Lyndonville, VT - Connor van der Sommen (Sidney, NY), a 2025 graduate of Sidney High School in Sidney, NY, has deposited and committed to the Vermont State Unicersity Lyndon men's basketball program for 2026-27.  van der Sommen transfers to Lyndon from Elmira College, where he played during his freshman year.

van der Sommen, a 5'9" guard, enjoyed a highly decorated high school career at Sidney.  As a senior, he was a 13th Team Class B All-State selection, after having received honorable mention honors as a junior.  He was also a three-time Midstate Athletic Conference 1st Team All-Conference selection, and was the conference Most Valuable Player as a senior.  van ser Sommen was twice named Sidney's Most Outstanding Player, and was named an outstanding scholar athlete all four years of high school.  He finished his three-year Sabre varsity career with 1,226 points.

van der Sommen was a multi-sport athlete at Sidney  He played tennis and football for the Sabres.  In his senior year he earned 1st Team All-Conference honors in tennis, and he intends to play that sport at Lyndon in addition to playing basketball.

van der Sommen has also excelled in the classroom.  At Sidney he graduated in the top ten of his class and was inducted into the school's honor society.  This year he was named to the Dean's List at Elmira.

VTSU Lyndon men's basketball coach David Pasiak recruited van der Sommen in high school and is thrilled to have him make his way to Lyndon.  "We recruited Connor heavily coming out of high school, and now we are excited that he will be joining us with a year of college basketball under his belt.  While he's small in stature, he plays with a big heart.  He has the ability to score in a variety of ways, and he's a very adept ball handler and playmaker as well.  Most importantly, he's an exceptionally high character young man who will be a great addition and asset to the culture of our program."

Sidney coach Derek Echevarria, who coached van der Sommen his senior year of high school, added "A true floor general, he starred at point guard for Sidney High School and finished his career with 1,000 career points while carrying his team to two postseason appearances.  A dynamic scoring threat, he averaged better than 25 points per game as a senior and was named Conference MVP for his leadership and production.  He earned Outstanding Player honors for Sidney and consistently took on the toughest defensive assignments, routinely guarding each opponent's top scorer."

Echevarria also recognized van der Sommen's intangibles.  "Beyond the numbers, Connir is the kind of coachable gym rat every coach wants — competitive, disciplined, and willing to do the little things that win games: creating for teammates, controlling tempo, making smart decisions under pressure, and playing hard on both ends of the floor.  His combination of scoring, playmaking, and defensive tenacity gives him the versatility to impact college programs at multiple levels.  With proven leadership, postseason experience, and a relentless work ethic, he's well-positioned to transition to the next level and contribute immediately to a collegiate roster."

van der Sommen is the first announced commit of Lyndon's Fall 2026 class.  The Hornets will be announcing additional recruits in the near future.