Despite all the negative connotations that surround the term 'walk-on', these players play a crucial role for the program. There's no glory to be had imitating Cody Zeller, but walk-ons provide necessary energy and competition in practice to better the team. As we start to preview the roster for the upcoming season, we begin with these less recognized young men.

Zach Cooper - Junior - 6'1" 170 LB Guard

The newest member of the team is Cooper, who hails from Urbana, Maryland (yes, the same high school as Zack Mills). He is the new staff's first preferred walk-on. However, Cooper hasn't had much success for his previous college teams. In his freshmen year at Division-III Alfred University in New York, he notched 5 points and 5 rebounds in just 8 games. He transferred to Gulf Coast State College, a community college in Panama City, Florida where he earned an associate degree in Liberal Arts. For the Commodores' basketball team, he played in 12 games last season and scored a total of 11 points.

Kevin Montminy - Sophomore - 6'3" 185 LB Guard

Montminy was an invited walk-on by the previous coaching staff before DeChellis left for the Naval Academy. The local product attended Penns Valley High School in Centre County where he was a three-sport star in football, basketball, and baseball. You could write a book about his distinguished high school career both athletically and academically. He currently is enrolled in Smeal and the Schreyer Honors college and earned the team's Scholastic Achievement Award last year. He saw 10 minutes of action in his freshmen season and scored his only two points on the year against Kentucky.

Alan Wisniewski - Junior - 6'9" 230 LB Forward

Wisniewski earned a spot on the team during tryouts under the previous regime back before the 2010-2011 season. He described his experience in making the squad in an interview with VanillaSports. The Michigan native is also a great student who is pursuing an industrial engineering degree. While this is Wisniewski's third year in the program, he has only seen 6 minutes of game action in his career.

It's unlikely any of these guys will see meaningful court time this season, but the roster is still thin as Chambers continues to turn it over. There are eleven scholarship players on the roster this year, so an injury or two could force some of these walk-ons onto the floor. But even if they don't see time this season, BSD salutes these fine men for all their work behind the scenes.

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