Buffs Add European Big In Van Elswyk
June 26, 2025 | Men's Basketball
BOULDER – Leonardo Van Elswyk has signed a Financial Aid Agreement to join the University of Colorado men's basketball team for the 2025-26 season head coach Tad Boyle announced on Thursday.
Van Elswyk, a 7-foot-1 center, comes to Boulder following a European club career with Olimpia EA7 Milano U18 in Italy. He saw action in several NextGen EuroLeague U18 events, including averaging 11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists during the Lega Basket Serie A Next Gen Cup in January.
Van Elswyk helped Italy to a sixth-place finish in the 2022 FIBA U16 European Championships. He will join the Buffaloes later this summer, pending a tryout with the U20 Italian national team that is currently ongoing. He is a dual citizen of Italy and Canada.
"We are very excited to add Leonardo to our Buff Basketball family," Boyle said. "It is not every day that you find a skilled 7-footer who loves the game of basketball and wants to be great. The only thing Leonardo needs to do is gain some strength and weight to be a force in the Big 12 Conference. Fortunately, we have a terrific nutritionist and a world-class strength coach to help Leonardo on a daily basis."
Van Elswyk, a 7-foot-1 center, comes to Boulder following a European club career with Olimpia EA7 Milano U18 in Italy. He saw action in several NextGen EuroLeague U18 events, including averaging 11.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists during the Lega Basket Serie A Next Gen Cup in January.
Van Elswyk helped Italy to a sixth-place finish in the 2022 FIBA U16 European Championships. He will join the Buffaloes later this summer, pending a tryout with the U20 Italian national team that is currently ongoing. He is a dual citizen of Italy and Canada.
"We are very excited to add Leonardo to our Buff Basketball family," Boyle said. "It is not every day that you find a skilled 7-footer who loves the game of basketball and wants to be great. The only thing Leonardo needs to do is gain some strength and weight to be a force in the Big 12 Conference. Fortunately, we have a terrific nutritionist and a world-class strength coach to help Leonardo on a daily basis."
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Jon Mani and Mark Johnson catch up at media day ahead of the 2025-26 season #gobuffs
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