Hakeem Olajuwon. Dikembe Mutombo. Kareem Abdul-Jabar. Jarnel Rancy? Well, perhaps Rancy isn’t in that elite air just yet, but on Jan. 31, in a game against Saint Anselm, Adelphi’s 6-foot-8 forward picked up career block 456, making him DII men’s basketball’s all-time leader in blocked shots.
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Rancy’s DII journey began at Caldwell, where he played the first three seasons of his collegiate career. His first season was the abbreviated 2020-21 season, during which he mustered only 20 blocks. That was still nearly two per game, and you could sense something big was on the horizon. That something big was his breakout 2022-23 season, when he tied Division I’s Jamarion Sharp of Western Kentucky for the most blocks in all college basketball with 131. He was awarded the CACC defensive player of the year that season for his efforts.
Adelphi Athletics
Rancy isn’t a player who cares much about filling the stat sheets. He’s averaging just about six points and five rebounds per game in his five-plus-year career. Instead, he’s concerned with high basketball IQ and making sure the little things get done… and done well. You would think a player like Denis Rodman would be someone he emulated, but that wasn’t necessarily the case. A true student of the game — Rancy believes the more basketball he watches and studies, the better he will be able to adapt and feel the game — he just took it all in growing up.
“I never really tried to model my game to anyone specifically,” Rancy told NCAA.com. “I would try to take bits and pieces from different players while watching certain NBA players, such as Chris Paul or Kawhi Leonard. I mainly pay attention to higher IQ players and see how they read the game. My defensive instincts definitely just came natural to me growing up.”
After his big 2022-23 season at Caldwell, Rancy transferred to Adelphi. He felt that the Panthers’ system fit him very well, and growing up on Long Island, New York, it was somewhat of a homecoming. It certainly didn’t take Rancy long to get acclimated. After playing a mere nine games in 2023-24, Rancy swatted 129 shots last year in his first full season at Adelphi, leading the nation at all levels in blocked shots. He picked up his second defensive player of the year honors, this time for the NE10.
So, what goes on inside the mind of a shot blocker? “I’m always about making the offense uncomfortable and doing whatever the team needs at that moment,” Rancy said. “Sometimes that’s a block, but a lot of times it’s just solid positioning, contesting shots without fouling, or communicating with my teammates to rotate properly.
“The blocks are cool, and they get the crowd hyped, but defense is really about consistency and effort. It’s about being in the right spot, reading the play before it happens, and making the other team work for everything. If I can force a bad shot or make them hesitate, it’s just as valuable. The big plays come naturally when you’re doing all that stuff right, but yes, when the opportunity for a block is there, I’m definitely going for it. That’s just instinct at this point.”
Adelphi Athletics
To date, Rancy has 224 blocks at Caldwell and 233 blocks at Adelphi for a total of 457. He has 77 so far this season, which leads DII and is second overall across all divisions. No. 76 was the one — the one that helped Rancy stand alone and break Bryan Grier of Wingate’s record of 455.Â
Have a story brewing about #D2MBB‘s new all-time leader in blocked shots. Here is Jarnel Rancy’s record-setting swat from @AUPanthers (video credit: Andrew Pao) pic.twitter.com/ArgrQz69RF
— Wayne Cavadi (@WayneCavadi_D2) February 3, 2026
“I remember the record-setting block vividly because at this point of the season, I was expecting to have achieved it already,” Rancy recalled. “The emotion was wild. I just felt a big rush in my body and relief for myself while trying to remain locked in on our game. Having my team and the fans there to share it with made it even more special.”
Perhaps it was coined by Babe Ruth, but Rancy can wear the moniker Sultan of Swat with pride. He’s also been a solid defender, often causing duress without necessarily filling the stat sheets. But that has never been what it was about for Rancy. What has always mattered was the vibe.
“I want to be remembered as someone who showed up and made things happen when it mattered,” Rancy said. “Someone my teammates could rely on in big moments and who helped make the game more fun for everyone around me.
“The records and awards are cool, and I’m proud of them, but I think what matters most to me is just the vibe I brought to the program. I just want to be remembered as someone who had talent, used it well, and made the experience memorable.”