The Big Green made a big splash on Monday afternoon, hiring former Princeton men’s basketball associate head coach Brett MacConnell as Dartmouth’s new head coach.
“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 the school’s press 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, a 2008 Rutgers University graduate and student manager for the Scarlet Knights, started his coaching career at Delaware Valley College (2008-10) before moving to Holy Family University (2010-11) and Saint Peter’s University (2011-12).
He began his time at Old Nassau in 2012-13 as the director of basketball operations before becoming an assistant coach the following year. In 2015, MacConnell added recruiting coordinator to his resume and was promoted to associate head coach by Mitch Henderson in 2018.
After a thrilling Sweet 16 run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament and a disappointing 2024-25 season, which saw the Tigers go from Ivy League preseason favorites to upset victims in the semifinals of the Ivy League Tournament, MacConnell’s contract was surprisingly not renewed.
No reason was given by Henderson or Princeton Athletics for MacConnell not being asked back.
MacConnell wasn’t unemployed for long, joining former Columbia coach Kyle Smith’s staff at Stanford as an assistant for the 2025-26 campaign.
As noted in the Dartmouth press release, the 39-year-old has a knack for “identifying under‑recruited or overlooked prospects and helping develop them into elite contributors.”
Among MacConnell’s prize recruits were Ivy League Players of the Year Caden Pierce and Tosan Ebvuomwan, as well as All-Ivy standouts Xaivian Lee, Jaelin Llewellyn, Devin Cannady, Myles Stephens and Amir Bell.
“Dartmouth is one of the premier institutions in the country, and it’s an honor to join the Dartmouth community,” the new coach said in the press release. “Our goal is to build a men’s basketball program that reflects the values of the institution—one that competes at a high level and represents Dartmouth with pride, integrity, and consistency. I’m confident that my experience in the Ivy League will help our staff and student-athletes grow and succeed both on and off the court.”
Tasked with his first opportunity in the big chair, MacConnell will be charged with returning the Big Green to Ivy Madness following a one-year absence in 2026 and the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1959.
While it’s unclear how long it will take to get Dartmouth to the top of the Ancient Eight, it’s clear there will be two very intriguing games between the Big Green and the Orange and Black next year.
When Willie Mays patrolled the Polo Grounds for the Giants it was said that “center field is where triples go to die…”
I hope that it will not be said that Hanover is where promising careers go to die. Brett is one of the very nicest people I have known to coach in our league. His contributions to Tiger success go beyond the recruiting results listed by Rob. May he achieve success measured by reasonable expectations.