In the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen multiple state-based lawsuits involving players looking for another year of eligibility against the NCAA go in their favor. One of them was in Colorado, with dozens of notable college basketball players involved. One of them was Amarri Monroe, a 6’7 forward who spent the last three years at Quinnipiac.
When the judge granted an injunction allowing players to play this upcoming season, Monroe decided to join the Syracuse Orange for the 2026-27 campaign.
NEWS: Quinnipiac transfer forward Amarri Monroe has committed to Syracuse, he told @On3. ⁰⁰The 6-7 senior averaged 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game this past season. He was recently granted an additional year of eligibility through the Colorado ruling.… pic.twitter.com/YZBGo284B8
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) August 4, 2026
The Newburgh, New York, native choosing the Orange isn’t a major surprise given the location. Still, it’s a massive win for new head coach Gerry McNamara, who has a good amount of depth on the roster but not much in terms of star power, at least at the high-major level.
Besides returning young guys Sadiq White Jr. and Kiyan Anthony, the six other newcomers via the transfer portal were all outside of the high-major ranks. Gavin Doty averaged 18 ppg at Siena, while Luke Wilson (10.7 ppg and 8.3 rpg) won Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year at Appalachian State. Plus, Aiden Tobiason (15.3 ppg) was a standout at the NBA Draft combine and was second in scoring at Temple last season.
Yes, Monroe isn’t a high-major player himself. However, he’s been a notable mid-major star for years, earning MAAC Player of the Year honors in 2024-25, leading the Bobcats with 18.1 ppg and 9.1 rpg. His stats took a small dip this past season (15.6 ppg and 8.3 rpg), but he still had plenty of quality individual outings. That includes a season-high 25 points on 9/13 shooting in the team’s upset win over Pittsburgh on the road, a program he’ll be set to face twice more next season.
When looking at Monroe’s projected role with the Orange, he easily could be their 6th man. Right now, the ideal starting lineup likely includes Garwey Dual, Kiyan Anthony, Gavin Doty, Sadiq White, and Luke Wilson inside. Monroe, who shot 27% from deep in each of the last two years, doesn’t provide much spacing at the three-spot. But he’s also a quality scorer inside, and if White doesn’t have a breakout campaign, the need for Monroe at the four-spot will be high.
There’s a lot of talent at Syracuse, but again, not much proven at the ACC level. Monroe may not solve that issue on his own, but he’s another quality addition for Coach McNamara to work with, giving the Orange a better chance at making noise in the league this upcoming year.
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