Bowling Green State University’s men’s basketball team is seeing a significant roster change this season, with head coach Todd Simon bringing in 10 new players for the third consecutive year. The influx of new talent is attributed to changes in college athletics, particularly the impact of the transfer portal.
Among the newcomers is Camden Karel, a freshman forward from Byron Center, Michigan. Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 220 pounds, Karel was ranked as the No. 3 player in Michigan during his high school career at Byron Center High School. He cited Bowling Green’s coaching staff as a key factor in his decision to join the team.
“On my official visit, it just felt right. The coaches were great; they treated me like family, and it was a really home-like environment,” Karel said. “I liked how they said they were going to push me, and they showed me examples of how they would use me in a real game scenario. I just liked how thorough they were, too.”
Assistant coach Bryce Martin noted that Karel was one of the first high school recruits targeted by Simon and his staff after arriving at Bowling Green in 2023.
“He was someone we identified early on when we got here. He was someone we wanted to be part of our program,” Martin said. “I’ve been able to develop a relationship with him over the last two years, and it’s only grown since he got here. When you have those relationships, you’re able to pour in as much basketball knowledge as we can give.”
Karel expressed his commitment to contributing wherever needed for team success.
“I’m here to perform and do anything I can to get on the floor and help us win,” Karel said. “Whatever I need to do, whether that’s rebound, pass or score from time to time, I’m here for it. I’m here to hustle and try to get Bowling Green some wins.”
Martin praised Karel’s quick adjustment to collegiate play.
“His ability to acclimate to the college game has been faster than we expected. We’re really pleased with his ability to navigate our defense, and obviously, he’s really skilled offensively,” Martin said.
Martin also highlighted Karel’s confidence: “He has a level of confidence about him that you can’t teach,” Martin said. “That’s why he’s in the position he is and why he’ll help our team win a lot of basketball games this year.”
Karel credits his grandfather—who served as a graduate assistant for BGSU football under Doyt L. Perry—as an important influence on both his character and athletic development.
“He coached football and basketball and played football at Western [Michigan]. He’s all about hard work, fundamentals, and just being a good person in general,” Karel said. “He’s really pushed me to become who I am today, both as a person and as a basketball player—to share the ball, help the people around me, and score when needed to get the win any way possible.”
Off the court, Karel enjoys listening to audiobooks while traveling—a habit he picked up from long drives with his father—and cooking steaks on the grill for friends and neighbors.
“I got really into making steaks during COVID. I don’t really know how it started, I probably just found a video and thought it’d be fun to try… I’d say my favorite is the Tomahawk steak. It can get a little pricey, but the giant cut with the bone in it is just so fun to cook,” he shared.
Looking ahead, Karel hopes his efforts will help lead Bowling Green toward winning its conference title.
“I think we have a great team here, and I think we can really win. My goal is to win the MAC and make it to the [NCAA] tournament, putting up a banner that hasn’t been in this facility yet,” Karel said. “That’s my number one goal but making the team better is the first step toward that, any way I can.”
