May 20, 2026
Mount Union sophomore center Deshaun Vaden is trading his Purple Raider threads for the Big 12, officially committing to transfer to the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The 6-foot-11 shot-blocking machine announced his decision Wednesday, finalizing a direct pipeline from Alliance to the Queen City. Vaden’s jump from Division III to the highest level of college basketball follows a massive coaching shakeup earlier this month. New Cincinnati head coach Jerrod Calhoun recently hired longtime Mount Union leader Mike Fuline as his top assistant coach, making Vaden’s transfer a natural reunion.
Vaden commands elite defensive presence. He is the reigning Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Defensive Player of the Year. He finished third in the nation in NCAA Division III with 102 blocked shots last season. He averaged 5.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He did this in just 15.6 minutes per contest. He shot a hyper-efficient 64.2% from the field.
The center retains two years of collegiate eligibility. He gives the Bearcats an immediate rim-protector for the grueling Big 12 schedule.
