The RoundHouse | 10/16/2023 3:32:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Since Dalen Ridgnal had not practiced and barely knew his Wichita State teammates, coach Paul Mills set expectations accordingly for the exhibition trip to Greece.
 
"I said, 'Dalen, thank you for coming on the trip, but you're not going to play much,'" Mills said. "He played 10 minutes the first game and I think he had eight rebounds. I said 'Never mind. You'll play a lot more.'"
 
That August trip for three games reset expectations for Ridgnal, a 6-foot-6 graduate transfer from Missouri State. He averaged around 10 points and 10 rebounds and hasn't stopped rebounding and hustling.
 
"It seems like every ball goes to him," center Jacob Germany said. "He's always on go. That's why he's finding a good spot here."
 
Ridgnal, from Kansas City, earned NJCAA All-American honors at Cowley College before playing one season at Georgia and one at Missouri State. Last season, he averaged 5.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in 17.7 minutes for the Bears. After Ridgnal entered the transfer portal, Tom Crean, the former coach at Georgia, told Mills he needed Ridgnal on the roster.
 
"I can't wait for Shocker fans to see him," Mills said.
 

Ridgnal committed to Wichita State three hours after a Zoom call with coaches, two days before leaving for Greece. Mills' vision to use his shooting abilities sold him on joining the Shockers. At Missouri State, Ridgnal made 18 of 43 three-pointers (41.9 percent).
 
"I feel like I fit well in this system," Ridgnal said. "He was very clear about the message. I felt like he could help me get to the next level."
 
Two weeks ago, Ridgnal said he texted Mills for advice on how to improve. Mills recommended more shooting and more effort. Ridgnal listened. On Monday, Mills said he told a scout with the Orlando Magic that Ridgnal is usually the last Shocker to leave the gym.
 
"Extremely coachable," Mills said. "He works. He has a motor. Phenomenal young man."

His teammates notice the motor. Ridgnal isn't biggest Shocker, but he is aggressive chasing down rebounds from the perimeter.
 
"He gets us a lot of extra opportunities on the offensive glass," guard Xavier Bell said. "He brought the right energy day in and day out. A shot goes up, and he's always the one crashing. He's always the one tipping the ball."
 
Ridgnal looks back on his time at Cowley with shaping his desire to outwork opponents. He averaged 18.6 points and 11.7 rebounds in his two seasons in junior college.
 
"I went to Cowley and I played hard there," he said. "I showed my coaches I can shoot. I can play hard. I can defend."
 
Ridgnal, with the season less than two weeks from starting, is setting the same expectation for Wichita State coaches.
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.