Anthony Pacciarelli always had faith that he was talented enough to play at the highest level of college basketball.

Pacciarelli never wavered when he passed on a Division II opportunity and committed to SUNY Orange last summer.

SUNY Orange’s coaches were equally invested in Pacciarelli’s talent. The partnership produced one of the best seasons in program history.

The 6-foot-5 freshman wing earned NJCAA first-team All-American honors Wednesday. He also reached his ultimate goal of playing Division I basketball, committing to Manhattan College of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last week.

“I’ve believed in myself, but coach (Tom Rickard) also believed in me,” said Pacciarelli, who averaged 26.5 points per game and shot 50 percent from the field. “It balanced each other out. He always believed that I was a Division I player, and he never settled for less from me. That’s why I feel like I’m in the position I am in now.”

Pacciarelli received an unexpected call after scoring 35 points at the national junior college tournament last month. He was surprised to hear from a Manhattan assistant coach. Two Manhattan coaches watched Pacciarelli for two days at the tournament, and he received an offer on the spot.

Days later, Pacciarelli visited Manhattan’s campus and ultimately committed, becoming SUNY Orange’s first Division I commit under Tom Rickard.

“I knew he was good enough (to play Division I),” Rickard said. “Some kids need two years with me to improve. He improved a lot in his first year, but I knew he had the ability. He’s a great student, too, so I knew he would have opportunities. He kind of bet on himself. He didn’t have to come to us—he could have gone to a prep school.”

Pacciarelli also received Division I interest from Albany and Tennessee Tech. He also held an offer from Division II Nova Southeastern, which won the national championship in 2024–25.

“A lot of my friends growing up are in the MAAC,” Pacciarelli said. “It’s definitely cool to be playing against kids I played against in high school and with in AAU.

“I’ve always seen myself playing at that level. It’s definitely cool to reach that goal.”

Pacciarelli’s versatility impressed Manhattan’s coaches. He can play shooting guard, small forward, or stretch forward if necessary.

“I’m very excited to be a part of this with Manhattan and to win a lot of games this upcoming season,” Pacciarelli said. “My mindset is that I’m always a winner, so wherever I go, we must win. That’s the goal.”