After JMU Visit, Carmelo Pacheco Updates Recruitment
By Houston Wilson
Mount St. Mary’s transfer Carmelo Pacheco wrapped up a two-day visit to James Madison University on Sunday and Monday. The Harrisonburg native is coming off a strong sophomore season, averaging 9.5 points per game. The 6-foot-5 guard caught up with Locker Room Access to discuss his time on campus, how he might fit in with the Dukes, and the latest in his recruitment.
Harrisonburg native Carmelo Pacheco, a 6-5 guard who averaged 9.5 points per game for Mount St. Mary’s men’s basketball, will visit JMU on April 14.
— Dukes Recruits by JMUSN (@DukesRecruits) April 7, 2025
He’s one of the best 3-point shooters in the portal, making 46.4% of his shots from beyond the arc this season.
“The process has been good. A lot of schools have been reaching out. I have taken two visits and have a third one planned.”
His first stop after entering the portal was Toledo.
“The Toledo visit was good. They have an established winning culture so that was good to see. They have great facilities and a great coaching staff.”
Following that trip, Pacheco returned home for a visit to JMU.
“It is my hometown school, and they also have great facilities and a great coaching staff. They have won a lot over the past few years, so it was great to get on campus and see that winning culture.”
Spending time with the coaching staff in person left a strong impression.
“After meeting with the staff in person, it just reminded me again about how many great people are surrounding the program. There are so many great people there.”
He also pointed to the program’s continued success in recent seasons. Under former head coach Mark Byington, the Dukes made significant strides. With Preston Spradlin now at the helm, that momentum has carried forward, and Pacheco sees JMU as a program that’s building something special.
“Coaching Byington really turned the program around right away and had a couple of really good winning seasons. After Coach Byington left and Coach Spradlin took over, they continued to have the same success so it is really turning into a special program.”
Pacheco sees a chance to contribute in multiple ways if he were to return home and suit up for the Dukes.
“With me being a hometown kid, I would hopefully be able to help the hometown team continue to win at a high level and continue to get more fans into the arena. They have a great fanbase, but I think having a hometown kid playing for them would be huge. I think I can make a lot of shots for them as well, especially with how their offensive system is run.”
Pacheco mentioned that he is planning to visit East Carolina later on this week and is working on getting a visit scheduled to Tulane after his East Carolina visit.
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(Featured Image Credit: Mount St. Mary's)