In an eight-team conference like the Ivy League, everything is condensed. Each team plays only 14 regular-season games, and just four teams advance to the conference tournament each March. In most years, that means only one Ivy League program will punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
That limited margin for error is even tighter this season. One quarter of the league’s head coaches are new, and the Ivy League’s highly decorated senior class — one of the best in conference history — has graduated. Still, there’s no shortage of returning stars and emerging talent ready to step into the spotlight.
Here’s RallyFuel’s complete preview and team rankings for the 2025–26 Ivy League men’s basketball season.
1. Yale Bulldogs
Yale has been the Ivy League’s standard-bearer, representing the conference in the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons. Fans expect the Bulldogs to make it three in a row.
While the program lost Ivy League Player of the Year Bez Mbeng and leading scorer John Poulakidas, coach James Jones still has three returning starters — Nick Townsend, Casey Simmons, and Isaac Celiscar — to anchor another title run.
Look for Jordan Brathwaite and Riley Fox to emerge as key contributors as Yale pursues a third straight NCAA berth.
2. Harvard Crimson
The Crimson finished 12–15 overall and 7–7 in conference play last season but are positioned to take a major step forward.
All three of Harvard’s top scorers — Chandler Pigge, Thomas Batties II, and Robert Hinton — return. Hinton, last year’s Ivy League Rookie of the Year, is on track to become one of the league’s breakout stars. Sophomore Austin Huntalso looks ready for a larger role.
With continuity and young talent, Harvard enters 2025–26 as a legitimate contender.
3. Cornell Big Red
Cornell will host the Ivy League Tournament in March, and there’s a realistic chance the Big Red will be playing for the title on their home floor.
The team’s strength lies in its perimeter shooting — Cooper Noard and Jake Finegan headline one of the conference’s best backcourts. Although AK Okerke transferred to Vanderbilt, Cornell will rely on Anthony Nimani, Josh Baldwin, and Jacob Beccles to step up. Transfers DeMaryon Fishburn (Macomb CC) and Kaspar Sepp (Valparaiso) add experience and depth.
Expect Cornell to remain one of the most offensively efficient teams in the league.
4. Dartmouth Big Green
Dartmouth is coming off its most successful Ivy League season in decades. The Big Green went 8–6 in conference play last year — their first winning Ivy record of the 21st century — and earned the program’s first-ever berth in Ivy Madness.
Coach David McLaughlin returns all five starters, led by forward Brandon Mitchell-Day and rising sophomore guard Connor Amundsen, who showed flashes of stardom as a freshman. With continuity and confidence, Dartmouth is ready to challenge for another top-four finish.
5. Princeton Tigers
Princeton has long been a conference powerhouse, but last season fell short of expectations. Picked first in the preseason coaches’ poll, the Tigers went 8–6 in league play and finished fourth.
The offseason brought more change — guards Xaivian Lee (to Florida) and Jack Scott (to Duke) transferred, leaving a young core behind. With no seniors on the roster, sophomores Malik Abdullahi, Jack Stanton, and CJ Happy will need to take on leadership roles.
The Tigers’ upside depends on how quickly their young roster matures.
6. Brown Bears
Brown lost program legend Kino Lilly Jr. to graduation, but returns two of its most consistent contributors: forward Landon Lewis and guard Alexander Lesburt Jr., who combined for more than 500 points last season.
Coach Mike Martin will look to Adrian Uchidiuno or Jeremiah Jenkins to solidify the point guard position. The Bears’ physicality and veteran depth make them a potential spoiler in conference play.
7. Penn Quakers
Penn hit the reset button after an 8–19 campaign, parting ways with longtime coach Steve Donahue and hiring former Iowa coach Fran McCaffery to lead the rebuild.
McCaffery made an immediate splash by landing TJ Power, a former five-star recruit and Virginia transfer — the highest-rated player ever to suit up for Penn. The Quakers also return sophomore guard AJ Levine and senior wing Ethan Roberts, giving the new staff a solid foundation.
8. Columbia Lions
Columbia endured a difficult 2024–25 campaign, winning just one conference game. Following the season, Jim Englesstepped down and was replaced by former Florida assistant Kevin Hovde.
Hovde inherits a rebuilding roster led by guards Avery Brown and Kenny Noland, and forwards Zine Eddine Bedri and Blair Thompson. Transfers Hampton Sanders (NYU) and Leland Coleman (New Orleans) should bring much-needed depth.
Improvement is expected, but the Lions remain in developmental mode.
Fan Fuel Outlook
The Ivy League’s mix of academic prestige and athletic intensity continues to make it one of the most compelling conferences in college basketball. As programs invest more in NIL awareness and athlete branding, Ivy stars are beginning to gain national recognition.
Fans can fuel Ivy League athletes directly through RallyFuel, supporting verified NIL opportunities for players like Hinton, Townsend, and Power — and help ensure the Ancient Eight remains competitive on a national scale.
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