The Winnipeg Sea Bears are putting a strong local focus on their 2026 training camp roster, inviting four Winnipeg players to compete for opportunities with the club.
In back-to-back news releases issued April 29 and 30, the team announced training camp invitations for Elijah Mensah and Daren Watts, along with Ryan Luke and Ramogi Nyagudi. Camp runs from April 30 to May 2.
Head coach and general manager Mike Raimbault said adding local talent helps strengthen both the roster and the experience for players.
“Adding Daren and Elijah is great to have a couple more young local players be a part of the training camp experience,” Raimbault said in the April 30 release. “We are excited to see them compete and contribute each day in camp.”
In the earlier release, Raimbault highlighted the familiarity Luke and Nyagudi bring.
“It’s great to add Ramogi and Ryan to the training camp roster,” he said. “As local guys that have had some experience around the team previously, it makes sense to have them bolster the depth of training camp and help them both get some experience as well.”
Mensah, a 6’7″ forward with the University of Winnipeg Wesmen, averaged 11.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during the 2025-26 Canada West season. Watts, a 6’4″ guard with the University of Manitoba Bisons, averaged 18.8 points per game and was named a Canada West Second Team All-Star.
Luke, also with the Wesmen, averaged 10.2 points and 7.9 rebounds in his senior season. The 6’7″ forward helped the program reach the U Sports Final 8 national championship tournament in 2023 and 2024, marking the school’s first appearances in more than three decades.
Nyagudi, a 6’9″ forward with the Bisons, made an immediate impact in his first Canada West season, averaging 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He previously competed at the NCAA Division 1 level with the St. Thomas Tommies and represented Canada at the 2024 FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup, where the team won bronze.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to join training camp and I’m looking forward to learning and competing in an environment with elite talent,” said Mensah.
“Grateful to God and the coaching staff for the opportunity to compete against pros in my city. I’m very excited,” Nyagudi said.
According to the team, more than half of the Sea Bears’ training camp roster is made up of Winnipeg players, as the organization continues to emphasize local connections heading into the new season.