NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State head coach Ryan Pedon has announced that former Western Kentucky and Stonehill forward Louie Semona has signed on to play for the Redbirds starting in the 2026-27 basketball season and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
"We are thrilled about adding Louie Semona to our roster and I know he will prove to be a true asset to our basketball program," said Pedon. "His combination of size and skill level are very impressive for a 6'8 forward. In his first two college seasons at Stonehill, Louie hit 83 3-point field goals, dished out 75 assists, and grabbed a total of 212 rebounds. In addition to his tangible skills, Louie also embodies many of the intangible characteristics that we value. For these reasons and more, we feel he will be a great fit for our Redbird Basketball program."
Last season Semona played nine games off the bench for the Hilltoppers but didn't make an appearance after December 19 due to injury. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in just under 10 minutes per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field, 60 percent from long range (6-of-10), and was perfect from the free throw line (6-of-6). He scored a season-high 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting, 4-of-5 from long range, and 2-of-2 from the stripe in 21 minutes against Campbellsville. He also scored six points on 2-of-2 shooting from beyond the arc against Tulsa on December 19 – his final game with WKU.
The Cincinnati, Ohio, native, played in 32 games as a sophomore at Stonehill, making 16 starts. He averaged 13.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, with 48 assists, 20 steals, and six blocked shots en route to being named to the All-Northeast Conference (NEC) Second Team. He made 46 percent of his shots from the field, 38 percent from long range, and 78 percent from the charity stripe.
He scored in double-figures 21 times during the season, while scoring 20+ points in eight games and 30+ twice including a career-high 33 points against Le Moyne on March 1. Over his last 20 games of the season he averaged 16.7 points, scoring in double-figures 18 times in that span. He pulled down a season-high nine rebounds at Fairleigh Dickinson on February 27, and he had nine games with six or more rebounds. He also had 18 games in which he made multiple three-pointers, including three games in which he made a career-high five against Central Connecticut State (February 1), Mercyhurst (February 15), and Le Moyne (March 1).
As a freshman he played 31 games with 14 starts, averaging 4.5 points and 2.6 rebounds, while dishing out 27 assists and grabbing 18 steals with five blocked shots. He scored in double-figures twice, including a season-high 13 at St. Francis on February 10. He grabbed six rebounds three times with seven games of two or more assists, including a season-high four on February 8.
He played a season at St. Thomas More Prep in 2022-23. Prior to St. Thomas More he was named First Team All-Greater Catholic League while at St. Xavier High School. He averaged 15.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game with the Bombers and played in the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star Game. He twice scored his season-high of 28 points against Hamilton on December 11 and Moeller on February 5. He had four double doubles as a senior, pulling down 15 rebounds against both Hamilton and Moeller on January 14. As a junior he averaged 13.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, scoring a season-high 26 points at Wayne on March 6.
The Redbirds are coming off a 23-13 season in 2025-26, advancing to the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament with wins over Kent State, Wake Forest, and Dayton. The Redbirds return their top two scorers – Chase Walker and Johnny Kinziger – as well as 17-game starter Mason Klabo. Semona joins a group of newcomers that include transfers Noah Cleveland, Demarion Burch, and Zaxton King, and incoming freshmen Jordan Williams, Matthew Szafoni, and Leyton Wolf.
