Dartmouth named former Stanford assistant coach Brett MacConnell as the school’s next men’s basketball head coach, it was announced Monday.
MacConnell worked for a dozen years as a Princeton assistant before Stanford, including playing a key role building that program’s Sweet 16 team in 2023.
MacConnell brings significant Ivy League experience, including coaching four Ivy League Players of the Year in his 12 years there. He coached 19 professional players, including leading the recruitment of future NBA players in Tosan Evbuomwan and Devin Cannady.
MacConnell impressed the Dartmouth brass with his belief in what the program could be in this era of college basketball. They see him as a transformational leader in a transaction time for the sport.
“Brett’s deep knowledge of the Ivy League and his ability to identify and develop student-athletes set him apart during our national search,” Dartmouth athletic director Mike Harrity said in a news release. “The way he connects with people, from the recruits to the team and beyond, is exceptional, and his drive, vision, and plan for our program is exactly what Dartmouth Men’s Basketball needs.”
MacConnell faces a stiff challenge, as Dartmouth hasn’t reached the NCAA tournament since 1959. The Big Green have finished above .500 in league play only once since 1999.
MacConnell established himself at Princeton as a relentless recruiter and high-end player developer, the same traits that attracted Kyle Smith to hire him on the staff at Stanford.
MacConnell served as Princeton’s acting head coach four times. He finished with a 3-1 record in those games.
His time at Princeton included four Ivy League championships, two Ivy tournament championships and six 20-win seasons.
