Lafayette College Men's Basketball

Mike McGarvey took over as the 20th coach in Lafayette men’s basketball history on March 29, 2023. He now enters his fourth season at the helm for the 2025-26 academic year.  Men’s basketball improved it’s win total for the third straight season in 2024-25, advancing to the Patriot League Quarterfinal on March 6. Lafayette got out to a slow non-conference start before finding its way during the Lafayette Classic from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, going 2-1 through the inaugural round-robin tournament in the newly refurbished Kirby Sports Center. Momentum swung the program to outcomes such as the exciting 76-61 road win at defending conference champion Colgate and a 78-70 Senior Day victory versus Lehigh, the 150th series dub since the Rivalry’s inception in 1902. Justin Vander Baan was crowned the Defensive Player of the Year after a sensational season in the front court, finishing his Leopard career ranked second all-time in program blocks (188), which topped the NCAA from Jan. 16-20. He was also listed on the Third Team and the All-Defensive Team while Alex Chaikin (Third Team, All-Rookie) and Caleb Williams (All-Rookie) had electric initial campaigns. The Maroon and White concluded the 2023-24 season with an 11-21 (10-8 PL) overall record, finishing in second place in the Patriot League regular season and advancing to the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal. Under his guidance, men’s basketball matched the program record of seven consecutive Patriot League victories in a row to open the conference slate.  The 2003-04 squad was the last Lafayette team to open league play with a 7-0 mark. The 10 conference wins are the most that the program has had since moving to an 18-game schedule back in 2013. Four Leopards earned All-Conference laurels following the season, the largest group since 2011-12. Devin Hines, Kyle Jenkins and Justin Vander Baan were named to the All-Patriot League Third Team while Mark Butler took home All-Rookie honors. Butler continued College Hill’s streak of placing at least one player on the first-year squad since 2019. Vander Baan was also tabbed to the All-Defensive squad. McGarvey served as Lafayette’s associate head coach for the 2022-23 season before being named acting head coach, and led the Leopards to Patriot League Tournament victories over Lehigh in the quarterfinal round and American in the semifinal. He arrived on College Hill after a four-year tenure as the men’s basketball head coach at Lycoming College where he led the program to three-straight MAC Freedom Conference championship games, including two conference crowns.   He guided the Warriors to a remarkable resurgence in his second year as head coach, taking the team from a 5-11 conference record in 2018-19 to a 10-6 mark in 2019-20 while managing a roster filled with a school-record 11 freshmen. He also led the team to nine more wins during the season, finishing 20-9, and a run to the team's third MAC Commonwealth title in five years, as the Warriors won three games in a span of six days to win the title. For his efforts, he earned Honorable Mention City of Basketball Love Coach of the Year honors. He helped the men's basketball team repeat its success in 2020-21 despite facing a shortened COVID-19-shortened season. The Warriors finished 5-2, finishing in second place in the regular season standings before beating DeSales, 69-53, in the MAC Freedom Championship game. Three Warriors were named to the all-conference team and two were first-team selections.   In 2021-22, McGarvey led Lycoming to a third-straight conference championship game appearance after a 15-10 regular season mark. Lycoming owned the MAC Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year and the Warriors claimed an all-first team selection.   In 2017-18, McGarvey served as an assistant at Colgate, guiding the team to a program-record 19 wins, a Patriot League Championship game appearance, and Colgate’s first national postseason tournament appearance since 1996 when it earned a bid to the College Basketball Invitational. The Raiders finished a school-record 12-6 in Patriot League play, finishing in second place.   In seven seasons with the Raiders, McGarvey aided in the development of seven professional basketball players, nine all-league honorees, a Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and a Patriot League Rookie of the Year.    McGarvey went to Colgate from his alma mater, Ursinus College, where he spent four seasons as an assistant coach. McGarvey assisted in all aspects of running the program and played a major role in recruiting, scouting, player development, film exchange, and fundraising while there. While with the Bears, McGarvey coached Nick Shattuck to All-America recognition in addition to mentoring a Jostens Trophy finalist.   As a player, McGarvey was a finalist in 2006 for the Jostens Trophy. He was also a consensus two-time All-American and two-time Centennial Conference Player of the Year.   Ursinus retired McGarvey's No. 11 jersey on Dec 1, 2010, honoring a career where his teams won three conference championships. He started every game of his career, and finished fourth on the school's all-time scoring chart with 1,460 points and he is still 14th in the Division III record book with 754 career assists. McGarvey holds the Centennial Conference records for career assists and steals, and single-season assists and steals. He was inducted into both the Ursinus College Hall of Fame (2016) and the Sam Cozen Philadelphia Area Small College Hall of Fame (2015).   McGarvey earned a Bachelor of Arts in business and economics from Ursinus in 2006. He and his wife, Caitlin, have three daughters together.  Updated 4/25

Cameron Ayers is in his fourth season as an assistant coach at Lafayette during the 2025-26 academic year. Men’s basketball improved it’s win total for the third straight season in 2024-25, advancing to the Patriot League Quarterfinal on March 6. Lafayette got out to a slow non-conference start before finding its way during the Lafayette Classic from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, going 2-1 through the inaugural round-robin tournament in the newly refurbished Kirby Sports Center. Momentum swung the program to outcomes such as the exciting 76-61 road win at defending conference champion Colgate and a 78-70 Senior Day victory versus Lehigh, the 150th series dub since the Rivalry’s inception in 1902. Justin Vander Baan was crowned the Defensive Player of the Year after a sensational season in the front court, finishing his Leopard career ranked second all-time in program blocks (188), which topped the NCAA from Jan. 16-20. He was also listed on the Third Team and the All-Defensive Team while Alex Chaikin (Third Team, All-Rookie) and Caleb Williams (All-Rookie) had electric initial campaigns. The Maroon and White concluded the 2023-24 season with an 11-21 (10-8 PL) overall record, finishing in second place in the Patriot League regular season and advancing to the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal. With his assistance, men’s basketball matched the program record of seven consecutive Patriot League victories in a row to open the conference slate.  The 2003-04 squad was the last Lafayette team to open league play with a 7-0 mark. The 10 conference wins are the most that the program has had since moving to an 18-game schedule back in 2013. Four Leopards earned All-Conference laurels following the season, the largest group since 2011-12. Devin Hines, Kyle Jenkins and Justin Vander Baan were named to the All-Patriot League Third Team while Mark Butler took home All-Rookie honors. Butler continued College Hill’s streak of placing at least one player on the first-year squad since 2019. Vander Baan was also tabbed to the All-Defensive squad. Ayers was welcomed to College Hill and joined former head coach Mike Jordan's staff for the 2022-23 season, where he helped assist the Leopards to the 2023 Patriot League Tournament championship game.  Ayers spent the 2021-22 season as the director of basketball operations at William & Mary under head coach Dane Fischer following a one-year stint as a graduate manager at Temple under Aaron McKie. Prior to his time at Temple, Ayers played professionally for six seasons, last suiting up for Trefl Sopot in Poland in 2019-20 when he averaged 11.1 points per game and shot 41% from 3-point range. It was his second season in Poland after enjoying the best statistical season of his career in 2017-18 with Turow Zgorzelec, averaging 17.2 points per game and shooting 44% from three-point range.   Ayers started his pro career in the NBA Summer League in 2014 with the New Orleans Pelicans. The native of Blue Bell, Pa. spent two seasons in the NBA G-League with the Reno Bighorns and the Maine Red Claws. Ayers also played in Italy with Enel Brindisi (2014) and Pallacanestro Trapani (2018-19) and spent one season in Lithuania with Siauliai.    A 2014 graduate of Bucknell with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Ayers left as the winningest player in program history with 94 career victories. He was named the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2014, closing out his career with 1,526 points, 429 rebounds and 220 assists. He was a three-time All-Patriot League selection and was twice named to the first team.    Ayers comes from a basketball family. His father, Randy, played at Miami (Ohio) and was the head coach at Ohio State and in the NBA for the Philadelphia 76ers. In 1991, he was named the Naismith National Coach of the Year with the Buckeyes. He is currently an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns. Updated 4/25    

Sean O’Brien is in his fourth season as an assistant coach at Lafayette during the 2025-26 season. Men’s basketball improved it’s win total for the third straight season in 2024-25, advancing to the Patriot League Quarterfinal on March 6. Lafayette got out to a slow non-conference start before finding its way during the Lafayette Classic from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, going 2-1 through the inaugural round-robin tournament in the newly refurbished Kirby Sports Center. Momentum swung the program to outcomes such as the exciting 76-61 road win at defending conference champion Colgate and a 78-70 Senior Day victory versus Lehigh, the 150th series dub since the Rivalry’s inception in 1902. Justin Vander Baan was crowned the Defensive Player of the Year after a sensational season in the front court, finishing his Leopard career ranked second all-time in program blocks (188), which topped the NCAA from Jan. 16-20. He was also listed on the Third Team and the All-Defensive Team while Alex Chaikin (Third Team, All-Rookie) and Caleb Williams (All-Rookie) had electric initial campaigns. The Maroon and White concluded the 2023-24 season with an 11-21 (10-8 PL) overall record, finishing in second place in the Patriot League regular season and advancing to the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal. With his assistance, men’s basketball matched the program record of seven consecutive Patriot League victories in a row to open the conference slate.  The 2003-04 squad was the last Lafayette team to open league play with a 7-0 mark. The 10 conference wins are the most that the program has had since moving to an 18-game schedule back in 2013. Four Leopards earned All-Conference laurels following the season, the largest group since 2011-12. Devin Hines, Kyle Jenkins and Justin Vander Baan were named to the All-Patriot League Third Team while Mark Butler took home All-Rookie honors. Butler continued College Hill’s streak of placing at least one player on the first-year squad since 2019. Vander Baan was also tabbed to the All-Defensive squad. O’Brien was welcomed to College Hill and joined former head coach Mike Jordan's staff for the 2022-23 season, where he aided the Leopards to the 2023 Patriot League Tournament championship game.  He spent the 2021-22 season as the director of basketball operations at Colgate University under head coach Matt Langel. O’Brien’s alma mater claimed a conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth.  That stint followed his playing career at Colgate, when he was a two-year captain and two-time team MVP who racked up 1,040 points, 301 rebounds and 335 assists while setting school records for career games played (127) and single-season minutes played (1,159). As a senior, he earned All-Patriot League Third Team honors while ranking fourth nationally in assist-turnover ratio. After graduating from Colgate in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, O’Brien played two years professionally overseas with Scott’s Lakers in Killarney, Ireland. He returned to North America to compete for the Rayos de Hermosillo in Hermosillo, Mexico during a shortened 2020 season.   The Lafayette Hill, Pa., native spent the 2020-21 season as a graduate manager for Aaron McKie’s men’s basketball program at Temple University, where he worked for his Master’s in Business Administration. Updated 4/25

Nikolai Arnold is in his third season as an assistant coach at Lafayette during the 2025-26 academic year. Men’s basketball improved it’s win total for the third straight season in 2024-25, advancing to the Patriot League Quarterfinal on March 6. Lafayette got out to a slow non-conference start before finding its way during the Lafayette Classic from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, going 2-1 through the inaugural round-robin tournament in the newly refurbished Kirby Sports Center. Momentum swung the program to outcomes such as the exciting 76-61 road win at defending conference champion Colgate and a 78-70 Senior Day victory versus Lehigh, the 150th series dub since the Rivalry’s inception in 1902. Justin Vander Baan was crowned the Defensive Player of the Year after a sensational season in the front court, finishing his Leopard career ranked second all-time in program blocks (188), which topped the NCAA from Jan. 16-20. He was also listed on the Third Team and the All-Defensive Team while Alex Chaikin (Third Team, All-Rookie) and Caleb Williams (All-Rookie) had electric initial campaigns. The Maroon and White concluded the 2023-24 season with an 11-21 (10-8 PL) overall record, finishing in second place in the Patriot League regular season and advancing to the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal. With his assistance, men’s basketball matched the program record of seven consecutive Patriot League victories in a row to open the conference slate.  The 2003-04 squad was the last Lafayette team to open league play with a 7-0 mark. The 10 conference wins are the most that the program has had since moving to an 18-game schedule back in 2013. Four Leopards earned All-Conference laurels following the season, the largest group since 2011-12. Devin Hines, Kyle Jenkins and Justin Vander Baan were named to the All-Patriot League Third Team while Mark Butler took home All-Rookie honors. Butler continued College Hill’s streak of placing at least one player on the first-year squad since 2019. Vander Baan was also tabbed to the All-Defensive squad. Arnold comes to College Hill by way of DeSales University where he has been an assistant since Oct. 2022. Prior to his stint with the Bulldogs, he served as an assistant coach at Franklin & Marshall College.   Prior to F&M, Arnold spent three years as an assistant coach under McGarvey at Lycoming College helping the Warriors win two conference titles and post a 42-22 record in those three years. He was involved in all aspects of the program, especially opponent scouting, recruiting and practice planning.   Arnold was also a three-year student manager with Syracuse University's men's basketball program graduating from SU in 2019 with a degree in Sports Management.   A native of Englewood, Colo., Arnold played high school basketball at Kent Denver and also coached an 8th-grade AAU team, the Colorado Miners, before going on to college, where he worked with the Orangemen for three years, participating in a variety of aspects of the team's game-planning and game day activities. He also served as the university's club team coach for two seasons. Updated 4/25  

Eylijah (E.J.) Stephens ’21 joined the Lafayette men’s basketball coaching staff during the 2025-26 season as the Director of Operations. As a Leopard, Stephens competed in over 103 contests, totaling 1,017 points, 307 rebounds and 175 assists in his career. Following his senior season as a co-captain, he earned Second Team All-Patriot League laurels, a NABC All-District 13 Second Team nod and three Lafayette Dean’s List awards. The Psychology major was also chosen as the Oaks Leadership “Leader of Distinction.” To this day, Stephens ranks 11th in the conference for his 90.4 free throw percentage. The Plantation, Fla. native furthered his education as a transfer with the University of Minnesota, playing in all games that winter, securing a Master’s in Sports Management. Stephens continued his athletic career with England’s Cheshire Phoenix in the British Basketball League (BBL) from 2023-24. Under head coach Ben Thomas, he helped lead the Phoenix to a BBL Trophy Final victory over the EuroCup powerhouse London Lions. Most recently, he played for the Newcastle Falcons in Australia's NBL1 East Division during the 2025 season alongside former Leopards Leo O'Boyle '23 and Myles Cherry '20.  Upon returning to the United States, Stephens acted as an assistant coach for Plantation High School. He assisted in game planning, opponent scouting and player development for the varsity team, ultimately leading to the program’s first back-to-back 10+ win seasons in over 20 years. Updated 8/25