The University of Pennsylvania men’s basketball program has announced the addition of two transfer players, Lucas Lueth and TJ Power, to its roster for the 2025-26 season. The announcement was made by John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men’s Basketball, Fran McCaffery.
Lucas Lueth joins Penn from Kirkwood Community College with three years of eligibility remaining. During his time at Kirkwood, Lueth played in all 36 games, starting 35, and averaged 10 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He helped lead the Eagles to a 33-3 record and an NJCAA Division II national championship. Lueth was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament after scoring 46 points, recording seven steals, and blocking nine shots across four games. He had several notable performances throughout the season, including back-to-back games with 24 and 20 points, as well as a double-double in a win at Marshalltown Community College.
Coach McCaffery commented on Lueth’s addition: “Lucas played his high school ball in Iowa so he’s been on my radar for quite awhile. He had an outstanding season last year at Kirkwood, leading them to the juco national championship and earning Most Outstanding Player honors at that tournament. So I think he can make an immediate impact for us here at Penn and I look forward to seeing his skill set improve our team.”
TJ Power arrives at Penn after playing for both Duke University (2023-24) and the University of Virginia (2024-25). Power will have two years of eligibility with the Quakers. At Virginia last season, he appeared in 24 games with five starts, averaging 1.3 points and one rebound per game while maintaining a perfect free throw percentage over eight attempts. During his freshman year at Duke, Power played in 26 games and averaged just over two points per contest while shooting nearly 36 percent from beyond the arc.
Power was highly regarded as a high school recruit, rated as a five-star prospect by recruiting service 247Sports and earning Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year honors for the 2021-22 season. He also contributed to back-to-back NEPSAC Class AA championships with Worcester Academy.
On Power’s arrival, Coach McCaffery said: “TJ is someone who I’ve known for a long time and I’m excited to have the opportunity to coach him. I really think that TJ has the chance to be one of the best players not just in the Ivy League but in the country, so I’m excited to get him in a Penn uniform and help him develop his game. I think our fans will really enjoy watching him play.”
Both athletes are enrolled in Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences.
