Vassar College Men's Basketball

Now entering his eighth season at Vassar College, Ryan Mee came to Vassar for his first head coaching position in the summer of 2018, after serving as an assistant coach at five prior destinations over many different levels. Prior to Vassar, Mee had served as an assistant coach at Division I Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina under legendary head coach Bob McKillop. The 2025-26 season marks a record-setting season for the Brewers as Vassar earned its second Liberty League crown after defeating RPI 57-53 on the road. Vassar reached the 20-win plateau for the first time in program history and set a new program record for regular season conference victories with 13. Junior Shea Fitzgerald earned his second consecutive All-Liberty League First Team selection along with sophomore Parker Neuenhaus garnering Second Team All-Liberty League honors. The 2024-25 campaign saw Vassar set a program record with 12 Liberty League wins and earn a postseason berth as the No. 3 seed. Mee also mentored the program’s first-ever NABC All-American, Shea Fitzgerald ’27, who was named Liberty League Player of the Year. Additionally, he helped Avery Lee ’27 earn First Team All-Liberty League honors. Mee and assistant coach Leo Clibanoff were named the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year after improving from 10-15 overall to 16-10 overall and 8-10 in league play to 12-6 in conference play. Vassar closed the 2023-24 season with a 10-15 overall record and 8-10 in conference matchups with first year Shea Fitzgerald earning an All-Liberty League Honorable Mention nod. The 2022-23 season finished with Vassar earning the sixth seed in the Liberty League Championships after posting a 13-13 overall record and 9-9 in Liberty League play. Senior Avni Mustafaj was tabbed a All-Liberty League selection along with senior Jack Rothenberg scoring an All-Liberty League Honorable Mention selection. The 2021-22 season was a historic one for the Vassar Men’s Basketball Program when the Brewers won the Liberty League Championship, earning their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. The Brewers also posted their most wins since the 2013-14 season, going 18-9.  In 2019-20, Mee helped lead the Brewers to their first Liberty League post-season appearance since the 2017-18 season with the team placing 5th in the conference. In his first season at Vassar, Mee helped the Brewers to an 11-14, went 4-2 against top-three teams in the league, and had two 1,000-point scorers in Alex Seff '19 and Paul Grinde '19.   While at Davidson, Mee helped in the recruiting efforts, while also focusing on day-to-day coaching responsibilities, player development, game and practice preparation, on-court coaching, social media management, scouting report preparation and community outreach.   During his time at Davidson, the Wildcats earned three NCAA Tournament bids along with being part of a staff that earned Atlantic 10 Coaching Staff of the Year in 2014-15. Mee helped mentor 14 Wildcat players that earned either Southern Conference or Atlantic-10 yearly honors, while also helping assist three conference Players of the Year and an A-10 Rookie of the Year this past season in Kellan Grady.   Prior to Davidson, Mee was an associate head coach at his alma mater, the University of Rochester from 2009-12. Mee was part of a staff in 2011 that saw its head coach Luke Flockerzi earn D3hoops.com East Region Coach of the Year. The 2010-11 season saw the Yellowjackets win the University Athletic Association (UAA) title and advance to a Division III Sweet 16 appearance. As an undergraduate, Mee was a four-year varsity letter winner at Rochester, serving as team captain in 2004-05. He helped the Yellowjackets to four NCAA Tournament appearances as his squads went a combined 97-17 over his four seasons as part of the winningest class in the program’s history.   Mee earned Honorable Mention UAA honors in 2003-04, and helped the squad to the national finals in 2005, finishing his career seventh in three-pointers made. Mee earned his bachelor of arts from Rochester in economics in 2005, while also acquiring a Master’s from Elmira in 2006.   Mee and his wife, Haniya, have two children, Trotter and Capucine.

Leo Clibanoff enters his second season as assistant coach for the Brewers in 2025-26. In his first year, he helped Vassar set a program record with 12 Liberty League wins and earn a postseason berth as the No. 3 seed. Clibanoff also mentored the program’s first-ever NABC All-American, Shea Fitzgerald ’27, who was named Liberty League Player of the Year. Additionally, he helped Avery Lee ’27 earn First Team All-Liberty League honors. Vassar College Men’s Basketball Head Coach Ryan Mee announced the hiring of Clibanoff ahead of the 2024-25 season following his one-year stint with the Texas Legends, the NBA G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. “I couldn’t be more excited about bringing Coach Clibanoff on board. His energy and passion for the game is exactly what we need to elevate our program,” said Mee. “He brings fresh ideas, a tireless work ethic, and a real ability to connect with players. I’m confident Leo will help push our team to new heights, both on and off the court.” Clibanoff spent the 2023-24 season with the Texas Legends as a Basketball Operations Associate, where he played a key role in film breakdowns, scouting reports, and daily player operations. His efforts helped the Legends secure two NBA call-ups and improve their win total by 11 games from the previous season. He also contributed to the Dallas Mavericks’ pre-draft workouts and free agent mini-camp, coaching players through drills and scrimmages. Texas Legends Head Coach Jordan Sears said, “Leo is a curious basketball mind with a wide range of experiences in such a short coaching career. His youthfulness and level of care will be great assets to the Vassar Men’s Basketball program.” Before his time with the Legends, Clibanoff spent five years at Wesleyan University (2018–2023) as a student assistant coach for the men’s basketball program. He was responsible for player development, scouting reports, film breakdowns, and practice/game planning. Clibanoff helped guide Wesleyan to a 25-4 record in 2021-22, capturing both the NESCAC regular-season and tournament championships. His work contributed to six All-Conference selections, including a Conference Player of the Year, a Defensive Player of the Year, and a First-Team All-American. Wesleyan Head Coach Joe Reilly said, “We are thrilled for Leo and his opportunity at Vassar. He was a big part of our program and had a huge impact on our recent success at Wesleyan. Leo has a bright future in coaching, and we wish him the best helping Coach Mee continue to provide a high-level athletic experience for the student-athletes at Vassar.” Clibanoff has also worked alongside top basketball skills development trainers, assisting with NBA and pre-draft player workouts during the offseason. A native of Lower Merion, Pa, Clibanoff graduated from Wesleyan University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in Data Analysis. Prior to Wesleyan, he served as a manager for the varsity boys’ basketball team at Lower Merion High School.