Yale University Men's Basketball

Jones, the Ivy League Coach of the Year in both 2015 and 2016, is one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history. Jones 141 Ivy victories are tied with former Bulldog head coach Joe Vancisin for the third most in league history, and his 254 overall wins are the third most. In addition, Yale has a .592 winning percentage in league games during his tenure, by far the highest in school history. Jones, the longest tenured coach in the Ivy League who is in his 18th season in 2016-17, is the winningest coach in school history. He surpassed Hall of Fame Coach Joe Vancisin, who led Yale to 204 victories, when the Bulldogs beat Holy Cross on Mar. 22, 2014. In 2015-16, Jones guided the Bulldogs to the most successful season in school history. Yale won 23 games, the most since 1906-07, captured a second straight Ivy League title with a 13-1 record, matching the 1961-62 team for the best in school history, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 54 years where the Bulldogs upset Baylor to earn the first NCAA Tournament victory in Yale history. Jones was the recipient of a number of accolades following the season. He was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year for the second straight season and also was selected as the NABC District 13 Coach of the Year for the second straight year. In addition, he was named as the United States Basketball Writer's Association District 1 Coach of the Year, was presented with the Advocates For Athletic Equity Division I Coach of the Year Award, was CollegeInsider.com's Hugh Durham Award winner, and received the Big House Gaines Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year Award from the The National Sports Media Association. In June of 2016, The National Association of Basketball Coaches selected Jones for an ad hoc committee on NCAA men's basketball tournament selection, seeding and bracketing. Over the last three years, Jones, who was inducted into New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, has led Yale to 64 overall wins and a 33-9 Ivy League mark. In 2014-15, Jones was named the league's Coach of the Year after guiding the Bulldogs to 22 wins and a share of the Ivy League championship. One of those victories came over defending national champion UConn, just the second time an Ivy League team knocked off a defending NCAA champion. Jones also was selected as the National Association of Basketball Coaches UPS District 13 Coach of the Year, was a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year, Ben Jobe Award as top minority coach in Division I and the Hugh Durham Award as the national mid-major coach of the year. The Bulldogs have won at least 10 Ivy games four times during Jones tenure and have had a fourth-place or better finish in the Ivy League for 16 straight years. Jones has guided Yale to the postseason four times - the 2016 NCAA Tournament, the 2012 and 2014 CollegeInsider.com Tournament and the 2002 NIT. The Bulldogs reached the championship game of the CIT in 2014. Jones was named the CollegeSportsMadness.com Ivy League Coach of the Year in 2014 after guiding the Bulldogs to 19 wins and a second-place Ivy League finish. In addition, he was a finalist for the 2014 CollegeInsider.com Ben Jobe Award, which is presented annually to the top minority coach in Division I men's basketball. In 2001-02, Jones led the Bulldogs to their first Ivy League title since 1962-63 and the first postseason tournament victory in the more than 100-year history of Yale basketball. The team won 21 games and reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. Jones success did not go unnoticed. He was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year by Basketball America and CollegeInsider.com. Following Yales weekend sweep of Penn and Princeton that season, Dick Vitale selected Jones as his Coach of the Week. In addition to success on the court, Jones's players have shined off it as well. In 2014-15, Jones coached Matt Townsend 15, who was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and was named the mens basketball Academic All-American of the Year. In addition, Javier Duren 15, who is currently playing professionally in Europe, was a candidate for the Allstate Good Works Team. In 2015-16, Justin Sears was a finalist for the national Senior CLASS Award, which focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. In addition, Yale has earned an NABC Team Academic Award in each of the last two seasons and has had numerous individual players named to the NABC Honors Court and Academic All-Ivy. Jones was named Yales 22nd head coach on Apr. 27, 1999, and he immediately put his stamp on the program as the Bulldogs more than doubled their Division I win total from the previous season and improved to fifth place in the Ivy League. In 2000-2001 the turnaround continued as Yale entered the final weekend of the regular season in the hunt for the Ivy League championship. The captain of the 2000-01 team, Neil Yanke, signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004. Jones recruited Yanke to Yale as an assistant coach and then was his head coach for two years. In 2001-02, Jones guided the Bulldogs to one of the most memorable seasons in school history. Yale finished 21-11 and earned a share of the Ivy title with Penn and Princeton. The Bulldogs upset Rutgers in the first round of the NIT before falling to Tennessee Tech at the New Haven Coliseum in front of the largest crowd ever to watch Yale Basketball in New Haven. . Several of Jones players have gone on to play professionally overseas, including Ted Smith (England), Matt Minoff (Israel), Paul Vitelli (Italy), Dominick Martin (Spain), Matt Kyle (Portugal), Caleb Holmes (Iceland), Ross Morin (Switzerland), Paul Nelson (Romania, Slovakia) Eric Flato (England), Greg Mangano (Spain, Finland), Javier Duren (Holland), Edwin Draughan (France, Switzerland) and Justin Sears (Germany). In addition, Alex Zampier (NBA D-League), Travis Pinick (NBA D-League) and Reggie Willhite (NBA D-League) have had professional opportunities in the United States. Sears, the most recent player to join the professional ranks, graduated as one of the most successful players in school history under Jones' tutelage. Sears is Yale's third all-time leading scorer with 1,700 points, is the only two-time Ivy League Player of the Year award winner in school history and is among the school's career leaders in points (3rd, 1,700), rebounds (4th, 818), blocks (2nd, 200) and free throws made (2nd, 475). In addition, he earned first team All-Ivy recognition in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, becoming just the third three-time first team selection in school history and the first since Chris Dudley (1985-87). Sears was the recipient of the 2016 William Neely Mallory Award, the most prestigious athletic award given to a senior male at Yale. Draughan, who graduated in 2005, enjoyed a long professional career, retiring in 2015. He finished seventh all-time at Yale in scoring with 1,413 points and second in steals and fifth in assists. Mangano also made his mark at Yale under Jones. Mangano, a two-time first team All-Ivy selection, is Yales all-time leader with 213 career blocked shots. In addition, he was invited to the 2012 Portsmouth Invitational and played for Team USA at the 2011 World University Games in China. Five assistant coaches who worked under Jones have gone on to become head coaches - Rob Senderoff (Kent State), Isaiah Cavaco (Oberlin), Mark Sembrowich (Academy of Arts University), Mark Gilbride (Clarkson) and Ted Hotaling (New Haven). One of Jones goals when he took the job was to upgrade Yales schedule, a promise he has delivered on. In 2013, nationally ranked Florida visited the John J. Lee Amphitheater. The Bulldogs also have hosted Stanford (2008), Wake Forest (2003) and Penn State (2001) during his tenure. In addition, Yale has played in numerous prestigious tournaments under Jones, including the preseason NIT, the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and the inaugural Guardians Classic. Jones has enjoyed remarkable success against major conference opponents. In 2008-09, Yale knocked off Oregon State, the schools first win ever over a Pac-10 opponent. Jones also has enjoyed victories over schools from the ACC (Clemson, Boston College), Big 12 (Baylor) Big East (Rutgers), Big Ten (Penn State) and Atlantic 10 (Rhode Island) during his tenure. Jones has gained experience with USA Basketball in his time at Yale as well. He served as an assistant coach to Villanovas Jay Wright for the 2007 USA Basketball Mens Pan American Games Team, helping tutor Georgetowns Roy Hibbert, Michigan States Drew Neitzel and Indianas D.J. White. In 2006, Jones was selected by the USA Basketball Mens Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuses Jim Boeheim, as a court coach for the 2006 USA Mens U18 National Team Trials. Jones also has shared his insight with college basketball fans, serving as a guest analyst on the CBS College Sports Television Network on a number of occasions. In addition to his coaching duties, Jones has been active in the New Haven community. Each summer he runs the James Jones Bulldog Basketball Camp. In 2002 he was the recipient of the Presidents Award from the Greater New Haven NAACP at its 85th Freedom Fund dinner. As an assistant coach at Yale for two seasons from 1995-97, Jones gained a great understanding of Ivy League basketball. He returned to Yale as head coach after two years as an assistant coach at Ohio University, where he was primarily responsible for coordinating the Bobcats recruiting efforts and developing the post players. In 1998-99 he helped guide Ohio to an 18-10 overall record and a berth in the Mid American Conference Tournament semifinals. At Ohio, he recruited Brandon Hunter, who was a second round pick of the Boston Celtics in the 2002 NBA draft. A Long Island, N.Y., native, Jones served as an assistant basketball coach for five seasons (1990-95) at his alma mater, the University at Albany (N.Y.). In his final two coaching seasons at Albany, he helped lead the team to a 44-11 record and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including reaching the Elite Eight in 1993-94. His primary responsibilities included recruiting, scouting, supervising the fall conditioning program and advising team members on academic matters. The team was 93-40 during his five seasons on the bench. Jones graduated from Albany in 1986 with a bachelors degree in communications and in 1995 earned his masters in educational administration. As a player at Albany, Jones was captain of the freshman team and was selected as the teams Freshman of the Year. He played for and coached with the legendary Dr. Richard Sauers, one of only seven collegiate coaches to win more than 700 games. Jones is an active member of several organizations, including the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Black Coaches Association. Before entering the coaching profession, Jones served as an executive account manager at NCR Corporation in Albany, N.Y., where he managed a $1.5 million sales territory. James younger brother Joe spent seven seasons the head coach at Ivy League rival Columbia and is currently the head coach at Boston University. James Jones, the Ivy League Coach of the Year in both 2015 and 2016, is one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history. Jones 141 Ivy victories are tied with former Bulldog head coach Joe Vancisin for the third most in league history, and his 254 overall wins are the third most. In addition, Yale has a .592 winning percentage in league games during his tenure, by far the highest in school history. Jones, the longest tenured coach in the Ivy League who is in his 18th season in 2016-17, is the winningest coach in school history. He surpassed Hall of Fame Coach Joe Vancisin, who led Yale to 204 victories, when the Bulldogs beat Holy Cross on Mar. 22, 2014. In 2015-16, Jones guided the Bulldogs to the most successful season in school history. Yale won 23 games, the most since 1906-07, captured a second straight Ivy League title with a 13-1 record, matching the 1961-62 team for the best in school history, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 54 years where the Bulldogs upset Baylor to earn the first NCAA Tournament victory in Yale history. Jones was the recipient of a number of accolades following the season. He was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year for the second straight season and also was selected as the NABC District 13 Coach of the Year for the second straight year. In addition, he was named as the United States Basketball Writer's Association District 1 Coach of the Year, was presented with the Advocates For Athletic Equity Division I Coach of the Year Award, was CollegeInsider.com's Hugh Durham Award winner, and received the Big House Gaines Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year Award from the The National Sports Media Association. In June of 2016, The National Association of Basketball Coaches selected Jones for an ad hoc committee on NCAA men's basketball tournament selection, seeding and bracketing. Over the last three years, Jones, who was inducted into New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, has led Yale to 64 overall wins and a 33-9 Ivy League mark. In 2014-15, Jones was named the league's Coach of the Year after guiding the Bulldogs to 22 wins and a share of the Ivy League championship. One of those victories came over defending national champion UConn, just the second time an Ivy League team knocked off a defending NCAA champion. Jones also was selected as the National Association of Basketball Coaches UPS District 13 Coach of the Year, was a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year, Ben Jobe Award as top minority coach in Division I and the Hugh Durham Award as the national mid-major coach of the year. The Bulldogs have won at least 10 Ivy games four times during Jones tenure and have had a fourth-place or better finish in the Ivy League for 16 straight years. Jones has guided Yale to the postseason four times - the 2016 NCAA Tournament, the 2012 and 2014 CollegeInsider.com Tournament and the 2002 NIT. The Bulldogs reached the championship game of the CIT in 2014. Jones was named the CollegeSportsMadness.com Ivy League Coach of the Year in 2014 after guiding the Bulldogs to 19 wins and a second-place Ivy League finish. In addition, he was a finalist for the 2014 CollegeInsider.com Ben Jobe Award, which is presented annually to the top minority coach in Division I men's basketball. In 2001-02, Jones led the Bulldogs to their first Ivy League title since 1962-63 and the first postseason tournament victory in the more than 100-year history of Yale basketball. The team won 21 games and reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. Jones success did not go unnoticed. He was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year by Basketball America and CollegeInsider.com. Following Yales weekend sweep of Penn and Princeton that season, Dick Vitale selected Jones as his Coach of the Week. In addition to success on the court, Jones's players have shined off it as well. In 2014-15, Jones coached Matt Townsend 15, who was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and was named the mens basketball Academic All-American of the Year. In addition, Javier Duren 15, who is currently playing professionally in Europe, was a candidate for the Allstate Good Works Team. In 2015-16, Justin Sears was a finalist for the national Senior CLASS Award, which focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. In addition, Yale has earned an NABC Team Academic Award in each of the last two seasons and has had numerous individual players named to the NABC Honors Court and Academic All-Ivy. Jones was named Yales 22nd head coach on Apr. 27, 1999, and he immediately put his stamp on the program as the Bulldogs more than doubled their Division I win total from the previous season and improved to fifth place in the Ivy League. In 2000-2001 the turnaround continued as Yale entered the final weekend of the regular season in the hunt for the Ivy League championship. The captain of the 2000-01 team, Neil Yanke, signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004. Jones recruited Yanke to Yale as an assistant coach and then was his head coach for two years. In 2001-02, Jones guided the Bulldogs to one of the most memorable seasons in school history. Yale finished 21-11 and earned a share of the Ivy title with Penn and Princeton. The Bulldogs upset Rutgers in the first round of the NIT before falling to Tennessee Tech at the New Haven Coliseum in front of the largest crowd ever to watch Yale Basketball in New Haven. . Several of Jones players have gone on to play professionally overseas, including Ted Smith (England), Matt Minoff (Israel), Paul Vitelli (Italy), Dominick Martin (Spain), Matt Kyle (Portugal), Caleb Holmes (Iceland), Ross Morin (Switzerland), Paul Nelson (Romania, Slovakia) Eric Flato (England), Greg Mangano (Spain, Finland), Javier Duren (Holland), Edwin Draughan (France, Switzerland) and Justin Sears (Germany). In addition, Alex Zampier (NBA D-League), Travis Pinick (NBA D-League) and Reggie Willhite (NBA D-League) have had professional opportunities in the United States. Sears, the most recent player to join the professional ranks, graduated as one of the most successful players in school history under Jones' tutelage. Sears is Yale's third all-time leading scorer with 1,700 points, is the only two-time Ivy League Player of the Year award winner in school history and is among the school's career leaders in points (3rd, 1,700), rebounds (4th, 818), blocks (2nd, 200) and free throws made (2nd, 475). In addition, he earned first team All-Ivy recognition in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, becoming just the third three-time first team selection in school history and the first since Chris Dudley (1985-87). Sears was the recipient of the 2016 William Neely Mallory Award, the most prestigious athletic award given to a senior male at Yale. Draughan, who graduated in 2005, enjoyed a long professional career, retiring in 2015. He finished seventh all-time at Yale in scoring with 1,413 points and second in steals and fifth in assists. Mangano also made his mark at Yale under Jones. Mangano, a two-time first team All-Ivy selection, is Yales all-time leader with 213 career blocked shots. In addition, he was invited to the 2012 Portsmouth Invitational and played for Team USA at the 2011 World University Games in China. Five assistant coaches who worked under Jones have gone on to become head coaches - Rob Senderoff (Kent State), Isaiah Cavaco (Oberlin), Mark Sembrowich (Academy of Arts University), Mark Gilbride (Clarkson) and Ted Hotaling (New Haven). One of Jones goals when he took the job was to upgrade Yales schedule, a promise he has delivered on. In 2013, nationally ranked Florida visited the John J. Lee Amphitheater. The Bulldogs also have hosted Stanford (2008), Wake Forest (2003) and Penn State (2001) during his tenure. In addition, Yale has played in numerous prestigious tournaments under Jones, including the preseason NIT, the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and the inaugural Guardians Classic. Jones has enjoyed remarkable success against major conference opponents. In 2008-09, Yale knocked off Oregon State, the schools first win ever over a Pac-10 opponent. Jones also has enjoyed victories over schools from the ACC (Clemson, Boston College), Big 12 (Baylor) Big East (Rutgers), Big Ten (Penn State) and Atlantic 10 (Rhode Island) during his tenure. Jones has gained experience with USA Basketball in his time at Yale as well. He served as an assistant coach to Villanovas Jay Wright for the 2007 USA Basketball Mens Pan American Games Team, helping tutor Georgetowns Roy Hibbert, Michigan States Drew Neitzel and Indianas D.J. White. In 2006, Jones was selected by the USA Basketball Mens Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuses Jim Boeheim, as a court coach for the 2006 USA Mens U18 National Team Trials. Jones also has shared his insight with college basketball fans, serving as a guest analyst on the CBS College Sports Television Network on a number of occasions. In addition to his coaching duties, Jones has been active in the New Haven community. Each summer he runs the James Jones Bulldog Basketball Camp. In 2002 he was the recipient of the Presidents Award from the Greater New Haven NAACP at its 85th Freedom Fund dinner. As an assistant coach at Yale for two seasons from 1995-97, Jones gained a great understanding of Ivy League basketball. He returned to Yale as head coach after two years as an assistant coach at Ohio University, where he was primarily responsible for coordinating the Bobcats recruiting efforts and developing the post players. In 1998-99 he helped guide Ohio to an 18-10 overall record and a berth in the Mid American Conference Tournament semifinals. At Ohio, he recruited Brandon Hunter, who was a second round pick of the Boston Celtics in the 2002 NBA draft. A Long Island, N.Y., native, Jones served as an assistant basketball coach for five seasons (1990-95) at his alma mater, the University at Albany (N.Y.). In his final two coaching seasons at Albany, he helped lead the team to a 44-11 record and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including reaching the Elite Eight in 1993-94. His primary responsibilities included recruiting, scouting, supervising the fall conditioning program and advising team members on academic matters. The team was 93-40 during his five seasons on the bench. Jones graduated from Albany in 1986 with a bachelors degree in communications and in 1995 earned his masters in educational administration. As a player at Albany, Jones was captain of the freshman team and was selected as the teams Freshman of the Year. He played for and coached with the legendary Dr. Richard Sauers, one of only seven collegiate coaches to win more than 700 games. Jones is an active member of several organizations, including the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Black Coaches Association. Before entering the coaching profession, Jones served as an executive account manager at NCR Corporation in Albany, N.Y., where he managed a $1.5 million sales territory. James younger brother Joe spent seven seasons the head coach at Ivy League rival Columbia and is currently the head coach at Boston University.

Simons tenure, the Bulldogs have posted a 50-20 (.714) Ivy League record, made three postseason appearances, including earning the first NCAA Tournament victory in school history in 2016, and won a pair of league championships. Simon played a key role in a memorable 2015-16 season when Yale won 23 games, the most since 1906-07, captured a second straight Ivy League title with a 13-1 record, matching the 1961-62 team for the best in school history, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 54 years where the Bulldogs upset Baylor. Simons primary responsibilities include recruiting, opponent scouting and post player development.  During his tenure at Yale, Simon has worked with All-Ivy post players Greg Mangano 12 and two-time Ivy League Player of the Year Justin Sears 16.  Under his guidance, Yale has been one of the best teams in the nation in free throw rate and team defense.  Additionally, Yale has finished No. 1 in offensive rebounding percentage in four of his five seasons.  His first five years coaching at Yale have coincided with one of the most successful stretches in school history.  He has been intimately involved with every Yale postseason appearance in the modern era, including the 2016 NCAA Tournament victory over Baylor.  Simon has also been present for all three of the 20-win seasons Yale has had during James Jones tenure one as a player and two as an assistant coach.  Prior to returning to Yale, Simon spent time as science teacher and coach at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, as well as time working in the financial services industry. As a player at Yale, Simon was a member of Jones first recruiting class, and in 2002, was a member of Yales first Ivy League championship team since 1963.  He was also the recipient of the Senior Class and top free throw shooter awards during his tenure.  Simon and his wife Tricia have one daughter, Divera, and reside in Hamden, Connecticut. View: | Desktop

Kingsleys tenure, the Bulldogs have a .623 winning percentage in Ivy League games and won the first NCAA Tournament game in school history, a victory over Baylor in the 2016 Tournament. In addition, Yale won Ivy titles in 2014-15 and 2015-16, has finished in the top three in the final standings seven times and reached the postseason three times. Kingsleys role in Yales recent success has not gone unnoticed. He was named a Top 25 Mid-Major Assistant Coach Recruiter by CoachStat.Net in 2016. "Kingsley's resume boasts a New England prep school championship as head coach and an NCAA Tournament appearance as an assistant. It's an understanding of recruits and their families that drives this straight shooter. Avoiding talk without substance, recruits appreciate his genuine approach," the site wrote. Kingsley played a key role in a memorable 2015-16 season when Yale won 23 games, the most since 1906-07, captured a second straight Ivy League title with a 13-1 record, matching the 1961-62 team for the best in school history, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 54 years where the Bulldogs upset Baylor. Over the last three years, Yale has won 64 games and posted a 33-9 Ivy League mark. Kingsley works primarily with the guards, and a number of his pupils have had great success, including Makai Mason, a first team All-Ivy selection in 2016 who scored 31 points in Yale's victory over Baylor in the NCAA Tournament. Javier Duren '15, who is currently playing professionally in Europe, earned first team All-Ivy recognition as a senior and finished his career eighth all-time at Yale with 314 career assists. Austin Morgan '13 graduated as Yale's all-time leader in free throw percentage (.859), and is third all-time with 199 career three-pointers. Reggie Willhite '12 is the school's single-season steals leader and was the 2012 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. Alex Zampier '10 is Yale's all-time leader with 167 career steals and is in the top 10 in career free throw percentage (4th, .816) and career three-pointers (8th, 135). Zampier was drafted by the New Mexico Thunderbirds in the 2010 NBA Development League. Eric Flato '08 graduated second all-time at Yale in three-point field goals made (213) and 14th in school history in scoring (1,193 points).  Prior to coming to Yale, Kingsley was the associate head coach at Eastern Connecticut. During his tenure at Eastern, Kingsley helped the team improve from 7-19 in 2003 to 14-12 in 2004, including a school record eight conference wins. At Eastern, Kingsley worked under head coach Bill Geitner, who has guided the Warriors to a Little East Conference Championship and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Prior to serving at Eastern Connecticut, Kingsley was a post graduate men's basketball coach at Saint Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn., where he worked for legendary head coach Jere Quinn. In 2001, he helped coach the team to a 31-3 record and the New England Prep School Class A Championship. He also spent one season as an assistant coach at Clarkson University where the team had the second most wins in school history and earned the first post-season berth in school history. Kingsley is a 1998 graduate of Wesleyan University where he was a standout for the basketball team. His 191 three-pointers still ranks first all time in school history and his 1,176 points was second all-time when he graduated and currently stands fourth all time. He also served as a team captain. View: | Desktop