Villanova
Brings size, experience and rebounding skill east with him from his native Arizona … Expected to play a pivotal role for the Wildcats on the frontline after starting 65 games for Grand Canyon, the 2025 WAC champion, over the past two seasons.
Grand Canyon
2024-25
Named second team All-WAC and to the WAC All-Defensive team after starting 32 times for the Lopes on a squad that earned the WAC championship with an 89-82 victory over No. 1 seed Utah Valley in Las Vegas … Delivered 10 double-doubles for the Lopes over the course of the campaign … Injury sidelined him for the first four games of the campaign … He returned to start the next 30 games, averaging 26.5 minutes, 10.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per contest … Connected on .646 of his field goal attempts … Closed the Grand Canyon portion of his college career in a first round NCAA Tournament loss to Kevin Willard’s Maryland Terrapins with two points and eight rebounds.
2023-24
One of two Lopes (
Collin Moore) to start all 35 of the Lopes' games … A top-10 rebounder in the WAC at 6.7 per game and No. 2 on the Lopes … Had a high offensive rebound rate, leading the team at 2.7 per game and ranking fifth in the WAC and No. 83 nationally. In conference games, he led the Lopes at 7.5 total rebounds per game and ranked sixth in the WAC ..Led the team (min. 100 attempts) with a field goal percentage of .583, a top-five mark in the WAC … Logged a pair of double-doubles in
the season opener against Southeast Missouri State (12 points, 10 rebounds),
Dec. 20 vs. Sam Houston (team-high 19 points, 10 rebounds) …
Named WAC Newcomer of the Week following his Sam Houston double-double … Had the top two single-game rebounding efforts of GCU's season: 16
vs. Utah Tech on Feb. 15 and 14
at Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 25 … Had six double-figure rebounding games.
Arizona State
2022-23
Was one of four Sun Devils to appear in all 36 of the team's games … Set the program's all-time record for most games played by a freshman … Scored a career-high 12 points at San Francisco on Dec. 21 … Gained postseason experience by playing eight minutes in the NCAA Tournament … Recorded a career-high seven rebounds at Cal on Feb. 11 in his first career start.
Transferred to Hillcrest Prep for his senior year in 2021-22 … Had 21 Division I offers out of high school. Was ranked as the No. 20 center in his national high school class by 247 Sports for his ability around the rim at both ends and a high-motor reputation … High school accolades included: Pangos All American, Jordan Brand Classic Best of the West Coast Candidate, Arizona Premier Region 6A Player of the Year, three-time multi-sport athlete of the year, scholar-athlete of the year, All-6A Breakout Player of the Year … Played three years for Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) his first three years of high school … Played for Oakland Soldiers on AAU circuit … Also played football and volleyball.
Parents are Bill and Michelle Brennan … Father, Bill, played college football at Cal State Fullerton from 1986 to 1989, where he was a tight end. The
LA Times called him, "a lanky fellow who says his favorite sport was always basketball anyway, and who when covered simply signals ... to throw the ball high." … Sister,
Breann, played golf at Utah Valley in 2019-20 … Has a long list of accomplished athletes in his extended family including: cousin,
Brent, played football at UCLA and is the football head coach at Arizona; second cousin,
Colt, was a Heisman finalist as Hawaii's quarterback who had stints in the NFL; grandfather, Bill, played football at Santa Clara; other cousins have played basketball at Kansas (
Dillon Wilhite), football at Arizona (
Brad Brennan) and volleyball at USC and Georgetown (
Brennan and
Peyton Wilhite) … If he wasn't playing basketball, it'd be football … Favorite TV shows are
Euphoria,
Outer Banks, and
Stranger Things … Favorite place to visit on vacation is Switzerland.
Kevin Willard: “Our staff is truly looking forward to working with Big Duke,” said Willard. “He’s a hard-working, physical player that will go above and beyond for his team to win. He lives in the gym and none of us are surprised that’s he’s been a big winner throughout his career. We’re extremely happy that Duke is now a Villanova Wildcat.”
