Gainesville, FL

Men's Basketball Head Coach John Ritzdorf wastes no time this summer and adds two local guards to 2024-2025 Saints roster. Palmer Walton and Ryan Webster, former teammates at Buchholz High School, will team up at the collegiate level.

Webster, a 2023 graduate of Buchholz, spent his freshman season at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. Prior to his time at Endicott, Webster averaged 12.6 points a game and was named All-Area Honorable Mention his senior season. The 6'1" guard scored a career-high 30 points vs. Lincoln High School (Tallahassee) in his final campaign.

Walton, a 2024 graduate of Buchholz High School, was named Gainesville Sun Big School Player of the Year in his final season wearing the Black and Gold. The 6'5" guard posted impressive numbers, averaging 17 points a game, shooting 44% from three, and grabbing 6 rebounds a game. Walton led the Bobcats in steals, blocks, and free throw percentage (88%). Palmer is the second and final of the Walton brothers to come through Santa Fe, as his brother Brooks was a 2021 graduate and member of the Saints Baseball team.

Ritzdorf is putting an emphasis on recruiting local talent, he stated, "I'm thrilled to welcome Palmer and Ryan to our program.  They will bring a lot to Santa Fe both on and off the floor.  I've always emphasized local recruiting, so to have two talented players from Gainesville on our team in my first year as head coach is something I'm very excited about.  We know there are a lot of high-level student-athletes in the Gainesville area, and we plan to recruit it heavily in the years to come."