During his introductory press conference, head coach Mark Byington said he wouldn’t be surprised if any of his former players at James Madison University would follow him to West End. Turns out, the first transfer commitment for Vanderbilt this offseason is none other than Jaley Carey, who spent this last season playing under Byington. 

The listed 6’8 245 lb forward-center from Davie, Fla. played well as a freshman for the James Madison Dukes, averaging 7.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in just 14.9 minutes per game.

Carey plays with a lot of force, both as a rebounder and a post player, while also working well off the pick-and-roll coming downhill into the paint. During the 2023-24 season, Carey also shot 66.9% from the field, most of which came primarily from inside the painted area.

With only a year under his belt and three years of eligibility remaining, Carey presents a lot of potential upside and will play under a coach he’s familiar with. Although there may be questions about his size translating to the SEC level, Carey’s toughness can potentially allow him to stick with higher competition at, most likely, the power forward position. Regardless, Carey is an early addition to the rotation and a foundational piece that will be a positive boost for Byington’s freshly started tenure.