As summer workouts begin for Miami University’s men’s basketball team, expectations have begun to surround the program following their historic 2024-25 season.

Head Coach Travis Steele’s group eclipsed 25 wins, something no Miami team has ever done in the program’s 120-season history. From the outside looking in, this may have come out of nowhere to some fans of college basketball. Steele’s first two years at the helm of the RedHawks were underwhelming from a winning standpoint. His first year, they managed just 12 wins, then improved to 15 in the second year.

“We won the most games in Miami history, and our guys still feel like there’s unfinished business,” Steele said about next year’s group. “They know how good we can be and how they want to win.”

To those who have paid close attention to the RedHawks, the recent success was not hard to see coming. The locker room culture in Oxford was clearly improving steadily under Steele. Players were returning instead of racing for the transfer portal as they had done for so many other programs and in the past at Miami. According to Steele, this timeline was always his vision when he took the job initially.

“Every decision we’ve made since we’ve been here has been about year three and forward,” Steele said. “Not taking any shortcuts, having a very strong foundation to build on, and that’s what we did the first two years. We took some lumps, but we were developing our culture and establishing an identity. That kind of culminated this past season.”

According to On3Sports’ Transfer Portal Database, over 1,100 college basketball players entered the portal after the 2024-25 season. This unprecedented number has left many programs scrambling to rebuild decimated rosters and negotiate expensive NIL deals with athletes, all while struggling to hold on to the players that haven’t yet left. 

For Coach Steele, the headache at Miami has not been nearly as large.

After signing a five-man freshman class in 2023, Steele managed to retain the entire class for their sophomore year, something that has become unheard of in the current landscape of college basketball. That class, alongside a dynamic group of transfers, propelled Miami to the upper echelon of the MAC, as they finished second in the 2025 regular season standings to the reigning MAC Tournament champions, the Akron Zips.

It culminated in one of the best regular seasons in school history, and a run to the MAC tournament championship game, a game they hadn’t been to since 2007, when the RedHawks defeated the Zips on a miraculous buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Doug Penno that sent Miami to the NCAA tournament.

Miami handled a pesky Eastern Michigan team in round 1, before grinding out a thrilling semifinal victory over conference rival Kent State to advance to the title game against the Zips of Akron. Miami controlled much of the championship game but ultimately fell on a Nate Johnson game winner with just 2 seconds remaining in regulation.

Despite falling just short of the NCAA tournament, Steele’s program showed significant growth in his third year at the helm. His emphasis on culture has proven to be a working system, as Miami has several key contributors returning for the 2025-26 season. First-Team All-MAC selection Peter Suder announced his intentions to return alongside forward’s Antwone Woolfolk, Jackson Kotecki, Eian Elmer and All-Freshman selection Brant Byers. Evan Ipsaro and Luke Skaljac will return to join Suder in the backcourt.

Steele credits recruiting for fit and his team’s connectivity for not only their improvement this season but also for their ability to retain talent.

“I think No. 1 is getting guys that fit Miami and fit me in our program is absolutely imperative,” Steele said. “I think what makes us really good is our connectivity. Our culture is very strong. We are going to ‘carry your brother.’ We have a very strong connection.”

With Miami’s impressive run in the MAC tournament, the returning group will have significantly raised expectations than the program has had in recent years.

According to ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s most recent and initial bracket projection, Lunardi projects the RedHawks to represent the MAC in the NCAA tournament next season. Lunardi picked the RedHawks to head to Buffalo, where they would face fourth-seeded Michigan State as the 13 seed in this scenario. Junior guard Evan Ipsaro says his team is confident it can replicate its success from this past season.

“Going into last year, we didn’t really know how good we were gonna be, and it turns out we were actually better than a lot of us thought,” Ipsaro said. “Having expectations, that kind of gives us something to work towards next year. Having so many people that have been to the MAC championship, it’s been a very clear goal that we can go win this thing next year.”

Miami brings in a class of five freshmen next year to join their returning squad. Additionally, the program added forward Almar Atlason, a transfer from Bradley who averaged 5.7 points per game for the Missouri Valley Conference runner-up. Miami will look to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007 and win a game in the dance for the first time since Wally Szczerbiak led the RedHawks to the Sweet 16 in 1999.

Cutline 1: Evan Ipsaro elevates for a jumper over Brant Byers. Provided by Miami University

Cutline 2: Head Coach Travis Steele is entering his fourth year at the helm of the RedHawks. Miami improved its win total from 15 to 25 in Steele’s third season.