Bonnies Baseline: The Right Fit

When the 2026-27 season gets underway at the Reilly Center, few Bonnies newcomers will garner more attention than sophomore forward Mason Blackwood.

For one, the Rochester native is certain to have many friends and family in attendance as he plays close to home. 

“St. Bonaventure felt like the right place to be,” he said. “I’m super excited to be close to home. I’ve heard the Reilly Center gets packed, gets excited. I’m ready to experience that.”

The decision to come to Bonaventure wasn’t purely about geography; SBU also presented the best opportunity for his development.

“I remember seeing him back when he was a sophomore in high school at Aquinas,” head coach Mike MacDonald said upon Blackwood’s Bonnies commitment. “He has been a very accomplished player wherever he's played. He has a lot of skills, he can score facing the basket, can score with his back to the basket, and can become a really good shooter. We're looking forward to working with him and watch him develop in the coming years.”

Blackwood has a history as a heralded recruit, a four-star talent who ranked near the top 100 nationally and No. 29 at the small forward position in his class. 

“I’m a shooter, scorer, downhill driver,” he said of his game, adding with an emphasis, “I’m a dog who wants to win.”

Now, he brings the poise gained last season playing night in and night out against power conference competition as he looks toward making a splash in the Atlantic 10.

“Being able to perform in big-time games, it gave me a ton of confidence,” he said. “I’m fully capable and know what I can do. The guys here give me confidence, too. I know they’re going to be able to knock down shots.”

He committed to Penn State out of New Hampton Prep in New Hampshire following two seasons of high school at Aquinas Institute in Rochester. After leading New Hampton to the National Prep Championship Final Four in 2024 and Elite Eight in 2025, he went the Power Four route where he showed flashes of his potential as one of the region’s top recruits.

His freshman season included a season-high 14-point effort along with six rebounds against Wisconsin and a nine-point, three-assist showing vs. Purdue in nationally-ranked showdowns before transferring to the Bonnies this spring. 

The experience of spending the summer on campus for workouts with his new teammates and coaching staff delivered the setting he hoped to find in the transfer portal to take the next step in his development. 

“Guys here just want to get better every day and be in the gym all the time,” he emphasized. “Everything is basketball oriented. I hope when people see us for the first time they see the energy coming from us and see a bunch of guys who love to compete and just want to win.”

Before going the prep route, Blackwood keyed Aquinas to a Class AA Section V title and Far West Regional appearance while averaging nearly 18 points and over seven boards per game. He also shot over 49 percent from beyond the arc. 

His family ties also run deep in the Southern Tier – his father, Marcus, played collegiately at Alfred State.

At Penn State, he earned a reputation as a high-energy, hard-working player which resulted in him making his first college start during the Big Ten Tournament. 

Along with returning home and bringing a level of hype surrounding a heralded recruit, it might be easy for him to feel the pressure of being a foundational piece for this season’s reloaded roster.

Instead, Blackwood has already embraced his new surroundings and has eyes on making an impact on more than just the stat sheet.

“It’s no pressure; I came here to win and I’m ready to get things rolling,” he said. “After this season comes to an end, I want people to say that guy came here and made it a better place, that it’s deeper than basketball.”