Marquette adds fifth-year guard Colin Porter from Liberty

Marquette men’s basketball is turning to the transfer market again as the 2026-27 season approaches. On Thursday, the Golden Eagles announced that fifth-year guard Colin Porter will join the program, adding depth at the perimeter right before the start of the school year.

Porter comes to Marquette after four seasons at Liberty. He is listed at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds and will arrive at a program that emphasizes tempo control and guard play under Shaka Smart, whose teams have typically built rotations around ball-handling, decision-making, and defensive positioning at the perimeter.

For Marquette, the move is largely about roster stability and experience. A fifth-year transfer means Porter is not just another incoming piece, but a veteran presence who can contribute quickly in a rotation where guards often have to manage game flow, spacing, and late-clock possessions. Marquette’s decision to add a guard in August also suggests the coaching staff is aiming to lock in key role responsibilities before fall practices begin.

Porter’s background at Liberty offers some context for what Marquette may be seeking from the guard spot. Liberty’s schedule and style have typically asked its guards to handle pressure in live possessions and to make plays in both half-court and transition moments. While Marquette’s system will be different, the core skill set of running an offense and defending on the perimeter tends to translate well when a coach is trying to keep the backcourt cohesive.

The timing of the signing also fits the broader college basketball pattern of building toward the start of the academic year. With roster spots continuing to turn over through transfers, teams often use late summer to address specific gaps, especially in the guard rotation. For Marquette, Porter’s addition can help the program hedge against the unpredictability that comes with two-way development and role changes from season to season.

What to watch next is how Porter fits into Marquette’s rotation once practices begin. The central questions will be how quickly he earns consistent minutes, what responsibilities he takes on in the offensive sets, and how the staff calibrates defensive matchups around a smaller guard profile. If the fit is strong, Porter could become an important part of Marquette’s guard rotation through the middle stretch of the season.