Stetson University Men's Basketball

As first impressions go, Donnie Jones certainly made a strong one on Stetson basketball.   Hired as the 22nd head coach in program history on April 1, 2019, Jones took a moribund Stetson basketball program and turned it into an instant contender in the ASUN Conference. The 2023-24 season was one for the record books as Jones led the Hatters to their first ASUN Championship and first NCAA Tournament appearance in Stetson’s 53rd season at the Division 1 level. On the way to the eventual championship, the Hatters were able to achieve its third time winning twenty games in a season going 22-13. This also marked the second year in a row that Stetson had a winning season which hadn’t happened for the Hatters in 40 years. During the season, the Hatters competed in the Sunshine Slam where they were they beat Milwaukee and Central Michigan in route to their first trophy on the season.    After a stellar regular season, Jones led the team to a 3-0 record throughout the ASUN Tournament defeating Queens, Jacksonville and Austin Peay. Jones has coached the ASUN Championship MVP and two-time ASUN First Team All-Conference Selection Jalen Blackmon and ASUN Second Team All-Conference selection Stephan Swenson. Blackmon, Swenson and Aubin Gateretse were all named to the ASUN All-Tournament team as well. At the end of the 23-24 season, Jones now sits fourth in program history in wins with 78. Not only did the Hatters run the ASUN, they also ranked highly in different statistical categories in the NCAA. The team ranked in the top 50 in the NCAA in free throw percentage, three-point field goals made in a game, three-point percentage and effective field goal percentage.   In the 2022-2023 season, Stetson once again broke or tied several school records. The team's 17-14 record was the best since 200-2001 and the most wins for the team in 35 years. The conference record of 12-6 was the best for the Hatters since 1986-1987 and the second most wins in school history. The Hatters also made 303 three point field goals  and the team also posted a .773 free throw percentage which were the best in school history. The Hatters were able to secure the 4th seed in the conference however were not able to make it past the first round but they did receive a bid for the CBI. Jones also earned his 200th career win in an 86-80 victory over Lipscomb on December 30, 2022. In 2020-21, Stetson participated in NCAA Division I postseason play for the first time in school history, earning an invitation to the CBI.  On March 22, Stetson won its first-ever NCAA Division I postseason game, defeating Bowling Green 53-52 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. The Hatters rallied from 15-point second half deficit to post the historic win.   In the conference tournament, Jones led the 7th-seeded Hatters to a 73-70 upset win over 2-seed Bellarmine in the ASUN Championship quarterfinals.  Stetson advanced to the ASUN for the second time in two years under Jones.  In addition, Stetson was the only ASUN team to defeat all eight conference opponents at least once during the season. Jones also continued to recruit, sign and develop young talent. Rookie guard Chase Johnston was named to the 30-man Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team, the third Hatter to make the team under Jones.  Johnston broke the program's single-season 3-point field goal record, sinking 79 3-pointers in just 27 games.  Johnston was also named ASUN Freshman of the Year, and was joined by Josh Smith on the ASUN all-freshman team. In Jones' debut season of 2019-20, he and the Hatters made plenty of history. The list of accomplishments was an impressive one: Stetson’ 16 victories were a 9-win improvement over the previous season, most in the country for a first-year head coach The 16 victories were not only the most since the 2007-08 season, but also the most by a first-year head coach in Stetson history After being picked to finish dead last in the ASUN preseason poll, the Hatters went 9-7 in ASUN play and finished tied for third Stetson hosted its first ASUN Tournament home game since 1996 Earned the program’s first road win against an SEC team since 2004 when the Hatters defeated South Carolina, 63-56, on Dec. 30 Mahamadou Diawara and Rob Perry were named to the 30-man Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team Jones’ reputation as an outstanding recruiter was put the test upon his hire, and he cobbled together an impressive recruiting class in a short time, one which yielded a pair of freshmen All-Americans, the conference Freshman of the Year (Perry), and several other key players who will be major factors as the Hatters march forward over the next several years.   The Hatters served notice almost immediately that things would be different under Jones. In their second game of the season, Stetson secured the program’s first road win in two years when Perry exploded for 34 points to lead the Hatters to a 77-75 win at Western Illinois.   Growing pains took hold after that game, and the Hatters won just four more non-conference games through the end of December. But they closed out the non-conference schedule with their biggest win of the season, stunning the Gamecocks in Columbia. South Carolina, which had defeated reigning national champion Virginia in its previous outing, led just twice in the game’s early going as the Hatters held on for their first win against a Power 5 program in a decade. It was a marquee win for Jones and for Stetson.   ASUN play featured a 4-game conference winning streak, which included improbable back-to-back home wins, victories which helped propel the Hatters into the thick of the ASUN Conference race.   The first eye-popping win came against NJIT. The Highlanders jumped out to an 11-point halftime lead and eventually led by as many as 16 points early in the second half before the Hatters closed the game on a 38-21 run to secure the win.   Two nights later, conference leader Liberty stepped into the Edmunds Center. The Flames followed suit, holding an 11-point halftime lead. But once again, the Hatters showed they comeback-ability as they rallied for a 48-43 victory to show that they weren’t going anywhere.   A successful conference season culminated on March 3 when the Hatters hosted, and defeated, North Alabama in the ASUN Conference quarterfinals. It was Stetson’s first home tournament game since 1996.   Diawara and Perry both earned spots on the ASUN All-Freshman team, while Perry was named second-team all-conference. Perry also was voted to the NABC All-District first team, the first award of its kind for a Hatter since 2009.   Jones came to Stetson following a one-year stint as assistant coach at Dayton. The former head coach at UCF (2010-16) and Marshall (2007-10), Jones has also served as an assistant at Pikeville, Marshall, Wichita State, and Florida, helping lead the Gators to a pair of national championships.   “I began to follow Donnie Jones when he was an assistant coach at the University of Florida,” Altier said the introductory press conference. “Donnie was an integral part of creating the highest standard of basketball success ever for a school in the south. I watched closely as Donnie led the programs at Marshal and UCF, elevating their recruiting to the highest level and engaging fans, ticketholders and the community as never before.   “Every program Donnie has touched has been characterized by setting a new standard of performance on the court, classroom and in the community. Donnie is the perfect fit for us, and will help us advance the Stetson basketball program to new heights.”   In 10 seasons combined at UCF, Marshall and Stetson, Jones owns a 171-146 (.543) overall record and has led his teams to three post-season tournaments, including the NIT in 2012 with UCF. Nearly half of his teams – four – have produced 20-win seasons.   “I’m so excited and grateful to be a part of the Stetson Hatter family,” Jones said. “I appreciate the opportunity to help build a culture and a style of play that will be exciting to play and fun to watch.”   Long considered one of the top recruiters in the country, Jones has a history of securing top-shelf talent. During his time as an assistant at Florida, Jones helped the Gators recruit and sign 11 McDonald’s All-American and 12 eventual National Basketball Association draft selections, including Matt Bonner, David Lee, Mike Miller and Jason Williams. At Marshall, Jones signed and coached current Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside.   A native of Point Pleasant, W. Va., Jones has been coaching college basketball for 30 years and has experienced more than 700 wins in his coaching career. His career began as an assistant at his alma mater, Pikeville College in Pikeville, Ky., where he spent two seasons before moving on to Marshall as a graduate assistant (1990-92).   Jones was elevated to a full-time position in 1992 and stayed on staff after Billy Donovan joined the Herd in 1994. After four seasons at Marshall, Jones joined Donovan at Florida in 1996.   At Florida, Jones helped Donovan and the Gators to 261 victories, nine NCAA Tournament appearances, and NCAA National Championships in 2006 and 2007.   After 11 seasons in Gainesville, Jones returned to Marshall for his first head coaching job. In three seasons with the Thundering Herd, he was 55-41, winning 24 games and reaching quarterfinals of the CIT in 2010.   On the heels of his success with Marshall, Jones was named head coach at UCF in the spring of 2010 and spent six seasons with the Knights, amassing 100 wins and reaching the postseason twice (CBI Quarterfinals, 2011; NIT First Round, 2012). Jones won 20 games in each of his first three seasons in Orlando before the Knights left Conference USA for the American Athletic Conference.   In 2016 he worked as a scout for the Los Angeles Clippers before joining the staff at Wichita State for the 2017-18 season. This season Jones teamed up with former fellow Florida assistant Anthony Grant at Dayton, joining the Flyers’ staff for the recently completed season.   A 1988 graduate of Pikeville, Jones is a member of the Pikeville athletic Hall of Fame. He also earned a Master’s degree in Sports Management from Marshall in 1992.   Jones and his wife, Michelle, have three children: Madisyn, Isaac, and Sophie.

Veteran college basketball coach Shawn Finney joined the Stetson men’s basketball coaching staff in April of 2021, reuniting with Hatters’ head coach Donnie Jones. He will serve as an Assistant Coach for the Hatters.   Jones first worked with Finney at Marshall University from 2007-10 and then, when Jones took over the UCF program in the spring of 2010, he took Finney with him to serve in the role of Associate Head Coach. With both coaches growing up in West Virginia, they had a lot in common from the moment they met.   “Shawn brings great experience and knowledge to our program,” Jones said. “Shawn has been by my side for nine seasons on the bench at Marshall and UCF and I am so excited to have him with us here at Stetson to build our program and impact our team, especially on the defensive end.”   Finney, who most recently spent the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons as an assistant coach at Samford University in Birmingham, previously spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Manhattan College immediately after his stint at UCF.   “I am extremely excited about working at Stetson University, with Donnie Jones and the staff,” Finney said. “It's such a great opportunity to help build Stetson into a winning program, one that goes to postseason play year-in and year-out.   “Having an opportunity to work with Donnie again is so exciting. Getting a chance to work with your best friend, a person who is a phenomenal and genuine person, and a great basketball coach. It doesn’t get any better than that.”   Finney has coached at the Division I level for more than 30 years, starting his journey at the University of Tulsa as an assistant coach from 1990-95. Teams he has coached have advanced to the NCAA Tournament eight times, including four Sweet 16 trips, one trip to the Elite 8 and a Final Four with the University of Kentucky as part of the Wildcats’ 1998 National Championship team.   During his career he has coached 15 future NBA players.   Finney spent one year as the Director of Basketball Operations in 2006-07 at Kentucky where he worked alongside future NBA players Randolph Morris, Jodie Meeks and Joe Crawford while helping the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament.   His career also included five seasons as the head coach at Tulane where he helped Linton Johnson blossom into a NBA player. Under his guidance, every student-athlete that was recruited or played during his tenure with the Green Wave graduated.   Previous to that appointment at Tulane, he served as an assistant coach alongside Tubby Smith for nine seasons at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky.   Finney helped the Wildcats to an 86-23 record and three trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1997-2000, highlighted by winning the 1998 National Championship. He also was instrumental in the development of eight future NBA players, including Samford head coach Scott Padgett, Keith Bogans, Michael Bradley, Jamaal Magloire, Nazr Mohammed, Tayshaun Prince, Jeff Sheppard and Wayne Turner.   During his two seasons at Georgia, Finney helped develop Shandon Anderson into a NBA player while the Bulldogs went 45-19 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament each season, highlighted by a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1996. At Tulsa, he worked with future NBA Player Shea Seals while the Golden Hurricanes advanced to the Sweet 16 in both 1994 and 1995.   Finney began his coaching career at Garrett CC, which is also where he started as a collegiate player. He moved on to play at Fairmont State where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1985. He received a Master of Science in Sport Management from the University of Tulsa in 1992.   Shawn Finney Career Stetson University Assistant Coach 2021- Samford University Associate Head Coach 2018-20 Manhattan College Assistant Coach 2016-18 UCF Associate Head Coach 2010-16 Marshall University Assistant Coach 2007-10 University of Kentucky Director of Basketball Operations 2006-07 ESPN Color Commentator 2005-06 Tulane University Head Coach 2000-05 University of Kentucky Assistant Coach 1997-2000 University of Georgia Assistant Coach 1995-97 University of Tulsa Assistant Coach 1990-95 Randolph-Macon College Assistant Coach 1987-90 Pikeville College Assistant Coach 1986-87 Garrett Community College Assistant Coach 1985-86

Joey Gruden was promoted to Assistant Coach in August 2023 after originally joining the Stetson men's basketball staff as Director of Basketball Operations in August of 2022. The son of former Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden and nephew of former Buccaneers and Raiders head coach Jon Gruden, Joey was a walk-on member of the Dayton basketball team from 2014-18.   Since receiving his degree in Communications and Media Studies in 2017, the younger Gruden served as a graduate assistant with the basketball staff at the University of Louisville, earning a Master’s in Sports Administration in 2020. He has also worked for TBT: The Basketball Tournament, as a coach and general manager and, most recently, as head basketball coach for the Flyght Academy Prep School in Dayton.   He took the Flyght Academy team to a 23-12 record last year while playing games against junior college, NCAA Division III, NAIA and other prep school programs. The overall result was a prep national championship.   Since 2018 he has coached The Red Scare as part of The Basketball Tournament, an event held on ESPN each year with $1 million in prize money up for grabs. He had to fundraise to cover the team’s travel and expenses and also ran the teams’ social media, helping it to become one of the most popular teams in the event.   He has also served as head coach of the Dayton Elite AAU program for the last three years.   Gruden is a native of Orlando but attended high school at Sycamore High in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he played basketball, football and volleyball.   Gruden met his wife, Megan, at the University of Dayton. She is a native of Columbus, Ohio.  

Scott Bracco joined the Stetson staff in fall 2024 and brought 25+ years of basketball experience with him.  Bracco enjoyed a highly successful career as a high school head coach across six stops, finishing with a 494–219 overall record, a National Championship, and two State Championships. Bracco also has Division I experience from his time as being an assistant at Georgia Southern. Bracco has earned multiple Coach of the Year awards during his time as a high school head coach in the state of Georgia, including being a 3-Time Georgia Coach of the Year. He has developed over 100 players who have competed at the collegiate level, including one McDonald's All American and 24 Division I signees. Not only have some of his former players advanced to the collegiate level, Bracco has coached an NBA Lottery Pick and seven players who have gone on to play professionally overseas.  Bracco earned his undergraduate degree from Jacksonville State University in physical education, his master's from Alabama in health sciences and his Ed.S. from Valdosta State in coaching pedagogy and physical education.

A native of Washington, D.C., Webster arrives in DeLand with extensive NCAA Tournament experience, both as a player and as a coach. During his tenure at Virginia Tech, the Hokies made five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, highlighted by a run to the Sweet 16 in 2019. At Virginia Tech, Webster was a key figure in both opponent scouting and recruiting, helping the Hokies secure six ESPN Top 100 recruits and a Top 20 national recruiting class in his first year. His impact on the recruiting trail and in player development earned him a spot-on ESPN's 40 Under 40 list in 2020, recognizing the nation's top young coaching talent in Division I men's basketball. Before joining the Hokies, Webster spent the 2015-16 season at UCF, serving as an assistant coach at just 25 years old. His coaching career began at Harvard, where he spent two seasons helping guide the Crimson to a 49-13 record and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Harvard's 2014 Tournament run included a memorable upset of No. 5 seed Cincinnati. Webster was invited to join Harvard's staff after a standout playing career with the Crimson. A four-year starter, he graduated in 2013 as the winningest player in program history with 90 victories, including three straight Ivy League titles and two NCAA Tournament berths. He ranks fifth all-time in 3-pointers made with 176 and second in games played at 117 in school history. He earned his degree in psychology from Harvard.