That’s thanks in large part to James Jones, who enters his 26th season tied with Mark Few as the third longest-tenured head coach in Division I.
Building a Legacy in New Haven
Jones begins the new campaign with 418 career wins, including 225 in Ivy League play. Since taking over in 1999-2000, he has guided Yale to a winning percentage of nearly 57 percent and transformed the Bulldogs into a steady contender.
Under his watch, Yale has claimed seven Ivy League regular-season titles, including last year’s crown. They’ve also captured four Ivy League Tournament championships. In the NCAA Tournament, Jones has led the Bulldogs to seven appearances, highlighted by a pair of victories, and they’ve also seen action in the NIT and the CIT.
Recognition and a Culture of Consistency
Jones has collected plenty of hardware during his run. He earned the Hugh Durham Award in 2016, the Ben Jobe Award in 2019, and has been named Ivy League Coach of the Year four times, most recently in 2023.
The Bulldogs have turned into one of the league’s most consistent programs. Yale finished last season 22-8 overall and 13-1 in conference play. They’ve won 20 or more games in three straight years and have reached the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons, making it three appearances in the last four.
What’s most impressive is the stability. The only time Yale finished outside the top four in Ivy League play was Jones’ very first season, when they went 5-9 and landed in fifth place. Basketball success runs in the family too, as his brother Joe Jones is the head coach at Boston University.
A New Season, Familiar Expectations
Yale opens its season on November 7 in the Veterans Classic at Navy. The Bulldogs return home November 15 to host Stony Brook. A pair of challenging non-conference games highlight the schedule: a November 30 road test at Vermont and a December 29 clash at Alabama just before the New Year.
Once Ivy League play begins, the Bulldogs will once again be tested by rivals who know their system well. Focus, discipline, and execution have defined Jones’ teams for more than two decades, and those qualities will be needed again as Yale aims to defend its title and punch another ticket to March Madness.