One of the top guards in the West Coast Conference during the past couple of seasons has opted to enter the transfer portal.

According to On3.com, Aidan Mahaney, the Saint Mary’s guard, has decided to explore transfer options. Mahaney, who earned All-WCC first team honors twice, started 50 out of 69 games for the Gaels in the last two seasons. He was also named to the preseason watch lists for both the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy heading into his sophomore year.

Despite a sluggish start, Mahaney played a pivotal role in Saint Mary’s securing the WCC regular season title with a 15-1 record in league play. He led the team in scoring with an average of 13.9 points per game, along with 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Mahaney’s standout performances earned him All-WCC Tournament honors, particularly his impressive 16.5-point average on 56.5% shooting during the Gaels’ victories over Santa Clara and Gonzaga, securing the program’s first conference tournament championship since 2019.

Throughout his career, Mahaney has been a consistent performer against Gonzaga, averaging 15.5 points per game in five matchups, including two 20-point games this past season. Notably, he scored 20 points in a crucial 64-62 win at The Kennel on Feb. 3 and tallied 23 points in a 69-60 victory in the WCC Tournament championship game.

If Mahaney indeed departs, it would represent a significant loss for Randy Bennett’s team, particularly after Joshua Jefferson also entered the transfer portal in March. However, Saint Mary’s can still rely on the returning talent of WCC Defensive Player of the Year Mitchell Saxen and the league’s player of the year, Augustas Marciulionis.