MILWAUKEE – Caleb Blackwell of Buford, Ga., Josh Dixon of Milton, Ga., Stevie Elam of Adrian, Mich., Tate Mackenzie of Ypsilanti, Mich., and Ned Renfree of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, have all signed and announced their commitment to play basketball for the Panthers next season.
 
The class was announced by Milwaukee men's basketball head coach Bart Lundy today.
 
Blackwell, a 6-foot, 185-pound point guard, is projected to be one of the top playmakers among all JUCO point guards this season and currently plays for South Plains College in Levelland, Texas – the No. 1-ranked program at the NJCAA level.
 
"Our staff can't wait to coach Caleb Blackwell," Lundy said. "Caleb is winner and is a worker and gives us an experienced guard, as we will be graduating four seniors at the guard position. Caleb is extremely strong and athletic and knows how to run a team. He can score himself, but can also facilitate. He is a dribble/pass/shoot-guy who fits our up-tempo system both offensively and defensively. Caleb has a maturity that next year's team will need and a work ethic that will match our city and program."
 
Blackwell has opened the new campaign averaging 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while leading the Texans to a perfect 4-0 record. He played for Alabama A&M in 2023-2024, leading the team in assists and steals as a freshman. He played in all 35 games, shooting 78.1 percent from the free throw line.
 
He led his Buford High School team to a state championship his freshman year, just the second title in the school's 62-year history. He went on to lead the program to two regional championships, as well as a regional title at Grayson High School. An all-region honoree in his final three seasons, he finished his prep career with over 1,000 points and 500 assists. He was also ranked as one of the Top-5 best point guards in the state of Georgia for the Class of 2022.
 
Dixon is a 6-foot, 1-inch, 160-pound point guard who is a senior at Milton High School in Milton, Ga., where he was named 2024-25 First Team Preseason GHSA 5A All-State before the season started.
 
"Adding another Atlanta-area player, Josh will sign with us and our fans will be extremely elated when they get the chance to see him play," Lundy said. "He is a speedy point guard, he's elusive, and a terrific scorer. He's also a great defender and adds a dynamic that we need in our program with his speed and ability to handle, score, and pass the basketball. Josh will definitely help us tilt the floor."
 
An ESPN 4-Star & 247 Sports 3-Star recruit in the Class of 2025, Dixon was the 2023-24 Region 6/7A Player of the Year & Tournament MVP. He went on to average 16 points a game in EYBL Peach Jam Summer 2024 with CP3 17U.
 
Last winter as a junior, Dixon enjoyed a very successful campaign that started off with Preseason GHSA First-Team 7A and Preseason ATL Tip-Off Club nominee honors. He went over 1,000 points early in the season before eclipsing 1,500 career points, as he led his team in scoring while taking them to the Final Four. He was named the Player of the Year in Region 6/7A, the Region 6/7A Tournament MOP, and the Georgia 7A North Player of the Year. He finished the season with Georgia Basketball Coaches Association (GBCA)/GACA All-State accolades and a spot on the Postseason GHSA 7A First-Team All-State. Dixon also picked up ATL Tip-Off All-Metro All-State Team (regardless of classification) Second-Team honors, AJC First-Team All-State 7A, and AJC First-Team All-State North Fulton awards. Dixon averaged 20.3 ppg as freshman on varsity.
 
Elam, a 6-foot, 2-inch, 175-pound guard who is a senior at Adrian High School (Mich.), is one of the top players in the 2025 class.
 
"Stevie Elam is a combo guard who is a two-way player," Lundy said. "He is a great scorer, is strong, and has set numerous records at his school and in the state of Michigan. We feel that Stevie is a prototypical guard in our system, who can dribble, pass, and shoot at a high level."
 
Last season, Elam was the MVP of the 16U level of the NY2LA Association and also played with The Academy on the club circuit. A three-year starter for his Adrian program, he went over 1,000 career points early as a junior and is closing in on 1,500 points and the school record for the Maples. He was named Associated Press First Team All-State and Mitten Prep Hoops Division 2 First Team All-State as a junior after leading the county in scoring at 28.8 points per game. He also connected on 84.5 percent of his free throws and was second in the county in rebounds despite playing guard.
 
Mackenzie is a 6-foot, 10-inch, 260-pound center who will be playing at Howard College in Big Spring, Texas, this season.
 
"We are extremely excited to sign Tate," Lundy said. "Tate has a unique story, graduating high school as a Michigan football signee. He worked for three years before re-entering college athletics as a basketball player. Tate will give us intensity, size, and a terrific spirit. His best basketball is ahead of him as he continues to improve daily."
 
A former Class of 2020 four-star offensive line football recruit who was originally committed to play football for the Wolverines, Mackenzie played at Macomb Community College in Warren, Mich., last season. While there, he averaged 8.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest prior to transferring to Howard. A year ago he posted season highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds and is projected to be one of the best big men across all of junior college basketball this year.
 
Renfree is a 6-foot, 2-inch, 170-pound combo guard from Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. An elite-level shooter and lockdown defender, Renfree has been a state representative at numerous levels, including twice at U16, twice at U18, and twice at U20.
 
"Ned is one of our first international signees, coming from Australia," Lundy said. "Our fans will come to love Ned's toughness and grit. He can also play multiple guard positions and has experience in the NBL Division II league in Australia which is high-level basketball. Ned is an extremely good three-point shooter, but what separates Ned from most players is his grit and toughness and is often compared to Matthew Dellavedova [also from Australia] who played in the NBA."
 
Renfree has helped his team win gold and silver and recently represented Australia at the FIBA U17 Oceania Championship, winning gold. A U18 All-Tournament First-Team honoree, he was also a U18 Albert Schweitzer Cup Gold medalist and a 2021 Ballarat Miners "rising star" winner.