Every year, the Horizon League welcomes a new wave of talent from non-Division I programs, and this season is no exception. With only one All-League player returning from last year—C.J. O'Hara, who ultimately landed at Wright State—the conference is ripe for fresh faces to make an impact. While high-major transfers and mid-major standouts often grab headlines, it's the players stepping up from lower divisions who can become the league's hidden gems. Here are a few non-Division I transfers worth watching this season.

Ray’Sean Briggs – Detroit Mercy (from Wayne State, D2)
Briggs wrapped up his final season at Wayne State with impressive stats: 17 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, earning First Team All-GLIAC honors. His numbers mirror those of Orlando Lovejoy before he transferred from Eastern Michigan to Detroit Mercy in 2024-25 and took a major leap. Titans head coach Mark Montgomery leaned heavily on Lovejoy as a veteran point guard, and with that production gone, Briggs could step into a similar alpha role. While Lance Stone and Tyler Spratt showed promise last season, having a player with three years of college experience—even at the D2 level—adds invaluable stability. Expect Briggs to be a key contributor in Detroit's backcourt from day one.

Cam Erhart – Green Bay (from Fort Lewis, D2)
Erhart put up big numbers at Fort Lewis: 17.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and an eye-popping 3.7 steals per game. Green Bay head coach Doug Gottlieb faces a familiar challenge: replacing graduating point guard Preston Reudinger, who was the heart of the team's leadership. Erhart won't replicate Reudinger's intangibles overnight, but his ability to create turnovers and score at all three levels makes him a dynamic addition. If he can adjust to the faster pace and physicality of Division I, he could become the Phoenix's next backcourt star.

Stay tuned as these players look to write their own Cinderella stories in the Horizon League this season.