Men's Basketball Re-Signs 11-Year-Old Trent Powers to Roster
Oct 07 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers men's basketball team locked up one of its most important pieces for the 2026-27 season on Wednesday afternoon.
Eleven-year-old Trent Powers of East Windsor, New Jersey, has officially re-signed with the Scarlet Knights. He returns for his second season as the program's Team IMPACT honoree. Powers credited his teammates on the Rutgers roster on his second signing day.
“The guys are just incredible,” Powers said. “They're really nice. They're the nicest people I've ever really met.”
Powers turns 12 in November. While he enjoys basketball, Trent's muscles do not fully function, making it challenging. Trent requires regular medical appointments with specialists, including cardiology, endocrinology, pulmonology, and others.
He first signed with Rutgers in October 2025 and quickly became a fixture around the program. He was in every locker room win or loss during last season. Asked for his favorite memory from his first season, he went right back to the beginning.
"It's got to be the first time I met them," Powers said, citing the day of his official press conference.
The team showed up for Trent away from the court too. Members of the team came out to support him at his school graduation this summer, which surprised a few of his classmates.
"It really felt like what I said at that first interview, that I felt like part of something bigger," Powers said. "It was awesome. My friend was like, 'Why are those people so tall?'"
Trent says his teammates have inspired him in his own fight.
"They're very understanding, and a ton of them actually do great things for their community," Powers said. "So they really understand stuff like this."
Last year’s roster taught him a lesson about adversity he still carries.
"Last year there were some tough moments, and after a game we lost, the guys would just continue to put a smile on around me and be happy to see me," Powers said. "I said to my mom, 'I should be more like this and be happy all the time.'"
When asked to name his favorite player, Trent showed he's ready for the media spotlight. "Well, if this is going public, I can't really tell," he said. "Everybody."
Everyone around the program knows the answer, though: graduate forward Darren Buchanan Jr., better known as "Jun." Last season, Trent nominated Buchanan for Team IMPACT's Teammate of the Year award and called him "a big brother."
Gallery: Men's Basketball Welcomes Trent Powers
"We just seemed to click from the first time that we met," Powers said. "Even when he leaves here, I'm hoping that I can still keep in touch with him, and we can talk about all the things that we love to talk about together."
Trent also has high expectations for year two.
"Last year, we won a Big Ten Tournament game," Powers said. "This year, we're going to set our sights on winning a March Madness game."
He'll be at Jersey Mike's Arena for every home game. "Besides the sandwiches, I'll be down there cheering them on," he said.
Trent also had a message for head coach Steve Pikiell as Pikiell fights his own battle this season. "I know his and mine aren't exactly the same," Powers said. "But I'm wishing him the best of luck. Kick cancer in the butt."
Trent and the Scarlet Knights open the 2026-27 regular season on Friday, Nov. 6, against New Haven at Jersey Mike's Arena.
About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win, effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 4,000 children with 800+ colleges and universities in 50 states, impacting more than 100,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.
