By Granite State Report
Summary
University of New Hampshire basketball is standing at a hinge moment. The men’s program is still chasing its first-ever NCAA Tournament berth, now under second-year head coach Nathan Davis. The women’s program is rebooting under first-year head coach Megan Shoniker, with immediate star power emerging in scorer Eva DeChent. Facilities are compact but intimate at Lundholm Gym, NIL infrastructure finally exists in Durham, and the regional recruiting pipeline—particularly via New Hampshire’s powerhouse prep scene—offers real upside if UNH plays it smart. There’s no sugar-coating the historical record: UNH is one of a small group of Division I programs that has never made the men’s NCAA Tournament. But there’s also no reason to stay stuck in that history. With America East in flux and revenue-sharing reforms reshaping college sports, UNH has a window to climb.
Program Snapshot
Where UNH Stands Today
- Conference: America East
- Arena: Lundholm Gym (Field House), capacity ~3,000 (UNH lists Lundholm as home to both programs; the facility was modernized in phases and remains the program’s heartbeat).
- Men’s Head Coach: Nathan Davis (2nd season at UNH; previously Bucknell, where he led two NCAA trips).
- Women’s Head Coach: Megan Shoniker (1st season).
The men finished 16–15 (7–9 America East) in 2023–24—Davis’s debut year—good for fourth in a crowded mid-major race. The season’s headline: senior forward Clarence Daniels became UNH’s first America East Player of the Year in 30 seasons, signaling that high-end individual talent can indeed blossom in Durham.
The women are early in a rebuild, but the roster already features a conference headliner: Eva DeChent, last season’s America East scoring champion, made the 2025 Preseason All-Conference Team.
A (Clear-Eyed) History: What UNH Has Been
Men’s Program: Long on Effort, Short on March
UNH men’s basketball dates back to the 1920s; the program has cycled through leagues (Yankee, ECAC, NAC, America East) with occasional bright winters but few banners. The raw ledger since 1926–27 is 758–1399 (.351)—and the Wildcats are among a small group of DI programs never to appear in the NCAA Tournament. That’s harsh, but it’s the truth foundation for any turnaround plan.
The arena itself carries history: Lundholm Gym anchors the Field House complex, named in 1968 for athletic director Carl Lundholm. The court honors Gerry Friel (1969–89), a program bedrock figure. It’s a compact, noise-friendly space that opponents don’t love when the students show.
Women’s Program: Peaks to Build From
UNH women have tasted more regular-season success, winning America East in 2017 and earning the program’s first WNIT berth—then 19 and 17-win seasons in the Maureen Magarity era. Post-Magarity, results dipped, and now Shoniker inherits a program that still has history and an audience to leverage.
The 2023–24 Baseline and 2024–25 Trajectory
Men (Nathan Davis)
Davis, hired in April 2023, brought a track record of winning at Bucknell and Randolph–Macon. Year 1 at UNH: .500 overall with a middle-of-the-pack America East finish. The defense and tempo were decent; the offense was often Daniels-or-bust—and he delivered, posting 19.4 PPG and 9.6 RPG on the way to America East Player of the Year and NABC All-District honors. With Daniels moving on to a pro career, the system now has to manufacture shots by committee.
Roster churn is the new normal across mid-majors; Davis’s staff (Jimmy Allen, Tyler Wilson, Luis Guzman) has leaned into portal pragmatism. The 2024–25 outlook in preseason chatter has pegged UNH as mid-lower tier in America East—understandable after losing a star, but also an invitation to overachieve with lineup balance and shot diet.
Women (Megan Shoniker)
Shoniker, hired from Rhode Island (associate HC), is already reshaping the culture. The blueprint is straightforward: defend, control pace, ride an elite scorer in DeChent while developing complementary wings who can space and guard. Year 1 rarely gifts instant wins, but having the league’s scoring champ on your roster and earning Preseason All-Conference buzz helps stabilize the floor.
America East: The Neighborhood Matters
The America East has been Vermont-centric for much of the last decade, with Bryant crashing the party after joining the league. In 2023–24, UNH sat behind that top tier. In 2025, Bryant opened the tournament as the top seed, a reminder that the path to a bid runs through a green-and-gold buzzsaw and a rising bulldog. Translation: UNH needs a high-variance identity—threes, free throws, turnovers forced—or else you’re just trying to out-Vermont Vermont. Good luck with that.
Facility Reality: Lundholm, Up Close
Lundholm’s ~3,000 seats and low ceiling create pressure-cooker acoustics on good nights. The building has been refurbished across decades (new bleachers in 2007, floor refinish in 2001), with lighting retrofits for broadcast needs. It won’t wow blue-chip recruits with square footage, but it can feel like a throwback gym where games swing on a crowd roar. That’s a feature, not a bug, if UNH leans into it.
For fans and recruits who want a quick look, Stadium Journey offers a candid review of the venue experience; the court dedication to Gerry Friel is a nice slice of continuity.
Recruiting & The New Hampshire Pipeline
Here’s UNH’s underrated ace: New Hampshire prep basketball is absurdly good, especially at Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro). Brewster’s alumni list is a who’s who: Donovan Mitchell, Devonte’ Graham, Will Barton, Matas Buzelis, Devin Carter, and more. UNH isn’t going to land a Mitchell, but it can identify late-bloomers and skill-role fits out of that ecosystem—and at minimum, recruit confidence by proximity. The current-year alumni tracker shows regular placements to high-major and elite mid-major programs, plus a feeder line of regional talent.
Local media like Ball603 keeps the Granite State hoops conversation alive year-round, and that matters for brand heat. Being present in those gyms—Brewster, Pinkerton, Bedford, etc.—is not optional.
NIL, Revenue Sharing & Why It Matters in Durham
UNH now has NIL infrastructure: the Granite State Collective is a recognized partner, and sport-specific clubs (e.g., a men’s basketball NIL club) let fans subscribe in. On the policy side, UNH published its NIL guidance, and like many FCS/low-major/ mid-major schools, must now navigate the House v. NCAA settlement era: schools opting in (UNH did) can share revenue directly with athletes under new caps—reshaping how mid-majors retain and reward breakout stars.
Let’s be blunt: America East schools will never outspend the Big Ten, but competent NIL can keep your Player-of-the-Year types from bolting every March. That’s survival strategy, not luxury.
Style of Play: What Works Here
Men: With Daniels gone, Davis has to steer into shot quality and turnover margin. In 2023–24, UNH sat near national middles in pace and efficiency; the path forward is to be annoying defensively (hedges, digs, charges) and opportunistic in transition while shooting a lot of threes. That’s how mid-majors steal games in March—and how you beat a higher-seeded Vermont in a semifinal you “shouldn’t” win. (See every Cinderella ever.)
Women: Shoniker inherits a bonafide bucket-getter. Surround DeChent with shooting, empower a defensive stopper on the wing, and ride two-big physicality on the glass. America East games often compress late; the team that gets to the line and wins the live-ball turnover differential usually walks out happy.
The Clarence Daniels Lesson
Daniels, a JUCO-to-UNH story, became America East Player of the Year and turned pro overseas after going undrafted. Two important points emerge:
- Talent can be found and grown in Durham—if the staff trusts its evals and the strength program hits.
- UNH should present real development and NIL stability as a package to retain the next Daniels when the portal comes calling.
This is the sustainable path for UNH: identify 19–20-year-old late risers, develop them for two seasons, keep them for the third. That’s the timeline that wins a conference tournament.
Rivalries & Matchups That Decide March
- Vermont: the standard. They punish mistakes and run you off the arc.
- Bryant: athletic, transfer-heavy rosters; high-variance offense—your best bet is to win the possession game.
- UMass Lowell / Binghamton: program trajectories that mirror UNH’s potential; these games are seeding tiebreakers as much as they are barometers.
The 2023–24 standings underscore the gap and the opportunity: Vermont cruised, Bryant climbed, UNH sat in the middle. Beating those peers is step one; catching the Catamounts is the longer project.
The Fan Experience: An Edge Hiding in Plain Sight
Small gyms are great if the product is urgent. Lundholm can be that. When 974 people fill the lower bowl and care, it shakes. The school’s production team pushes highlights and streams through UNH Athletics channels; meanwhile, ESPN+ distribution for America East means casual alumni can actually watch road games. UNH should capitalize by packaging theme nights, alumni features, and prep showcases into the schedule.
Video: Watch
Nathan Davis introduced as UNH men’s head coach (2023):
AE Media Day: Nathan Davis (2023–24):
Men’s game highlights: UNH at Iowa (Dec. 30, 2024):
Women’s program throwback highlight (2017 WNIT season context):
UNH vs Boston College—Clarence Daniels erupts & forces OT (context piece):
(Note: Additional full-game uploads exist from third-party channels; official school/league outlets are prioritized here for reliability.)
What Needs to Change (and How UNH Can Do It)
1) Identity Over Averages
Stop trying to be generically “solid.” Pick the thing that travels. At UNH, that’s likely high-volume threes + foul-line pressure on offense, and turnover hunting + defensive rebounding on defense. You don’t beat Vermont by being them; you beat them by creating volatility. (Data from 2023–24 indicates UNH’s offensive/defensive ratings were middling; the aim should be to push offensive efficiency with more rim attempts and corner threes.)
2) Roster Architecture for March
Recruit two elite shooters every class, even if one is a specialist. Add one switchable 6’6”+ defender yearly. Use the portal for experienced pick-and-roll guards and 5s who can screen-and-sprint. The Daniels blueprint—JUCO to first-tier impact—should be standard practice, not a one-off.
3) Hyper-Local Recruiting With National Upside
Sit courtside at Brewster and neighboring preps every weekend, not to chase the five-stars, but to identify the next wave of role killers who become stars in the right scheme. Make Ball603 and state coaches allies. If a recruit’s family can drive to your games, you’ve already solved half of retention.
4) NIL as Retention, Not Just Hype
Leverage the Granite State Collective and sport-specific NIL clubs to retain all-conference-caliber players for one more season. In the post-House world, UNH’s decision to opt into the settlement unlocks revenue-sharing mechanisms—use them strategically on the top three impact players, not spread thin.
5) Game Ops as a Competitive Advantage
Lundholm is small; make it hostile. Student sections that coordinate chants, theme nights that pack the baseline bleachers, and alumni spotlights that connect eras—all of it raises the defensive energy. (If you want an external sanity check on the venue’s vibe, Stadium Journey’s review is blunt but fair.)
What “Success” Actually Looks Like in Durham (Next 24 Months)
- Men’s program: Top-3 America East finish and KenPom/SRS range that suggests you’re a semifinal favorite. Without Daniels, that’ll require two new double-figure scorers and top-3 conference defense by points-per-possession. Outcome goal: America East title game in either 2026 or 2027.
- Women’s program: .500 overall in Year 1 of Shoniker with DeChent leading the league in scoring again; Year 2—top-4 seed. Outcome goal: WNIT bid in 2026 as a realistic midpoint.
- NIL/Roster: Retain at least two first/second-team All-America East players in back-to-back seasons. That’s how you build a tournament week where you’re the problem, not the underdog.
Facts & Figures: Quick Reference
- Men’s all-time: 758–1399 (.351) across 87 seasons; no NCAA appearances.
- 2023–24 men: 16–15 (7–9), 4th in America East.
- 2024 award: Clarence Daniels, America East Player of the Year.
- Women’s history: 2017 America East regular-season title; 2017 WNIT appearance.
- Arena: Lundholm Gym, Field House complex; ~3,000 seats; bleachers replaced in 2007; floor refinished 2001.
- Coaches: Nathan Davis (men), Megan Shoniker (women). Hires announced April 7, 2023 and April 24, 2024, respectively.
UNH in the America East Ecosystem
In 2023–24, Vermont posted a 15–1 league record; Bryant and UMass Lowell were legitimate challengers; UNH clustered in the middle with Maine and Binghamton. The league’s tournament seeding in 2025 reflected the Bryant surge and Vermont’s ever-present threat. For UNH to break through, the Wildcats must steal a top-two seed at least once in the next three seasons; it’s hard to win three road-neutral games otherwise.
What the Numbers Say (and Don’t)
Public metrics (Sports-Reference) placed UNH around the national middle in points scored/allowed per game (74.1/74.1) last season—symmetry that screams average. The efficiency splits (ORtg ~101, DRtg ~101) suggest that, aside from Daniels’s star shot-making, the team lacked a dependable second and third scorer. Rebalancing that with better three-point volume and free-throw rate is the quickest path to top-3 America East offense.
The Long View: From “Never Danced” to “Dangerous”
Plenty of programs wore the “never danced” label—until they didn’t. The to-do list for UNH is not theoretical:
- Recruit grown men and women (JC, portal, fifth-years) who know who they are.
- Codify the shot profile—more at the rim, more corners, fewer long twos.
- Win the glass and the turnover battle; steal 6–8 points a game without running plays.
- Target a top-2 seed once in the next three seasons.
- Pay (and keep) your stars within the rules through NIL and revenue-sharing.
Put differently: if UNH can become the team that takes 25 threes, gets to the line 20 times, and forces 14 turnovers at Lundholm, they’ll stop being “plucky” and start being annoying to beat. Programs turn not on slogans but on math and retention.
Sources, Links & Further Viewing
Program pages & histories
- UNH Men’s Basketball (official site).
- UNH Women’s Basketball (official site).
- Men’s program history & records: Sports-Reference school page.
- 2023–24 men’s season page (record, staff): Wikipedia summary (uses linked refs).
- Men’s team never made NCAA field; program overview: Wikipedia team page.
Coaching changes
- Nathan Davis hire (UNH release) and staff hires.
- Herrion parting (UNH release and local coverage).
- Megan Shoniker hire (UNH release).
Standings, awards & notable players
- America East 2023–24 standings.
- America East 2024 awards (Daniels, POY).
- Daniels’ UNH bio & pro transition context.
Facilities
- Lundholm Gym (UNH page + venue background).
- Venue experience (Stadium Journey).
- Lighting retrofit (Annex36).
NIL & revenue sharing
- Granite State Collective (UNH-aligned).
- Men’s Basketball NIL Club.
- UNH NIL policies (pdf).
- UNH opting into House v. NCAA settlement (local coverage).
Recruiting ecosystem (regional)
- Brewster Academy alumni tracker (NBA & college).
- WMUR on Brewster to NBA pipeline.
- Ball603 (state hoops coverage).
Video
- UNH introduces Nathan Davis (press conference stream).
- AE Media Day: Nathan Davis.
- UNH at Iowa highlights (Dec. 30, 2024).
- UNH Women vs Harvard (2017, WNIT season context).
- UNH vs Boston College (Clarence Daniels OT game).
Bottom Line
UNH doesn’t need to be glamorous; it needs to be good at the right things. In America East, that means shooting threes, manufacturing free throws, and defending like you’re allergic to straight-line drives. It also means keeping your best players in Durham long enough for a championship run. With Davis in Year 2, Shoniker in Year 1, and NIL finally organized, there’s a credible path from “never danced” to “dangerous in March.” That’s not fantasy—it’s a plan with numbers behind it and a gym that echoes when it matters.
