MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University head men's basketball coach Brad Bigler has announced five high school student athletes have signed letters of intent to continue their academic and athletic careers at SMSU.
 
Joining the program for the 2026-27 season include Logan Junkermeier from Fairmont, Minn., Ethan Miller from Zumbrota, Minn., Kale Misegades from Henning, Minn., Luke Roschen from Goodhue, Minn., and Talan Witt from Alexandria, Minn.
 
"This group, when you look at their final rankings within the state of Minnesota and the level of success they've had, has a chance to be one of the stronger recruiting classes in program history," Bigler said. "That's a lot of responsibility to place on a group of incoming freshmen, but what stands out is how well they complement each other and how naturally they fit with the guys already on campus."
 
Logan Junkermeier, a 6-foot-10 center at Fairmont High School, was a three-year letter winner for the Cardinals, and emerged as a dominant rim protector, finishing his career as the school's all-time leader in blocked shots.
 
"We are thrilled to add Logan to our program," Bigler said. "He gives us a true rim protector and a player whose best basketball is still ahead of him. For a 6-foot-10 guy, he has excellent hands and feet, and what really stood out to me was his ability to pass out of double teams and consistently make the right read under pressure. That is a hard skill to find in a young big."
 
Junkermeier averaged 18 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game as a senior leading the Cardinals to a 22-5 record. He earned all-conference and all-area honors, while being named the Fairmont Sentinel Player of the Year. He was also selected to play in the 2026 MBCA All-Star Game.
 
"Big guys with his combination of size, skill and feel are not easy to come by," Bigler said. "We are excited to get him into our system and continue developing him like a Jake Phipps type frontcourt player. Defensively, his shot-blocking ability reminds me of Jeremy VanKlompenburg, and offensively his soft hands and jump hook are like Nick Smith. The one thing he might surprise people with is how well he runs—he's a lot more athletic than people realize."
 
Ethan Miller, a 6-foot-9 forward at Zumbrota-Mazeppa High School, was a four-year letter winner for the Cougars and finished his career ranking among the school's all-time leaders in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Miller scored 1,173 career points, ranking fifth in school history, while also pulling down 668 rebounds and recording 101 blocked shots. As a senior, he averaged 16.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
 
"What separates Ethan is his ability to shoot the basketball for his size and position," Bigler said. "Even more than that, it's how quickly and comfortably he gets his shot off. That makes him a unique matchup problem at 6-foot-9."
 
A two-time all-conference selection and 2026 MBCA All-Star game participant, Miller holds school records for career three-point percentage and free throw percentage, while also finishing as the program's all-time leader in three-pointers made in a season.
 
"His Mustang comparison would be a strong, versatile forward like Mitch Weg, Chad Orum or Carter Kirk," Bigler said. "His ability to step out and shoot the three also reminds me of Joey Bartlett. Ethan, like Logan, will have a chance to compete for minutes in the post rotation right away, and I believe those two are going to be great teammates no matter what they're asked to do."
 
"Ethan's recruitment is a great example of why coaches have to evaluate players in different settings," Bigler said. "AAU basketball can be a difficult evaluation for big guys because sometimes they don't touch the ball as much or aren't put in the same positions they are with their high school team. It wasn't until I watched Ethan with his high school program that I really realized how good he is."
 
Kale Misegades, a 6-foot-3 guard at Henning High School, was a six-year letter winner and three-time team captain for the Hornets. Misegades finished his career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,853 points, while also totaling 907 rebounds, 707 assists, 403 steals and 312 career 3-pointers.
 
A two-time conference most valuable player and four-time all-conference selection, Misegades helped lead Henning to four conference championships, two section championships and back-to-back appearances at the Minnesota Class A State Tournament, including a fifth-place finish in 2025 and a third-place finish in 2026. He was named to the state all-tournament team both seasons.
 
"Kale first caught our attention at our Junior Elite Camp last August," Bigler said. "From that point on, and throughout the entire recruiting process, it became obvious that Kale knows how to compete. He battled through a tough injury during his junior season, came back last spring and put on a show, and his toughness and playmaking ability were on full display throughout the spring and summer."
 
As a senior, Misegades averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 3.2 steals per game, while shooting 54 percent from the field, 38 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the free throw line. He also set the school single-game scoring record with 50 points.
 
He was named a top-five finalist for Minnesota Mr. Basketball, selected to the 2026 MBCA All-Star Game, was a top-15 finalist for the McDonald Award, and earned academic all-state honors.
 
"His Mustang comparison would be a combination of Matt Zager as a playmaker and Jacob Fahl as a scoring threat," Bigler said. "Simply put, Kale defines winning."
 
Luke Roschen, a 6-foot-3 guard at Goodhue High School, was a three-time team MVP for the Wildcats, scoring 2,188 career points, while adding 712 rebounds, 396 assists and 378 steals during his career. He set multiple school single season records, including most points in a (728) and steals (121), while setting program records for career three-pointers made (299), career field goals made (784), and steals (378).
 
"Luke was another recruit who came onto our radar a little later in the process," Bigler said. "AAU recruiting can be difficult because teams are often playing in different systems and going in different directions, so it can take time to get a true feel for a player. I'm thankful he was open to coming to our second Elite Camp in August. Once he got there, he showed very quickly why we needed to recruit him."
 
As a senior, Roschen averaged 23.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.9 steals per game, while helping lead Goodhue to a Minnesota Class AAA state runner-up finish. He earned multiple accolades, including conference player of the year, all-state, and state all-tournament team honors, while also being selected to play in the 2026 MBCA All-Star Game.
 
"What stands out about Luke is his ability to score the basketball in a variety of ways," Bigler said. "He can elevate and get his shot off, and he put up a lot of points throughout his high school career. His Mustang comparison would be Taylor Schafer—both guys have that ability to rise and get shots off in tough situations."
 
Talan Witt, a 6-foot-1 guard at Alexandria High School, was a three-time all-conference and three-time all-section honoree for the Cardinals, while becoming the school's all-time assists leader.
 
Witt averaged 16.7 points, 7.2 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game during his prep career and twice helped lead the Cardinals to the state tournament. As a junior, Alexandria won the 2025 Minnesota Class AAA state championship, with Witt earning all-tournament honors. As a senior, Witt and the Cardinals advanced to the Class AAAA state tournament.
 
"Talan is another great leader and proven winner," Bigler said. "The first time I talked with him, I actually joked with him about beating his dad in a 3-on-3 tournament back in the day, and right away you could feel his personality and competitiveness."
 
Witt was also a standout in football, serving as quarterback for Alexandria, where he helped guide the Cardinals to a Minnesota Class 5A state quarterfinal appearance as a senior.
 
"Talan is an athletic guard who has the ability to get into the paint and finish above the rim in traffic," Bigler said. "His game reminds me of a decision-maker like Jakob Braaten from this past season. His ability to make decisions through contact and in traffic is exceptional. He also has tremendous hand size, which allows him to finish outside his body and score over defenders in tight spaces."
 
"He can make one-hand finish plays in traffic like Jon Peteriens gliding through the air," Bigler said. "But the best quality about Talan at the point guard position is that it's easy to see that guys love playing with him. He elevates the group around him, and that's what separates good point guards from great ones."
 
SMSU finished this past season with a 16-12 overall record finished tied for third in the NSIC standings.
 
"College basketball is in a new era with roster movement, transfers, and constant change," Bigler said. "I still believe in the value of investing in high school players and developing them within a program. This group represents that philosophy. They chose to be here, and we're excited to develop them the right way."
 
"We also have strong leadership already in place with experienced players like Mekhi and Aeron, along with a core of returners ready to take the next step," Bigler said. "That combination of new talent and established experience gives us a chance to continue building in the right direction. Next year should be another exciting season of Mustang basketball. We're looking forward to getting to work."
 
SMSU, located in Marshall, is a member of NCAA Division II and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.