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Bernie Blunt III has played at four schools, both Division I and Division II, throughout his collegiate playing career. Now, searching for stability and minutes, he’s emerged as a leader in his second season at Mercyhurst.

“He’s an unbelievable teammate, and everyone loves him,” Mercyhurst head coach Gary Manchel said. “This year, being his second year, I think he’s more comfortable with being a voice in the locker room and a voice on the floor.”

Eleven games into this season (4-7, 0-0 Northeast), Blunt III has averaged a team-leading 16.6 points per game and is an on-court anchor for the Lakers in their second-ever Division I season.

Blunt III started his career at Quinnipiac, spent a year at junior college Harcum College and moved to Division II Edinboro University. Now he’s back at the D-I level, spearheading the Lakers as they visit Syracuse (6-4, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) Wednesday.

As he guided the Lakers through a grueling early-season slate, Blunt III’s leadership shone through, Manchel said. Though Mercyhurst was soundly defeated at Northwestern in its opener this season, it defeated Atlantic-10 powerhouse Loyola Chicago 73-65 in its second game of the year on Nov. 6. In that win over the Ramblers, Blunt III led the way with 27 points.

“He’s a three-level scorer,” Manchel said. “He can really shoot the ball, so he’s a legit 3-point threat, but he can go off the dribble, and he can also get to the foul line, so he can score in a variety of different ways.”

Throughout his childhood, Blunt III always held a passion for basketball. His father, Bernard Blunt, was a standout at Saint Joseph’s University in the 1990s, and now coaches club basketball in Pennsylvania. Blunt III’s sister, Taylor, also plays collegiate basketball for Edinboro.

“I think that gave him the motivation and the dream of playing in college, growing up around the game,” Bernard said.
Initially, COVID-19 derailed his Division I dreams. Coming out of a high school postgraduate season at Rocktop Academy in Prussia, Pennsylvania, Blunt III committed to Quinnipiac University, where he spent his freshman season.

But thanks to the extra year of eligibility the pandemic afforded many of Quinnipiac’s experienced guards, Blunt III spent most of the 2021-22 season buried on the bench. He played a limited number of minutes, only appearing in 11 games before a broken foot prematurely ended his freshman campaign for the Bobcats.

After one year at Quinnipiac, Blunt III decided to transfer to junior college Harcum College (Pennsylvania), for his sophomore season. The decision came down to two factors: his desire to be closer to home and to play more. Harcum checked both boxes.

Blunt III has already led the Lakers to a major upset victory this season. He scored 27 points as Mercyhurst defeated Loyola Chicago 73-65 on the road on Nov. 7 Photo Courtesy of Cameron Horning, Mercyhurst Athletics

With increased minutes, Blunt III stood out for the Bears. The Pennsylvania native averaged 14.3 points per game and led the Bears to a 20-8 record. His sophomore-year performance caught the eye of nearby Division II program Edinboro University (Pennsylvania).

For a third straight season, Blunt III headed to a new school. Despite moving up a level, the 5-foot-11-inch guard still dominated, averaging 20 points per game and shooting 91.9% from the free-throw line. But just like the previous two, Blunt III’s 2023-24 season ended with him entering the portal to find success at a new level.

On the cusp of its transition to D-I, Mercyhurst needed to strengthen its roster. So, Manchel turned to someone he’d watched roughly a dozen times and coached against twice: Blunt III.

“When he entered the portal, I knew he was a good player,” Manchel said. “And when the coaches at Edinboro told us what a wonderful young man he was, it sealed the deal for us to go after him.”

The move was a no-brainer for Blunt III. He praised the high standard Manchel had set in his tenure as the Lakers head coach, having helmed the program since 2003.

In Blunt III’s first year at Mercyhurst, he put up 12.5 points per game, third on the team. But it wasn’t the same level of production he had grown accustomed to seeing. Manchel attributed Blunt III’s slight dip in performance to adjusting to the D-I level.

“He was kind of getting his feet wet,” Manchel said. “He was always a good basketball player, but it takes time to get used to a new system.”

This season, with Blunt III rising to be the Lakers’ primary scorer, he’s garnered more defensive attention. Opposing coaches are pinpointing him on their pregame scouting reports, Manchel said. But that didn’t stop him from pouring 27 points on Ramblers head coach Drew Valentine, who’d qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the past at Loyola Chicago.

Blunt adapts to opposing teams’ efforts to slow. It’s a trait that Blunt III developed through his experience jumping around several programs, both he and Manchel said. With four years and three divisions under his belt, Blunt III has seen a lot. So, the Lakers feel comfortable relying on him.

When the Lakers visit the JMA Wireless Dome Wednesday, they’ll have another test before them for Blunt III to guide them through. Yet, Blunt III is undeterred by the challenge. He’s played in some of the smallest gyms at the collegiate level. Now, he’s ready to play in the biggest.

“Syracuse is a good test for us to compete, but also just to make sure we’re now tested and ready for our league,” Blunt III said.

Published on December 16, 2025 at 8:14 pm
Contact Jack: jwood20@syr.edu | @JackWood_55