Photo by: Matthew Mitchell
Men’s Basketball Adds Two to Roster for 2024-25
6/3/2024 5:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo announced the addition of two players to the roster for the 2024-25 season.
The Spartans will add forward Frankie Fidler, who spent three years at the University of Nebraska Omaha, and center Szymon Zapala, who played one season at Longwood after two at Utah State, to the roster for next season as transfers.
Fidler, a 6-7, 217-pound forward, spent three years at Omaha was named First Team All-Summit Conference in 2023-24 after averaging 20.1 points per game, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Fidler started all 33 games for the Mavericks, connecting on 45.2 percent of his field goals, 35.6 percent of his 3-point attempts and a team-best 85.4 percent of his free throws (216-of-253). He scored in double figures 31 times, scored at least 20 points 17 times, had four games with at least 30 and registered five double-doubles. Overall this year, he set new single-season highs in 3-point field goals made (52), free throws made (216), rebounds (207), rebounds per game (6.3), assists (86), steals (41), points (664) and points per game.
Nationally, Fidler ranked six in all of Division I in free throws made, No. 22 in total points and No. 31 in points per game.
A native of Bellevue, Neb., Fidler became the third Omaha player in program history to earn all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches, earning second team honors.
Fidler became the 43rd player in Omaha history to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career this past season and leaves the program ranked sixth all-time in scoring and third among those who played since the program moved to the Division I level with 1,507 points. He also became the first player at Omaha since they moved to Division I to scored at least 600 points.
Zapala comes to Michigan State after one season at Longwood University in Virginia, helping guide the team to a 21-14 record as the Lancers won the Big South Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
A 7-0, 240-pound center who hails from Poland, Zapala averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in 16.7 minutes, connecting on 62.9 percent of his shots from the floor and starting in 23 of 35 games. He was a Big South All-Tournament selection after averaging 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds over three games. The fifth-seeded Lancers beat the top two seeds in the league with Zapala scoring 17 points in each game. He scored a career-high 20 points and had 11 rebounds against St. Bonaventure to open the season.
Zapala spent three seasons at Utah State under head coach Ryan Odom, appearing in 45 games for the Aggies and averaging 1.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4.6 minutes over 45 games. He was a two-time Academic All-Mountain West selection and a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honoree.
Zapala played for the Polish National Team at the 2019 U18 FIBA European Championships, averaging 7.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game as the team finished in second place. In addition, he played for Trefl Sopot in the U20 Polish Cup, helping his side to the championships and earned MVP honors. At the high school level, he averaged 17.9 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.1 assists for SMS PZkosz Wladyslawowo.
The Spartans will add forward Frankie Fidler, who spent three years at the University of Nebraska Omaha, and center Szymon Zapala, who played one season at Longwood after two at Utah State, to the roster for next season as transfers.
Fidler, a 6-7, 217-pound forward, spent three years at Omaha was named First Team All-Summit Conference in 2023-24 after averaging 20.1 points per game, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Fidler started all 33 games for the Mavericks, connecting on 45.2 percent of his field goals, 35.6 percent of his 3-point attempts and a team-best 85.4 percent of his free throws (216-of-253). He scored in double figures 31 times, scored at least 20 points 17 times, had four games with at least 30 and registered five double-doubles. Overall this year, he set new single-season highs in 3-point field goals made (52), free throws made (216), rebounds (207), rebounds per game (6.3), assists (86), steals (41), points (664) and points per game.
Nationally, Fidler ranked six in all of Division I in free throws made, No. 22 in total points and No. 31 in points per game.
A native of Bellevue, Neb., Fidler became the third Omaha player in program history to earn all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches, earning second team honors.
Fidler became the 43rd player in Omaha history to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career this past season and leaves the program ranked sixth all-time in scoring and third among those who played since the program moved to the Division I level with 1,507 points. He also became the first player at Omaha since they moved to Division I to scored at least 600 points.
Zapala comes to Michigan State after one season at Longwood University in Virginia, helping guide the team to a 21-14 record as the Lancers won the Big South Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
A 7-0, 240-pound center who hails from Poland, Zapala averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in 16.7 minutes, connecting on 62.9 percent of his shots from the floor and starting in 23 of 35 games. He was a Big South All-Tournament selection after averaging 14.0 points and 5.0 rebounds over three games. The fifth-seeded Lancers beat the top two seeds in the league with Zapala scoring 17 points in each game. He scored a career-high 20 points and had 11 rebounds against St. Bonaventure to open the season.
Zapala spent three seasons at Utah State under head coach Ryan Odom, appearing in 45 games for the Aggies and averaging 1.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 4.6 minutes over 45 games. He was a two-time Academic All-Mountain West selection and a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honoree.
Zapala played for the Polish National Team at the 2019 U18 FIBA European Championships, averaging 7.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game as the team finished in second place. In addition, he played for Trefl Sopot in the U20 Polish Cup, helping his side to the championships and earned MVP honors. At the high school level, he averaged 17.9 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 2.1 assists for SMS PZkosz Wladyslawowo.
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