklahoma Wesleyan was phenomenal, and we look forward to his tremendous upside and continued growth in our program."
Ashton Williamson (6'3" | 170 | guard | Gary, Ind. | FIU | 21st Century Charter)
2026-27 Classification: Junior
Williamson averaged 7.7 points and 2.6 assists at FIU last season, starting 25 games. He had 11 games of double-digit scoring in 2025-26. As a freshman he played in 33 games with 16 starts, averaging 7.3 points per game and a team-best 52 steals and 28 3-pointers in 2024-25. He attended Gary 21st Century High School, graduating in 2023. He led his team to a semi-state appearance.
"Ashton brings a ton of Division I experience and is an explosive guard that lives in the paint," Coffman said. "We love that he can play with the ball in his hands and off the ball. He takes pride defending the ball, and we look forward to Ashton returning home to Indiana!"
The five join Jaiden Arnold (Cincinnati, Ohio / Cincinnati Aiken HS / Fork Union Military), Carl Thompson III (Grand Rapids, Mich. / Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Adam Walker (Plainfield, Ill. / Westtown HS) as previously announced additions for 2026-27. (link to release)
The Mastodons enter the 2026-27 campaign with five consecutive winning seasons.
~ Feel The Rumble ~
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