The Kansas State community and former Belmont head coach Casey Alexander have had time to get acquainted, and it’s safe to say he’s wasted no time getting the ball rolling. Luckily for Wildcats fans, the future looks bright.
Casey Alexander’s first moves as Kansas State head coach already looks promising
Since moving to Manhattan, Alexander has already shown interest in hiring former Belmont assistants among other staffers. Not only that, but two of the Bruins’ top performers have also entered their names in the transfer portal.
Whether or not his former players could become future Wildcats currently hangs in the balance, but in the current landscape, it’s certainly a possibility. If that happens, there are a couple of names to keep in mind: Tyler Lundblade, Drew Scharnowski and Devin Hutcherson.
A big emphasis for Casey Alexander and staff will be retention of the roster.
— Kole Emplit (@KoleEmplit) March 16, 2026
"I don't want to flip a roster over every season."
He acknowledges this offseason will be a challenge to essentially replace an entire team, but this is the expectation amid the new era of college… pic.twitter.com/AYHvkBflv9
Unlike Lundblade and Scharnowski, Hutcherson is only a recruit. That doesn’t make him any less dangerous. The real concern – fans haven’t seen what else Alexander is capable of in the transfer portal.
According to earlier reports, the first-year head coach is expected to meet with current members of the Wildcats’ roster ahead of the transfer portal opening. If that holds true, some of last season’s bright spots could stick around.
If Alexander proves as persuasive in those conversations as he has in the transfer portal, a few of last season’s standouts could be in line for breakout years. Even after a plateau season, the future still looks bright.
What we know about Kansas State, and still don’t know
It’s unclear about what’s ahead in the transfer portal until it actually opens after the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament. Some mid-major stars could be on the radar, and are also worth monitoring.
It’s not clear who (if any) of Tang’s staff will be retained, but don’t be surprised if Alexander opts to clean house, including the former graduate assistants and personnel. So far, the only thing that’s 100% certain is that Alexander is under contract.
What remains unclear is the transfer portal situation. Just because big names from both Belmont and other teams across the Missouri Valley Conference enter the portal doesn’t mean they’ll end up at Kansas State.
This time of year is a process more than anything, and if nothing else, money talks. It wouldn’t be surprising if either Lundblade or Scharnowski choose to play elsewhere under a different head coach.
In cases like Darian DeVries and Ben McCollum, players followed. In McCollum’s case, they’ve helped fuel a run to the Sweet 16 with a shot at the Elite Eight on the line. Better yet, that’s in his first season as a Power Five head coach.
If Alexander generates anything even remotely similar in that time frame – look out. It might just be an indication that the Wildcats made the right choice in the coaching search.
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