Vermont Academy 2026-27 Player Profiles
Established in 1876, Vermont Academy is a private boarding and day school set on more than 450 acres on the north side of Saxtons River, VT. Although enrollment is only 222 students with 60 faculty, the athletic facilities include five playing fields, two practice fields, an ice rink, six tennis courts, a thirteen-station ropes course, a mountain biking course, 20 kilometers of trails, and a winter sports park with ski jumps and slopes.
Being one of the smallest schools in college prep basketball makes the Wildcats' national standing genuinely remarkable. They compete in the New England Prep School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) AAA division and play a schedule of the highest level, with games officiated under full NCAA rules. They have a history of Top 15 national rankings and earning a seed in the National Prep Championship tournament each year. Their D1college basketball placement list runs 44 schools, including Louisville, Marquette, Syracuse, Miami, Missouri, Pitt, Penn State, Texas Tech, Xavier, VCU, St. John's, Harvard, and Boston College. Two Wildcats have gone on to win NBA championships: Jordan Nwora '17 with Milwaukee in 2021 and Bruce Brown '16 with Denver in 2023.
The 2026-27 season represents a new chapter, as Connor Merrill -a 2011 VA alum - returns to lead the program as head coach. After playing for the Wildcats, Merrill went on to Skidmore College, where he earned All-Liberty League honors in all four seasons, including a first-team selection as a senior. A tri-captain, he finished as Skidmore's career leader in blocked shots (212), ninth in rebounds (543), and seventh all-time in points scored (1,256). He was named to the Reese's Division III All-Star Game, the first all-star game selection in Skidmore history, and helped the Thoroughbreds to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2012 and 2015.
Merrill's coaching path began at Vermont Academy as an assistant in his first year out of college, followed by two seasons as a graduate assistant at Springfield College — where he earned his M.Ed. in athletic administration — and four years as top assistant at Middlebury College. In 2022 he became head coach at Deerfield Academy, where he built a program that culminated this past winter in perhaps its best season ever, earning NEPSAC Class A Coach of the Year, and a national Top 80 computer ranking.
For Merrill's first season, the VA 2026-27 team will be featuring the players profiled below.
Michael Bradley Jr. (2027) 6'5 wing - #3 ranked player in Vermont by NERR. Bradley is an extremely athletic player who can get easy buckets at the rim. He also can knock down jump shots. He plays hard-nosed defense. Plays club ball with Rhode Island Elite. NERR profile PH profile RTB profile
Mamadou Camara (2027) 6'1 point guard - 2025-26 All NEPSAC AAA Honorable Mention. Camara is a relentless slashing driver to the basket and a sneaky good outside shooter. He is a steals merchant on defense. Tenacious competitor who makes everyone around him better. Plays cub ball with White Mamba. Video highlights
Matthew Jernigan (2027) 6'4 wing - Jernigan is a big time athlete. He has the ability to play in the post and on the perimeter, and flashes exceptional athleticism around the rim. He scores with length in the paint, is smooth getting into his mid-range game, and can get hot in a hurry from behind the arc. His athletic gifts allow him to defend multiple positions on the other end of the floor. Plays club ball with Mass Rivals. NERR profile PH profile Video highlights
Cam Santos (2027) 6'5 wing- Santos just finished an impressive career at Bridgewater-Raynham High (MA) as one of the more productive two-way wings in the state. Now, the wing (who has recently put on some weight and strength) will have an opportunity to prove his ability at a way higher level with Vermont Academy. He'll walk into the squad as an effective spacer/shooter and a versatile defender, and he should be an important piece. Plays club ball with The Club. Video highlights
Chris Soillis (2027) 6'3 guard - Soillis plays with some pop and can impact the game in a lot of games. Great shot maker off the catch and dribble. Twitchy defender and great rebounder on both ends. High gpa Video Highlights
Martin Boua (2027) 6’7 forward - Boua is a very athletic forward who can impact the game on both ends of the floor at a high level. He plays above the rim, crashes the glass hard, blocks and alters shots, and can guard multiple positions. Very high academic student who carries a 3.9 GPA. Plays AAU with NE Revolt on the UA Rise Circuit. Video highlights
Trey Ambrozich (2027) 6 '8 forward - Ambrozich is a skilled stretch forward who can play inside-out. He moves well and plays with a high IQ. Willing and able facilitator as well. Good touch around the basket and is a constant threat from the perimeter. High academic student with a high ceiling. Plays AAU with North Bay Basketball Academy (NBBA) on the UA Rise Circuit. Video highlights
Colin McDermott (2027) 6’2 guard - McDermott is an incoming post-grad from Barrington, RI, where he was a 1st team All-State selection. High level shooter with deep range. Continues to add more to his game off the bounce. Will be a valuable threat this year and beyond because of his shot-making ability. Plays AAU with BCRI on the MADE Hoops Circuit. Strong gpa Video highlights
Petar Kustarovic (2027) 6’5 wing - Kustarovic is a skilled a fluid wing coming over from Serbia. High IQ and can score the ball in a variety of ways.
Sarp Arda (2028) 6’2 guard - Arda is a tough and high IQ floor general from Turkey. Sees the floor well, gets others involved, and can score it as well. Very tough and scrappy on-the-ball defender. Played on the Turkish national team this past summer, helping them to a 4th place finish. Intriguing prospect to monitor in the 2028 class.
Caleb Haynes (2028) 5’11 guard - Haynes is a quick and athletic combo guard with an incredibly quick first step. Scores the ball in a variety of ways. Shoots it range and can play above the rim. Good facilitator who can get his teammates involved. Plays club ball with Team New England.
David Wenga (2028) 6’3 guard - Wenga is a skilled and versatile guard who can play multiple positions. Long arms where he can be very disruptive defensively, and play above the rim on offense. Doesn’t get sped up under pressure, and can score the ball in a variety of ways. Plays club ball with Team Sims on the UA Rise Circuit.
To accommodate college scout visits, Vermont Academy holds a schedule of Fall Open Gym runs, the details of which can be found in the title graphic above.
The team’s 2026-27 game schedule and results can be found by clicking here.