Overview:
Haitian American athletes are making their mark within the 2025 NCAA March Insanity match, representing groups throughout the nation. From seasoned veterans to rising stars, these gamers convey expertise, resilience, and a robust Haitian heritage to the court docket.
Haitian American Micah Octave stood at heart court docket, cradling the SWAC Championship trophy as colourful confetti blanketed the ground beneath him. A cigar in his mouth, he and his Alabama State Hornets teammates had secured their spot in “The Large Dance”—incomes an automated bid to the NCAA match with a hard-fought 60-56 victory over Jackson State.
Sunday, March 16, marked “Choice Sunday,” when a 10-person panel introduced the 37 at-large groups becoming a member of the 31 convention match winners within the NCAA March Insanity match. In complete, 68 groups will compete for the nationwide championship in a single-elimination format, battling by seven rounds. Groups are ranked from 1 to 68 earlier than being positioned into 4 areas—Midwest, East, South, and West—the place they obtain a second rating, or “seed,” from 1 to 16, with No. 1 representing the highest packages.
With school basketball’s largest stage set, right here’s a have a look at the gamers of Haitian descent and their groups competing on this 12 months’s NCAA March Insanity Event.
North Carolina Tar Heels
To grasp the North Carolina Tar Heels’ place on this 12 months’s NCAA match, it’s essential to acknowledge the controversy surrounding their choice. UNC is taken into account a Blue Blood program, alongside powerhouse colleges like Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UCLA, and UConn—packages with a century of championship appearances and titles. Nonetheless, this 12 months, their inclusion within the match raised eyebrows.
UNC’s athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, additionally serves because the chair of the NCAA Choice Committee. Regardless of a lackluster Quad 1 document—successful simply certainly one of 12 video games in opposition to top-tier opponents—UNC obtained an at-large bid, whereas groups like West Virginia, Indiana, Boise State, and Ohio State, which had higher résumés in that class, had been neglected. Many critics argue that UNC’s affect within the choice course of gave them an unfair benefit over different groups vying for a spot.
NCAA guidelines require the choice committee chair to go away the room and abstain from voting when their very own faculty is into account. Vice Chair Kieth Gill confirmed in a CBS interview that this rule was adopted. Nonetheless, for skeptics—together with West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey—this assurance wasn’t sufficient. Morrisey even threatened authorized motion in opposition to the NCAA over the choice.
Whatever the controversy, UNC should show they belong within the match by making a deep run—in any other case, doubts over their choice will solely develop louder.
No. 22, Ven-Allen Fritz Lubin – Ahead – Junior
Lubin helped lead Orlando Christian Prep to a state title in 2020. Earlier than becoming a member of UNC, he performed at Notre Dame and Vanderbilt.
No. 3, Elliot Cadeau – Guard – Sophomore
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Cadeau’s mom is Swedish, and his father is Haitian. He additionally performs for the Swedish nationwide crew.
Watch UNC vs. San Diego State – Tuesday, March 18, 9:10 p.m. EST at UD Enviornment on TruTV.
Saint Francis College vs. Alabama State: NCAA First 4
Two Haitian American athletes will face off as their groups battle for a spot within the subsequent spherical—one will advance, whereas the opposite shall be eradicated.
No. 23, Wisler Sanon II – Guard – Junior (Saint Francis College)
Sanon’s father was born in Haiti and immigrated to the U.S. at 16, whereas his mom is African American. His household owns Haitian American Delicacies, a soul meals fusion restaurant in Sicklerville, New Jersey.
No. 11, Micah Octave – Guard – Senior (Alabama State College)
Octave, a Boca Raton, Florida, native, performed at Indian River State earlier than transferring to Alabama State, an HBCU. In his first 12 months, he helped lead ASU to its first SWAC Event look since 2019.
Watch Saint Francis vs. Alabama State on Tuesday, March 18, at 6:40 p.m. EST on TruTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.
No. 8 Isaac Celiscar – Ahead – First 12 months (Yale College)
Celiscar comes from an athletic household. His brother Donald is a soccer coach on the College of Massachusetts, whereas his brother Josh performed as a defensive finish for Central Florida and Texas A&M earlier than transferring to South Florida.
Watch Yale Vs. Texas A&M, Thursday, March 20, 7:25 PM EST at Ball Enviornment on TBS and SEC Community
Kentucky
No. 15 Ansley Almonor – Senior – Ahead
Almonor was born in Spring Valley, N.Y. His dad and mom are from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. That is his second NCAA March Insanity Event look. His first got here in 2023 when No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson College (FDU) made historical past by upsetting No. 1 seed Purdue—an upset that has solely occurred as soon as earlier than in match historical past.
Watch: Kentucky vs. Troy, Friday, March 21, 7:10 p.m. EST at Fiserv Discussion board on CBS
Omaha Mavericks, No. 21 Valentino Simon – Junior – Ahead
Simon was born in Nassau, Bahamas, to Haitian and Bahamian dad and mom. Earlier than becoming a member of Omaha, he performed at Hutchinson Group School.
Watch: Omaha vs. St. John’s, Thursday, March 20, 9:45 p.m. EST on CBS