Thomas Haugh was a key member of Florida's 2024-25 national championship team as a sophomore, serving as the team's sixth man. Haugh's role increased during the 2025-26 season, as he served as Florida's leading scorer at 17.1 points per game. The New Oxford High School graduate has a diverse game, shooting 32.6% from behind the arc while hauling in 6.1 rebounds per game, dishing out 2.1 assists, blocking 1.0 shots and recording 1.1 steals.
The Gators entered the 2025-26 NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed in the South Region with a 26-7 record. Florida's March Madness dreams came to an early end with a 73-72 loss to the No. 9 seed Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round.
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Haugh announced that he is returning to college basketball for his senior season, hoping to lead the Gators back to the promised land. The All-American will not be alone in that endeavor, as it was announced that another rising senior will be returning to Florida.
On Thursday, it was reported that center Rueben Chinyelu will return for the 2026-27 men's college basketball season. Chinyelu originally declared for the NBA Draft on April 20 before withdrawing his name Thursday. The Nigeria native averaged 10.9 points per game, 11.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game last year.
The Gators went to social media to celebrate the return of the 2026 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. In an Instagram post, Florida shared a graphic of Chinyelu with the words "He's Back" displayed alongside his nickname, Big Rue, and his number, No. 9.
"The wait is over 🗣️🔥🔥," the Gators wrote in the Instagram caption.
Haugh sent a clear message of support in the comments, posting "🤙🏼" in the replies. The emoji represents "hit me up," with Haugh anticipating the return of his teammate.
With the return of Haugh and Chinyelu, Florida fans expect head coach Todd Golden to bring a championship back to Gainesville next season.
