When looking at the Atlantic 10 Conference for next season, there’s a clear group of teams projected to be at the top. VCU, Saint Louis, and Dayton all brought back plenty of talent from the year prior, while programs such as St. Joe’s, Fordham, and George Mason had notable offseasons, setting high expectations for 2026-27.
That leaves a team such as Duquesne fighting an uphill battle. The Dukes had lost their top eight scorers from last season, with most via graduation, while all-league guard Jimmie Williams transferred to Ohio State. They did land some notable names via the transfer portal this offseason, including Josh Smith (16.2 ppg at West Georgia) and Yoav Berman (12.3 ppg at Queens).
However, there was little proven production on the roster at the A-10 level, making the Dukes a consensus bottom-half team in the conference. But on Sunday, a massive announcement will have changed the fortunes for Duquesne and the rest of the conference.
Duquesne guard Tarence Guinyard, a First Team All-A10 selection, is withdrawing his name from the transfer portal and returning to Duquesne for the 2026-27 season, source told @On3.
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) August 9, 2026
The 6-2 senior, who averaged 16.6 PTS and 4.7 AST per game this past season, recently received a… pic.twitter.com/N7G8JZDgC6
Tarence Guinyard had originally run out of eligibility, having played two years at the JUCO level, plus one each at UT-Martin and Duquesne. But he was among the first names listed in various lawsuits, with players suing the NCAA for another year of eligibility. With the state of Tennessee’s ruling in their favor, Guinyard now could’ve played for the Dukes or anyone else in college basketball.
Yet the decision to come back to Duquesne will be one of the most impactful moves of this part of the offseason. The 6’2 ball-handler averaged 16.6 ppg and 4.7 apg, both ranking in the top-5 of the Atlantic 10. Among Guinyard’s top games include 30 points at Villanova, along with 27 against Saint Louis.
With Guinyard on board, he’ll be the lead guard again for the Dukes, potentially starting alongside Virginia Tech transfer Izaiah Pasha. Smith, the reigning 6th Man of the Year in the A-Sun, can play that same role as the first guard off the bench. Returning guards Jake DiMichele and Brandon Hall add depth in the backcourt, along with the trio of freshmen, Arness Lawson, Chaim Galbut and Jackson Williams.
The return of Guinyard gives Duquesne a high floor, with one of the top-five players in the A-10. The ceiling for the team will be determined by the impact of the frontcourt newcomers. Ege Demir (Oregon), Kerem Konan (Creighton), and Stephen Olowoniyi (Oregon State) all had little to limited production as backups at their respective stops last season, but all have potential and, with larger roles, could excel at the A-10 level. If any of them can break out, then the Dukes suddenly have a case for being a top-4 team.
TARENCE GUINYARD CALLED GAME🚨 pic.twitter.com/3puMvbINFt
— Duquesne Basketball (@DuqMBB) February 19, 2026
Before Guinyard’s return, Duquesne had a roster with upside but plenty of unknowns. Now, the upside remains, but will be led by possibly the best point guard in the conference. The last time the Dukes returned their lead guards (Jimmy Clark, Dae Dae Grant), they won the conference tournament and made the Big Dance.
This news gives them a real chance to repeat that feat.
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