Following its 79-69 loss to Purdue in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, Miami point guard Tre Donaldson was emotional in the post game press conference. The former Tallahassee, Florida State University School star returned to his home state for his senior year at Miami.
Donaldson starred at Auburn and Michigan before deciding to transfer to Miami during the 2025 Transfer Portal. In two seasons at Auburn, one at Michigan and one with Miami, Donaldson averaged 9.4 points per game, 2.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steal throughout his collegiate career.
Donaldson had the best season of his career, setting highs by averaging 16.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.7 APG and 1.4 SPG. Throughout his collegiate career, Donaldson improved in the most important statistical categories during each season in college.
Donaldson thanked Miami head coach Jai Lucas and his staff for believing in him during a low point in his career. In his one season with Michigan, Donaldson was often clutch but moved on for his final collegiate season with Miami. Lucas credited Donaldson, Malik Reneau and Ernest Udeh Jr. for setting the culeture for the future.
“I’ll never forget it because I was at a real low moment. It meant the world to me because I feel like everybody gave up on me.”
— Karter Baughan (@karterb8) March 22, 2026
An emotional Tre Donaldson and Malik Reneau share what they remember from the first phone call with Jai Lucas to today. pic.twitter.com/70Wm7L1XpF
"Coming to Miami, I had to build myself back up coming off a tough year last year and how it ended and how everything went transferring...Coming into a coaching staff that was going to help me build myself back up and not only build myself back up to where I was, but then continue to help me get better. I feel like that was the biggest thing coming here to Miami...I enjoyed every moment of it...something I'll never forget it."Miami point guard Tre Donaldson
Leading a remarkable turnaround
Led by Donaldson, Reneau and Udeh Jr., Miami won 19 more games than last year, the best turnaround in college basketball history. With Donaldson helping lead the turnaround in 2025-26, Lucas will have more to base his program on, pursuing transfers for the 2026-27 roster.
Lucas had to rebuild the entire roster with no one returning from 2024-24. Miami signed Reneau first. Donaldson later followed his former AAU Nightrydas Elite teammate to Coral Gables. Donaldson and Reneau's past as teammates helped Lucas create chemistry on the Miami roster.
Donaldson and Reneau were both emotional in the postgame press conference after the loss to Purdue. The Hurricanes' two leading scorers credited Lucas and the Miami staff for helping rebuild their confidence and their development. Donaldson and Reneau will always be a part of the lore of the Miami basketball program.