By Andrew Hefner (@Ahef_NJ)
As the non-conference slate has come and will soon be gone, the Ivy League still remains full of the most unpredictable but impressive schools, players, and coaches in the nation.
The Ancient Eight will begin its games with all eight schools in action on January 5, but there has been no shortage of breakout performances, disappointments, and shakeups that have no doubt altered the expectations and predictions for teams across the Ivy.
Princeton Tigers (4-11)
Princeton was one of the biggest losers in the offseason in the country, suffering the departures of now-Florida guard Xaivian Lee, senior sharpshooter Blake Peters, and former Ivy League Player of the Year Caden Pierce, who announced he would sit out his senior season, among others.
Poised for a breakout year, junior Dalen Davis was to be the oldest and most experienced player left on the roster for the Tigers, though he went down with a serious lower leg injury in mid-November in a home win against Northeastern and has been missing since. He is reportedly progressing well towards a return, and the Tigers are hopeful he can return before their first Ivy League game with Penn.
Alongside Davis, junior Jackson Hicke and sophomore Malik Abdullahi have shone through despite the rough start to the season for Princeton, though Abdullahi has had injury concerns down the stretch. Sophomore Jack Stanton has also stepped into a larger role and features an excellent three-point shot that, when consistent, could cause problems for Ivy defenses. Incoming freshman Landon Clark has been the only newcomer with substantial playing time and has been in the starting five for 10 of his 15 games played.
Princeton wrapped up its non-conference slate with a big win against Vermont in overtime to snap an eight-game skid, after losing each of its last seven by five points or less. Head coach Mitch Henderson affirmed a seven-man rotation headlined by Hicke, Stanton, and Davis that he believes will help Princeton stay in the win column for Ivy play.
With plenty of talent on the roster and rather unlucky results over the last month, a full-strength Tiger team certainly has the capability to return to its former ways, but it seems that a little bit of magic will need to be on Princeton’s side this time around.
Projected Starting Lineup: Dalen Davis (if healthy), Jackson Hicke, Jack Stanton, CJ Happy, Malik Abdullahi
Brown Bears (5-7)
Brown similarly lost key players to graduation, including All-Ivy first team and leading scorer Kino Lilly, Jr., who worked out with the San Antonio Spurs over the summer before making his way to play pro ball in the United Kingdom. Likewise, starters Aaron Cooley and Lyndel Erold also completed their years of eligibility, and current senior Alexander Lesburt, Jr. departed the program before the season.
Despite these key departures, a strong returning class of seniors has kept Brown fairly successful to open the season, featuring Malcolm Wrisby-Jefferson and Landon Lewis. Lewis, who was second in scoring for the Bears last season, is currently the leading scorer, though he suffered an ankle injury at Maine earlier this month and will be out until early January, potentially back in time for the Ivy opener.
Even with many upperclassmen rostered, multiple freshmen and sophomores have stood out for the Bears throughout the start of the season. Sophomore Jeremiah Jenkins, who started just two games last season, has been in the starting five for every contest thus far and has drastically improved his three-point shooting from 14 percent to 44 in just one season. He had five made threes and 21 points in a game earlier this season against Hampton, and is also averaging over two blocks a game while leading the team with five assists per game.
Isaiah Langham’s emergence has kept Brown afloat in non-conference play. (Photo by Brown University Athletics)
Freshman Isaiah Langham has become a favorite of head coach Mike Martin, and has averaged just over nine points per game, starting in nine contests. Langham is a Maryland native and chose Brown over teams such as Fairfield. He has already taken home two Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors.
In a similar fashion, junior forward N’Famara Dabo has gone from five starts last season to starting every game alongside Jenkins, and leads Brown in rebounds, while junior Luke Paragon did not start a single game last season before now starting eight of the first 12.
Brown opened the season with four losses, including a tight overtime matchup with Vermont, before a rapid turnaround with five wins in its last eight and one non-conference game to play against a Division III opponent. The Bears also have the least amount of points allowed per game of the Ivy schools, with 65.3 on average, and have shown incredible defensive depth that could keep them in a great spot in conference play.
Brown looks strong heading into conference play, but has not been able to topple a truly strong opponent yet, and could have some trouble opening up with defending Ivy champion Yale.
Projected Starting Lineup: Jeremiah Jenkins, N’Famara Dabo, Luke Paragon, Isaiah Langham, Landon Lewis (if healthy)
Dartmouth Big Green (5-7)
Dartmouth endured a tough non-conference slate that has been highlighted by multiple incredible performances from a program with plenty of up-and-coming talent. The Big Green are looking for a repeat of its successful season last year, and it seems that with breakout sophomore superstar Kareem Thomas leading the way, Dartmouth will have no problem doing so.
Thomas, a second-year guard out of Delaware, had limited playing time in his freshman season with just 60 total minutes throughout the year. On the complete flip side, he was given a brand new chance to shine for the Big Green and has taken full advantage, averaging 19.7 points per game for second in the Ivy League and top 40 in the country. He is shooting at over 55 percent from the field and has been the star of the show in Hanover all season long. On December 13, he had his best single-game performance shooting-wise, going 5-for-5 from three and 7-for-9 from the field for 22 points in a win over Boston University.
Defensively, Dartmouth has been great as well, with reigning All-Ivy second team selection Brandon Mitchell-Day sticking around for his senior season and leading the Ivy in rebounds with 8.6 per game. The 6-foot-8 forward has been a starter since his sophomore season, and has remained a key part of the Big Green over that time. Despite scoring leader and First-Team All-Ivy honoree Ryan Cornish departing for USC and vital role player Cade Haskins moving to William and Mary, starting seniors Mitchell-Day, Jackson Munro, and Jayden Williams have remained loyal to Dartmouth and return for a big final conquest in their college careers.
Although there has been a slight bit of a step back so far, sophomore Connor Amundsen also still rests right in the keyhole of Dartmouth’s plans for the future, alongside Thomas. The two are poised to rule the Ivy for years to come, especially on the heels of a potentially historic breakout conference performance for Thomas.
With young superstars centered by a nice returning class of impressive seniors, head coach David McLaughlin, and his Ivy League coaching staff of the Year need to make sure it takes full advantage of what they have in front of them and be aggressive. The season started with three straight losses, but even after tough games all season, the Big Green has had no problem clawing its way back into the win column with big victories over Holy Cross, Boston College, and others, while suffering through tough games against Wyoming, Appalachian State, and, most recently, Florida. One final warmup remains against Division III Elms College before the first Ivy League test at Harvard.
Projected Starting Lineup: Kareem Thomas, Jayden Williams, Brandon Mitchell-Day, Jackson Munro, Connor Amundsen
Harvard Crimson (7-7)
Harvard has been one of the strongest teams on paper of the Ivy League institutions throughout non-conference play, but was the unfortunate recipient of a challenging schedule that leaves the Crimson at a level 7-7 heading into its opener against Dartmouth.
The Crimson was lucky enough to be one of the few Ivy schools to return its top scorers and, through the start of their 2025-26 campaign, has seen senior captain Chandler Piggé and reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Robert Hinton soar to new, outstanding heights. Hinton, last year’s scoring leader and team MVP, sits fifth in field goal percentage for Ivy players at 47 percent, with Piggé just one place behind him, and is averaging 15.9 points per game. The sophomore is also second in field goals made among the Ivy League, at just shy of six per matchup.
Alongside the two stars, the Crimson returned junior Thomas Batties II alongside sophomores Tey Barbour, Austin Hunt, and Ben Eisendrath. Key departures included Harvard's defensive player of the year, Louis Lesmond, who made his way to Fordham for his senior season, and Evan Nelson, a consistent starter last year before moving across the country to play his final season at Arizona. Barbour and Eisendrath were quickly brought in to plug those holes, and have been extremely successful in their new roles. Eisendrath sits second on the team in assists, while Barbour leads the way for rebounds with 5.4 per game. Batties, who started last season, has continued strong form as well and acts as an important glue guy to keep the Crimson train rolling forward.
Harvard has had tight battles through November and December against top local and nationally recognized powerhouses, putting up strong fights against Penn State, Boston University and UMass, among others. The Crimson has looked a bit rocky as of late with a ten-point loss to Furman and its recent game against St. John’s, but closed out non-conference play with a statement win over Colgate.
With Hinton and Piggé at the top of their games, Harvard will have no problem being one of the toughest matchups in the Ivy League this year. A strong defense with the second-fewest points allowed per game in the Ivy will help the Crimson along as well, but for a successful campaign this season, the big two will need to continue rolling on and perform as advertised. Harvard opens Ivy play at home, with Dartmouth coming to town.
Projected Starting Lineup: Robert Hinton, Chandler Piggé, Tey Barbour, Thomas Batties II, Ben Eisendrath
Penn Quakers (6-6)
After a shaky final season under Steve Donahue ahead of his departure to Saint Joseph’s across town, Penn has found a way to make a quick turnaround under the new regime.
Fran McCaffery, the longtime coach of Iowa, quickly worked some transfer magic, bringing in former five-star recruit TJ Power, who, along with key returners, has turned the Quakers into a serious force.
The Quakers got off to a hot start thanks to senior Ethan Roberts, who returned to Penn after an impressive junior campaign where he averaged 16.8 points per game, good for fifth in the Ivy. Alongside him came Power, who was a top recruit just two seasons ago when he was ranked 17th nationally before committing to Duke. With limited playing time with the Blue Devils, Power made his way to Virginia before becoming the highest-rated recruit to ever join the Penn program. Power was a critical addition needed to fill the hole left by all-Ivy Second Team selection Sam Brown, who transferred to Davidson in the offseason and has indeed stepped up to bring Penn up from the darkness of last season. Power sits second in the Ivy in rebounds, with 7.7 per game and is averaging 14.8 points per game, second only to Roberts.
Roberts, who got off to a hot start, averaging 18 points per game, has not played since leaving the floor on December 6 with an undisclosed injury in the Big 5 championship game against Villanova. Penn has quickly adapted, though, continuing on with a strong next man up mentality with the help of returners AJ Levine, Michael Zanoni, Augustus Gerhart, and Cam Thrower.
Zanoni, a key role player last year who transferred from Mercer, has quickly been elevated to a starting role that he has taken full advantage of, ending the non-conference months with a 23-point performance at George Mason and a season-high 30 points against Providence. Levine, a sophomore, leads the team in assists and sits third in the Ivy League for the stat. He has also stepped into a much larger role, already matching his games started from last season before conference play has even begun.
Also, with Nick Spinoso and George Smith having departed the program due to graduation, opportunities have been given to freshman Dalton Scantlebury, who has become an integral sixth option off the bench for Penn and will make a large impact heading into a tough conference slate ahead.
Losing two close games to Rutgers and George Mason in the last week, Penn faces one more non-conference test with NJIT on December 31 before crossing the Delaware River to Jadwin to play Princeton to start 2026. Depending on the status of Roberts, Penn’s Ivy League start may be tougher than anticipated, with recent inconsistent results from Power. With all the cogs in motion, though, and its role players at the top of their games, the Quakers are set up to make a complete 180 compared to last season.
Projected Starting Lineup: Ethan Roberts (if injured, then Cam Thrower), TJ Power, Michael Zanoni, Augustus Gerhart, AJ Levine
Cornell Big Red (6-6)
Like so many other Ivy League programs this year, Cornell suffered badly in the offseason with three of its starters departing.
All-Ivy second team selection and leading scorer Nazir Williams, graduated, and AK Okereke, who transferred south to Vanderbilt, were two big hits to the Big Red, along with Guy Ragland, who also graduated.
In the face of hardship, though, Cornell has had no problem rebuilding for this season, with senior Cooper Noard building on a breakout season to lead the Ivy in points per game through non-conference play with 20.6, putting him in the top 25 in scoring nationally. He has also been deadly from long range, with last year’s All-Ivy honorable mention shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc.
Besides Noard, Adam Hinton, the older brother of the aforementioned Harvard breakout star Robert Hinton, also returned to Ithaca. The elder Hinton, who had never started a game for Cornell before this season, has become a guaranteed starter for his senior season, breaking out for a career-high 14.1 points per game, while leading the team in steals, blocks, and ranking second in three-pointers. With junior Jacob Beccles, sophomore DJ Nix and senior Jake Fiegen returning as well, Cornell has an incredibly deep and versatile lineup and bench to work with all season long. As of late, Fiegen has begun starting for the Big Red as well, coming in second in team scoring after the first two months and earning more minutes in his final season. The Big Red made a big pickup in the portal as well in Kasper Sepp, a junior forward out of Valparaiso, who now starts every game and is a valuable role player for the Big Red heading into Ivy play.
Cornell, like so many others, has a key group of upperclassmen ready to strike alongside breakout superstars who hope to lead the Big Red to Ivy Madness, which will be hosted at Newman Arena this year. Offensively, Cornell stands first of the Ivies at the end of December with 90.4 points per game, and Jon Jaques, now in his second season as head coach, will be ready to build off his successful rookie campaign. With the hottest player in the Ivy League at his disposal, there is really no limit for Cornell this year.
One final game with Division III Alfred State remains before hosting in-state rival Columbia in Ithaca. Cornell won five straight at the height of non-conference play but has struggled as of late, so a productive and successful final week of practice will be vital before facing a strong Lions team at home.
Projected Starting Lineup: Cooper Noard, Adam Hinton, Jacob Beccles, Kasper Sepp, Jake Fiegen
Columbia Lions (10-3)
Even though Columbia lost its leading scorer in Geronimo Rubio de la Rosa, the recovery from the Lions’ recent last-place season has been a story to behold for first-year head coach Kevin Hovde.
The highlight of this year’s Lions team is no doubt Kenny Noland, a senior who returned off the back of a strong and productive season to become the superstar that Columbia hoped for. Averaging 17.5 points per game, Noland's scoring has been elite, and he leads his team in assists as well. With one of last year’s starters in Avery Brown still out for an extended period of time with a facial fracture suffered against UConn, it doesn’t seem like Noland will be slowing down anytime soon.
Ivy schools have done a great job of discovering prospects in the portal this season, and, like Penn, Columbia brought in a big new name. Ryan Soulis, a redshirt sophomore guard who had limited playing time over his first two seasons with Richmond, moved to Morningside Heights ahead of his third season, and has so far been an essential part of the Lions’ early success. With the injury to Brown, along with Zine Eddine Bedri suffering from a long-term leg issue, Soulis has been right there to stop the bleeding for Columbia.
Noland is supported by experienced senior forward Blair Thompson, as well as a rotating cast of underclassmen to fill out the rest of the deadly Columbia starting five. Sophomore forward Mason Ritter and freshman guard Miles Franklin are leading the charge defensively with Thompson and Noland, with each averaging about or over five rebounds per game for an added bonus.
The Lions went on a tear, winning eight straight amid a tough schedule that featured challenges like Hofstra, Fairfield, Lehigh, and more before ending their run with a tight loss to Stony Brook. Two of their three losses have been against Power 5 schools (UConn and Cal), and their overall performance ranks them second in points allowed and third in points scored per game among the Ivy schools.
Columbia is almost certainly the most balanced and all-around team currently in the Ivy, and with the eventual returns of Brown and Bedri from injury, the Lions will only get stronger in Ivy play. Columbia opens with Cornell on the road, but not before finishing one more warmup against Division III Penn State Abington at Levien Gymnasium.
Projected Starting Lineup: Kenny Noland, Blair Thompson, Mason Ritter, Miles Franklin, Ryan Soulis
Yale Bulldogs (11-2)
The reigning Ivy League regular season and tournament champions have picked up right where they left off this year after only one offseason transfer and the return of three of last year’s five starters.
Even though Ivy League Player of the Year Bez Mbeng graduated alongside All-Ivy First Team guard John Poulakidas, Nick Townsend has been able to lead the charge for another big Yale season. Townsend, a senior captain, leads the Elis in almost every major category with an average of 17 points, 7.5 rebounds, and over four assists per game. The forward does not stand alone, though, as Casey Simmons and Samson Aletan returned to their starting roles and remain crucial to Yale’s success.
With big shoes to fill, sophomore Isaac Celiscar and junior Trevor Mullin, who both played in every game for the Bulldogs last season, now start alongside Townsend, Simmons, and Aletan to form a super starting five that shows no signs of being stopped.
Even off the bench, sophomore Riley Fox has broken out to become one of the deadliest shooters in the conference, and despite significantly fewer minutes than the starters, leads Yale in triples and stands third in scoring.
Yale rounded out non-conference play with a challenge at fourteen-ranked Alabama, but was on an eight-game win streak, with its only prior loss coming to Rhode Island. Compared to some other Ivy programs, the Yale schedule was not the hardest test out there, but the Bulldogs still put on a show, working their way through with decisive wins over Navy, Quinnipiac, UIC, and closer battles over Akron, Vermont, and Green Bay.
The Bulldogs have such an abundance and deep bag of talent with real Ivy experience, but Columbia and many others will be right on their tails in an attempt to knock James Jones’ squad off its throne. Yale will start Ivy play at Brown on January 5.
Projected Starting Lineup: Nick Townsend, Isaac Celiscar, Trevor Mullin, Casey Simmons, Samson Aletan
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