Jamestown's Walters commits to NCAA Division I Wyoming

uj mens hoops walters vs dordt 022823.jpg — University of Jamestown's Mason Walters (33) pulls down a rebound over Dordt's Lucas Lorenzen during the GPAC Championship on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, at Newman Arena.

By Eric Peterson

April 12, 2023 at 8:32 PM

FARGO — The reigning NAIA men's basketball player of the year has found a new program to complete his college career.

Mason Walters — who played the past four seasons at the University of Jamestown — has committed to play for the University of Wyoming he announced Wednesday, April 12, via social media.

Wyoming is an NCAA Division I program in the Mountain West Conference.

“He’s hard to guard 1-on-1 at any level," said University of Jamestown head coach Danny Neville, who has been the program's head coach for eight seasons. "He’s going to have to adapt to some length and size and stuff, but it shouldn’t be too much for him to adapt to and I think he’ll be a great player at that level.”

Go Cowboys!! Committed✅@wyo_mbb pic.twitter.com/JEPRtDMdWD
— Mason (@masonwalters24) April 13, 2023

The 6-foot-9, 225-pound Walters has one season of eligibility remaining. He averaged 26.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this past season, helping the Jimmies advance to at least the round of 16 in the NAIA national tournament for a third consecutive season.

The Jimmies made the Elite Eight during the 2020-2021 season.

“Every time I look at him I think of a winner," Neville said. "Not only was he a great player, but we were really successful and he made others better. He has a great work ethic. He’s a special player.”

Walters scored 2,662 points and grabbed 1,239 rebounds during his career with the Jimmies, playing in 119 games. He averaged 22.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game for his career. Walters was a three-time, first-team All-American.

“I’m super proud of him," Neville said. "I’ve always said when he originally signed here he signed for four years and COVID kind of gave him another year.”

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A Jamestown High School graduate, Walters was named North Dakota's Mr. Basketball in 2019 and also helped the Blue Jays to an undefeated Class A boys state basketball championship for the 2018-2019 season.

Wyoming posted a 9-22 overall record and a 4-14 mark in the Mountain West Conference this past season.

Thank you Jamestown!🖤 pic.twitter.com/BRIw6Jx5Af
— Mason (@masonwalters24) March 22, 2023

By Eric Peterson

Peterson covers college athletics for The Forum, including Concordia College and Minnesota State Moorhead. He also covers the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks independent baseball team and helps out with North Dakota State football coverage. Peterson has been working at the newspaper since 1996.

Jamestown's Walters commits to NCAA Division I Wyoming

Mason Walters, the NAIA men's basketball player of the year for the University of Jamestown, has committed to play at NCAA Division I Wyoming for his final college season.