3 Reasons Why Treysen Eaglestaff Could Pick Villanova Over UNC, Gonzaga

The men’s college basketball transfer portal got a bit bigger on Wednesday afternoon. Former North Dakota Fighting Hawks guard Treysen Eaglestaff returned to the transfer portal. Eaglestaff is widely considered one of the top shooters currently available.

North Dakota transfer Treysen Eaglestaff has decommitted from South Carolina, he told @TheFieldof68.

“This was a difficult decision, but after discussing this with my family this is the best course of action for my future”, he told @TheFieldof68. “Thank you to Coach Paris and…

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 16, 2025

Eaglestaff committed to the South Carolina Gamecocks on March 30 and signed his transfer paperwork with the University. Despite his signature, the commitment was not binding and Eaglestaff returned to the portal saying it was “the best course of action” for his future. And that future will likely feature a slew of high-major programs. 

The 6-foot-6-inch, 190-pound Bismarck, ND product averaged 18.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists last season for the Fighting Hawks including a Summit League record 51-point performance against rival South Dakota State in the Summit League tournament quarterfinals. The 2021-22 North Dakota Mr. Basketball averaged 41.6% from the floor and 35.9% from beyond the arc last season for North Dakota. 

The four-star transfer portal prospect will have a slew of programs after him, one of which could be the rebuilding Villanova Wildcats. Here’s three reasons why Eaglestaff could be the next Wildcat!

A Position of Importance

New Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard has a history of building his programs with tough, guard-led teams that have the ability to score at will. Eaglestaff fits that mold. In addition to his 51-point explosion against the Jackrabbits, the Bismark native also ripped off 40-points against the Alabama Crimson Tide. 

Eaglestaff has progressed as a player ever since joining the Fighting Hawks with his scoring output increasing year-over-year. He’s most successful driving to the rim but has the ability to shoot the three and dish the ball when needed. 

A Veteran Presence

The savvy veteran has 98-games under his belt during his three seasons at North Dakota including 70 starts. While he has yet to play in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Eaglestaff does have a handful of Summit League tournament games under his belt. Willard has expressed his interest to rebuild the Villanova program with veteran players. 

Size Matters!

Willard wants to build Villanova into a big, physical team. Well, it doesn’t get much bigger than a 6-foot-6-inch guard. Eaglestaff has the size that most high-level college programs swoon over.

The competition will be fierce, Eaglestaff is also being pursued by blue blood program North Carolina and standout program Gonzaga.