CASTINE, Maine — The Maine Maritime Academy men's basketball program is excited to announce its 2025–26 recruiting class — the first under head coach Cedric Gillette.

Will Hawes, a 6-foot-5 wing from Lithia, Florida, is Coach Gillette's first commitment to continue his academic and athletic career at the collegiate level with the Mariners. Hawes played this past season for Coach Billy Harrington at Grace Christian School, where he averaged 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. His strong performance earned him Florida Christian Conference (FCC) All-Star honors.

Hawes helped lead Grace Christian to one of the best seasons in school history, as the Patriots finished 21-1, winning the FCC West district championship and reaching the state Final Four.

Outside of basketball, Hawes enjoys spending time with friends, going to the beach and fishing. He also plays for the XPC Elite AAU program.

Hawes plans to double major in marine biology and small vessel operations. He will join a Mariners team coming off its winningest season since 2002–03.

"Coming out of high school, I held multiple NCAA Division III offers, but the one that always stood out to me was MMA," Hawes said. "I visited Castine, and Coach Gillette said they had marine biology and small vessel operations. I knew right then that the Academy was meant to be."

What They're Saying About Will
Cedric Gillette, MMA Head Coach:
"Will has great positional size and length at 6-foot-5 with a long wingspan. He has a fantastic ability to shoot and attack off the catch, which will translate well to the college level. He also has excellent instincts on the defensive end. Every time I saw him play, he significantly impacted the game with deflections and shot blocking. He comes from a winning environment, having just led his high school team to a 21-1 record, and we're confident he will bring those winning habits with him to MMA. We built a strong relationship with Will during the recruiting process, which culminated in his in-person verbal commitment. We are extremely excited to get him on campus."

Alton Ingram, XPC Elite AAU Head Coach:
"Congratulations, buddy. I'm really proud of you because you never gave up on your dream — you just kept working and believing in yourself!"

Walter Perkins, Grace Christian Head Coach:
"Maine Maritime is getting a relentless competitor on and off the court who will thrive in the Mariner community."