The University of Idaho men’s basketball program has added significant size to its front line, securing the commitment of forward Mo Diao following two productive seasons at the junior college level.
Head coach Pribble expressed enthusiasm about the addition, calling Diao “the top rim protector in junior college basketball the past two years” and noting the forward will bring an immediate interior presence to anchor the Vandals’ defense.
“He has an incredibly high ceiling, and we can’t wait to get him out to Moscow,” Pribble said.
Proven Production at the Junior College Level
Diao arrives in Moscow having demonstrated consistent improvement and reliability across two college programs. In his most recent season at McCook Community College in Nebraska, he started all 25 games he appeared in, averaging 11.4 points and a team-best 7.3 rebounds per game. He recorded six double-doubles as part of a McCook squad that won 18 games — the program’s best single-season win total in nearly a decade.
Before McCook, Diao played his freshman year at North Platte Community College, where he averaged 14.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while converting better than half his field goal attempts. He posted nine double-doubles that season and ranked among the top 50 rebounders nationally. North Platte won 19 games that year with Diao anchoring the interior.
International Recruit Rounds Out Deep Signing Class
A native of Dakar, Senegal, Diao brings an international background to a Vandal program looking to build depth and physicality in the frontcourt. He is the 11th player added to the 2026-27 Idaho roster during the spring signing period, and the second junior college transfer in this class, joining guard Brady Kennison.
The addition of Diao reflects a deliberate effort by the coaching staff to address interior defense and rebounding heading into next season. The Vandals’ offseason activity has been among the more active in recent memory, with the program making numerous moves to reshape its roster ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Fans looking to follow the team’s preparation heading into 2026-27 can track updates at govandals.com and through the program’s official social media channels. For more on University of Idaho athletics and campus developments, see the new digital Vandal Athletics Hall of Fame display recently added to the Kibbie Dome.