RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Riverside Highlanders are excited to announce the signing of guards Ben Waller and Caleb Versher to the 2025-26 men's basketball recruiting class. These talented players bring a combination of international experience and local success that will strengthen the Highlanders' roster.

"Ben and Caleb continue the tradition of bringing high-character student-athletes into the program," head coach Mike Magpayo stated. "Both young men are athletic, but most importantly, they are of high academic quality and come from two of our favorite places to recruit: Australia and Los Angeles, respectively."

Ben Waller, a 6-foot-5 guard from Melbourne, Australia, arrives at UC Riverside with an impressive basketball résumé. He was the captain of the U18 Victorian team that earned a silver medal in 2023 and a key contributor to Australia's 2024 FIBA U18 Asia Cup championship team.

"Ben Waller is a 6-foot-5 athletic wing who has had a stellar pre-collegiate career, standing out for both his Victorian state teams as well as helping his U17 Australian national team win the FIBA Asia Cup," Magpayo explained. "Ben can score in a variety of ways and brings good size and shooting ability for a guard."

Caleb Versher, a 6-foot-2 guard from Los Angeles, joins the Highlanders after a standout career at St. Bernard High School, where he played a pivotal role in securing a Division I CIF-SS championship. Versher also competed with the highly regarded Compton Magic AAU program.

"Caleb Versher is a tough-minded, 6-foot-2, extremely athletic and strong Southern California guard," Magpayo commented. "Caleb has a college-ready body, an attacking scoring mindset, and we look for him to bring an intensity and work ethic to our program to help carry our next generation forward. Caleb can really shoot and is not afraid of the moment, always willing to take the big shots for his storied Southern California high school team, St. Bernard."

Waller and Versher's addition to the 2025-26 roster underscores UC Riverside's commitment to recruiting top-tier talent locally and globally. The Highlanders look forward to the impact these players will have as the program continues its ascent in The Big West Conference.

"We look forward to adding Caleb and Ben to our Highlander family," Magpayo concluded. "The future is bright!"