BY: GRADY McCAFFREY; STAFF WRITER
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — College basketball content creator Ryan Hammer visited St. Bonaventure University Aug. 28-29 during his “Inside the A-10” summer tour, which previewed the 2026-27 college basketball season.
More than 430,000 people follow Hammer across social media platforms through his college basketball coverage. His visit included conversations with first-year head coach Mike MacDonald, general manager Adrian Wojnarowski and multiple players. The 14th and final stop of Hammer’s tour highlighted the qualities that distinguish St. Bonaventure from other programs in the Atlantic 10.
From the start of the video, Hammer took note of how such a small, close-knit community in a rural area could support such an established college basketball program. Bonaventure draws strong home crowds despite an undergraduate enrollment of about 2,000 and a capacity of about 6,000 in the Reilly Center.
“At a place like St. Bonaventure, the students here come to see their friends play,” said MacDonald. Loyalty emerged among one of the major themes from Hammer’s visit. The passion extends beyond the student section and Olean. MacDonald noted the Bonnies draw fans from across Western and Upstate New York. “You’d probably compare it to SEC football. This is what we have. We have college basketball,” said MacDonald.
Hammer also acknowledged St. Bonaventure basketball’s history, including the 1970 Final Four team led by Hall of Famer Bob Lanier. He also discussed the influence of former coaches such as Jim Baron, Jim Satalin, and Mark Schmidt, the winningest coach in program history.
Toward the end of the visit, Hammer spoke with members of the 2026-27 team, which features power four transfers, a junior college All-American, Division II All-Americans, and players from across the globe.
Hammer spoke with sophomore guard Ilia Ermakov. The 6-foot-5 guard from Russia discussed the importance of remaining coachable and playing physically while adjusting to playing in the United States. “I’m getting used to basketball in the U.S. It’s different in Europe. The style of play in the U.S. is more physical and faster, but this year, I’m getting used to playing that way on the court,” said Ermakov.
The final stop of Hammer’s tour highlighted one of the most unique programs in college basketball, shaped by community, tradition and history. By March, the Bonnies hope to gain national recognition during MacDonald’s first season with the program.
