On a Sunday at the end of July, Dalen Ridgnal was on a Zoom call with Paul Mills for a late effort to recruit Ridgnal for the Shockers’ 2023-24 campaign. By that Tuesday, Ridgnal was on a plane with 20 or so strangers on his way to Greece.

Mills told Ridgnal that he would probably not see much playing time because he had not practiced with the team beforehand.

“I just wanted to get to know the team and the coaches,” Ridgnal said on why he decided to go to Greece.

In the Shockers’ first game in Greece, Ridgnal ended up playing for 10 minutes and had eight rebounds. After seeing the graduate student’s skills, Mills changed his mind and told Ridgnal that he would be playing much more. 

Ridgnal said that with Mills as head coach, there’s no guesswork on what he needs to do better. He said that Mills will always tell players upfront what he needs from them.

“I’m not guessing; he’s an open guy,” Ridgnal said.

Ridgnal comes to Wichita State from Missouri State University with a resume loaded with junior college awards from his two years at Cowley College: a two-time All-American, All-Region VI, and part of the All-Jayhawk Conference selection.

If that isn’t enough, the Kansas City, Missouri, native also came highly recommended to Mills by college coaching legend Tom Crean. Crean coached Ridgnal during his junior year at the University of Georgia.

Junior forward Kenny Pohto said that while Ridgnal keeps players laughing off the court, he’s aggressive on the court. 

“We went to Greece, and nobody really knew him,” Pohto said. “He just came in and was a force on the glass and was the one who got rebounds,” Pohto said. 

Pohto said he expects Ridgnal to be the number-one rebounder on the team. All he needs to work on, Pohto says, is being a leader.

“He should accept that role and just embrace it,” Pohto said. 

Mills said Ridgnal is always the last person to leave practices.

“He works; he has a motor; he is a phenomenal young man,” Mills said. “We lucked with that one.”