Dartmouth Names Ex-Stanford Assistant Brett MacConnell New HC

MacConnell brings significant Ivy League experience to rebuild struggling program.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:50pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented college basketball game, with sharp planes of green, blue, and orange overlapping to create a dynamic, abstract scene.Dartmouth's hiring of a new head coach signals a fresh start for a struggling men's basketball program seeking to end decades of futility.Princeton Today

Dartmouth has named former Stanford assistant coach Brett MacConnell as the school's next head men's basketball coach. MacConnell previously spent 12 years as an assistant at Princeton, helping build the program into an Ivy League power and developing numerous future professional players.

Why it matters

Dartmouth's men's basketball program has struggled for decades, last reaching the NCAA Tournament in 1959. The school is hoping MacConnell's Ivy League experience and track record of player development can help transform the team into a contender in the conference.

The details

During his time at Princeton, MacConnell coached four Ivy League Players of the Year and 19 professional players, including recruiting future NBA talents like Tosan Evbuomwan and Devin Cannady. He also served as Princeton's acting head coach four times, compiling a 3-1 record. MacConnell impressed Dartmouth's athletics director with his vision, drive, and plan to rebuild the program.

  • MacConnell was announced as Dartmouth's new head coach on March 30, 2026.

The players

Brett MacConnell

The new head coach of the Dartmouth men's basketball team, who previously served as an assistant coach at Stanford and Princeton.

Mike Harrity

The athletics director at Dartmouth, who cited MacConnell's deep knowledge of the Ivy League and ability to identify and develop student-athletes as key factors in his hiring.

Tosan Evbuomwan

A future NBA player that MacConnell recruited while an assistant at Princeton.

Devin Cannady

Another future NBA player that MacConnell recruited while an assistant at Princeton.

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What they’re saying

“Brett's deep knowledge of the Ivy League and his ability to identify and develop student-athletes set him apart during our national search. 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.”

— Mike Harrity, Dartmouth Athletics Director

What’s next

MacConnell will now begin assembling his coaching staff and recruiting players to turn around Dartmouth's struggling men's basketball program.

The takeaway

Dartmouth is hoping that MacConnell's extensive Ivy League experience and track record of player development can help revive a men's basketball program that has languished for decades. His hiring represents a significant investment in the team's future success.