SAN FRANCISCO — Entering his third season on the Hilltop, head coach Todd Golden is pleased to announce the addition of three graduate transfers who have signed scholarship agreements to attend the University of San Francisco and are eligible to play this upcoming season.
 
The Dons have added 6-foot, 10-inch forward Yauhen Massalski (Minsk, Belarus/University of San Diego), 6-3 guard Gabe Stefanini (Bologna, Italy/Columbia University), and 6-10 forward Patrick Tapé (Charlotte, N.C./Duke).
 
"We are very excited to add these three graduate student-athletes to our program," said Golden. "Yauhen, Gabe, and Pat will raise the bar for our program immediately. All three are high-quality young men, college graduates, and have all achieved great individual basketball success at the Division I level. They will be great additions to our program both on and off the court."
 
Massalski is no stranger to the West Coast Conference. The four-time letter winner for the Toreros played in 97 career games making 42 starts. In 1,660 minutes, he shot 59.3 percent from the field while averaging 5.5 rebounds per game, 1.5 blocks per contest, and 6.5 points per game. 
 
His most dominating season came as a sophomore in 2018-19 when he shot 60.9 percent from the field while grabbing 5.7 rebounds per game and averaging 6.7 points per contest. He helped lead USD to back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2017-18 and '18-19 and an appearance in the 2019 NIT.
 
"Yauhen has made his presence felt over the past four years as one of the best defenders in college basketball," said Golden. "He has grown-man size, standing at 6-10 and weighing 245 pounds. He's a gifted offensive player as he's able to operate in the low post or from the elbow. He will provide a stable presence in the paint for us as we move forward."
 
Stefanini has not played since the 2018-19 season, but the last time he played he earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors. In two seasons playing for the Lions, he played in 55 games making 28 starts.  He shot 43.5 percent from beyond the arc (67 for 154) and tallied 143 assists, while averaging 9.9 points per contest.
 
In his sophomore campaign, he finished eighth in the Ivy league in scoring at 13.8 points per contest. His 42.9 field goal percentage was seventh in the conference. He shot 42.3 percent from 3-point range that season which would have been third in the Ivy.  He led the conference in assists per game (4.1) and was sixth in assist to turnover ratio, and finished fifth in steals per game at 1.5.
 
"Gabe will be a great addition to the program," added Golden. "He is an ultra-competitive combo guard that makes his teammates better, and has a will to win. He has had success both at the DI and international level, and is looking to finish his college career within a winning program. He is a talented shot-maker and passer – one who will thrive with other talented players. We are excited to welcome him to The Hilltop."
 
Tapé comes to The Hilltop after one season in Durham and three at Columbia, he has the distinction of being the first graduate transfer in Duke's history. Last season, Tape played in 10 games making one start for the Blue Devils.
 
In three seasons and 69 career games at Columbia, the 2018-19 All-Ivy League Honorable Mention honoree averaged 6.9 points per game, 5.1 rebounds and shot 61.3 percent from the field. Tapé left Columbia as the program's career leader in field goal percentage.
 
He averaged 11.3 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and a steal in 22.7 minutes per game during his junior campaign, earning all-conference honors. He ranked in the Ivy League's top-10 in rebounding and blocked shots that season. His 66.7 field goal percentage was the third highest single-season clip in Ivy League history and second-highest for a Columbia player.
 
"Patrick is an extremely talented young man," said Golden. "He has had great success on the basketball court, as well as the classroom.  As a junior at Columbia, he averaged just under 12 points and 6 rebounds a game in 24 minutes. He will arrive at The Hilltop with a Columbia undergrad degree, and a Masters from Duke University. He is a high-achiever and will bring maturity, focus, and unselfishness to our program. We are elated to have him join us."
 
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