Auburn Maine’s Diing Maiwen Lands D1 Spot
Diing Maiwen did not take the easy road to Division I basketball.
The Auburn, Maine native is officially headed to Fairleigh Dickinson, a commitment that took a lot of hard work, and the choice to prolong his college decision in hopes of finding better opportunities from a postgraduate season.
Maiwen first made a name for himself at Edward Little High School and with XLP, where his athleticism immediately separated him from the pack. He was the kind of player who could change a game without needing the ball in his hands due to his length and explosiveness on the court.
By the end of his senior year, plenty of Division III programs around New England were interested. But Diing knew he was capable of more. So instead of settling, he decided to bet on himself and take a postgraduate year at the Knox School under Jared Grasso.
That decision changed everything.
Along with going to Knox, Diing joined Rhode Island Elite on the PRO16 circuit in the summer of 2025, which put him in front of a completely different audience. The competition was stronger. The gyms were filled with more college coaches. And suddenly, people started seeing what had been there all along, an under-the-radar athletic wing with high potential.
At around 6’6, Maiwen looks the part of a modern wing. He plays above the rim. He moves well defensively. He can guard multiple positions and create problems with his length and bounce.
We have seen it firsthand at NERR events over the past two years. Diing has been a regular face in our events since 2024. The upside has always been obvious, but it was more about putting it all together in-game. More often than not, he is the best athlete on the floor. By the spring of last year, we confidently moved him to the top of our Maine 2025 rankings.
The one thing that always came up was his shooting. For a wing trying to make the jump to Division I, that matters. But this fall, he put in work on changing that notion.
By November, his form was noticeably cleaner. The ball was coming off his hand better. The confidence was different, and most importantly, the shots were going in. The jumper was no longer something teams could ignore, and that opened up everything else in his game.
Fairleigh Dickinson saw the growth, athleticism, and upward trajectory. They also saw a player who was willing to take a risk on himself, putting his head down and working hard.
Ultimately, Maiwen's decision to bet on himself paid off, and the Auburn Maine native will be playing in the Northeast Conference next season.
Diing Maiwen