The Virginia men’s basketball team picked up its second spring transfer on Tuesday when Andrew Rohde selected the Hoos. He started 31 games for St. Thomas-Minnesota this past season as a true freshman before entering the portal.
Rohde announced his decision on his social media channels, including Instagram.
Virginia needed to add perimeter depth to its roster with all three starters from last season potentially gone. Kihei Clark finished his career with UVA, while both Reece Beekman and Armaan Franklin declared for the NBA Draft. The latter two could return, though Franklin is not expected to be back and Beekman will make a later decision. That left only Isaac McKneely, Taine Murray, and Georgetown mid-year transfer Dante Harris as full perimeter options, though Ryan Dunn and Leon Bond III potentially can play both wing and post. Incoming freshman Elijah Gertrude will join that mix too.
The Cavaliers got a good option in Rohde. He earned Summit League Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Summit League recognition this past season as St. Thomas continued under its four-year provisional DI status. At 6’6” and 185 pounds, the Milwaukee native adds another player with length to the fold with McKneely (6’4”), Bond (6’5”), Murray (6’5”), and Dunn (6’8”). Rohde reportedly grew from 6’4” as a high school senior when he didn’t have much high major interest in Division I. He had interest from multiple programs in the transfer portal including Creighton, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and others.
Rohde led his team in scoring with 531 points, the first Tommie first-year in school history to ever score 500 points in a season. He led his team in assists, field goals made, and steals too. He logged a 111.3 offensive rating and a 105.5 defensive rating.
Rohde averaged 17.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Playing in a bit of a volume shooter role, he attempted at least 100 more shots than anyone on the rest of the roster. He shot 44.8% overall, 32.0% from 3-point range, and 81.5% from the free throw line. His percentages went up in the second half of the season as he shot 46.6% overall, 36.1% from 3-point range, and 85.5% from the free throw line over the last 16 games. In his final 10 outings for St. Thomas, he had those percentages up to 48.7% overall and 41.0% from 3-point range.
With the addition or Rohde and Merrimack transfer Jordan Minor earlier this month, Virginia now has 9 scholarship players projected on next year’s roster. That means up to 4 spots remain open, pending the ultimate decision from Beekman.
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