Rutgers University-New Brunswick Men's Basketball

A father of four, Steve Pikiell has led the resurgence of Rutgers men’s basketball both on and off the court. Entering his 10th season as head coach of the Scarlet Knights in 2025-26, Pikiell guided Rutgers back to the NCAA Tournament in 2021, its first appearance since 1991. The team returned in 2022, marking the first consecutive NCAA appearances since 1976. In 2022, Pikiell surpassed Tom Young for the most ranked wins in school history (17). Pikiell’s 147 wins at Rutgers are third all-time in school history. Pikiell has coached some of the greatest players in Rutgers history, including the school’s 11th All-American in Ron Harper Jr., National Defensive Player of the Year and all-time steals leader Caleb McConnell, and Big Ten Medal of Honor winner Geo Baker. In 2024-25, Pikiell led the recruitment of the highest-ranked players in school history, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, who became the highest NBA draft picks in program history in 2025. Pikiell welcomes the fourth-best recruiting class in the Big Ten Conference and the 30th in the nation in 2025-26. With 35 years of coaching experience, the Bristol, Connecticut, native is under contract to remain at Rutgers through the 2030-31 season. As the 19th head coach in school history, Pikiell has been instrumental in program turnarounds throughout his career, achieving conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths. He celebrated his 100th career victory at Rutgers and his 300th career victory overall during the 2022-23 se

Brandin Knight enters his fifth season as Associate Head Coach of Rutgers men’s basketball in 2025-26 and his tenth overall with the program, having joined Rutgers as an assistant coach on April 18, 2016. A New Jersey native, Knight is recognized as one of college basketball’s rising coaching talents, with 12 NCAA Tournament appearances to his credit—ten as a staffer and two as a student-athlete—including four Sweet Sixteen appearances. Knight has been instrumental in recruiting and developing NBA-caliber Scarlet Knights, including Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Clifford Omoruyi, and Ron Harper Jr. In 2024-25, he played a key role in bringing in Rutgers’ highest-ranked recruits in school history, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, who became the highest two draft picks in program history in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. During the 2025-26 season, Knight helped guide the Rutgers offense that scored 76.6 points per game, the best at the school in 32 years. During the 2023-24 season, Knight helped Rutgers maintain one of the nation’s strongest homecourt advantages, finishing 12-5 at home with sellouts for every game. In 2022-23, Rutgers became the first team in school history to achieve four consecutive winning seasons and reached postseason play for the third straight year. Knight’s impact extends beyond recruiting. He is central to game-planning, opponent scouting, and the development of Rutgers’ backcourt and perimeter players. Rutgers has signed four-star recruits from New Jer

Jake Sullivan begins his first season as a graduate assistant at Rutgers in 2025–26. A Connecticut native, he spent the past two years as a volunteer assistant at the University of Saint Joseph under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun, where he also played for five years. From 2018–23, Sullivan was a five-time captain and started 103 games for the Blue Jays. He helped lead the program to a 99–21 record, three NCAA Tournament appearances, and a Sweet 16 berth in his final season. Sullivan earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Saint Joseph in 2022 with a 3.79 GPA and Dean’s List honors. He also holds a Master of Science in Management. Most recently, he gained additional coaching experience on the AAU Hoop Group Circuit with Project Triple Threat.

Jay Young returns to Rutgers in 2025-26 for his second year as an assistant coach in his second stint with the Scarlet Knights. A respected veteran with 37 years of coaching experience, Young returned to Rutgers in 2024-25 after four seasons as head coach at Fairfield University. “We are thrilled to welcome Jay Young back home to Rutgers,” said head coach Steve Pikiell said at the time of his hiring. “Jay is one of the hardest workers I have been around in my 30-plus years of coaching. He helped build winning programs from the ground up at Stony Brook and Rutgers and brings an outstanding wealth of knowledge to all areas of our program.” Young added, “It’s special for my family and me to be back with Coach Pikiell after 14 great years together. I value being around great people and a tremendous university. During my previous tenure at Rutgers, I met so many remarkable people, and now to be reunited with them, I couldn’t be more excited. I am as hungry as ever to get back to coaching.” Career Highlights Young has guided programs to eight national tournament appearances, including two at both the Division I and II levels and four at the Division III level, highlighted by an NJCAA Final Four berth. During his first tenure at Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights set new standards for Big Ten wins, recorded their first Big Ten postseason victory in 2017, and reached the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals for the first time in 2018. In 2019-20, KenPom.com ranked Rutgers as the most improved

Marlon Williamson enters his third season as an assistant coach for Rutgers men’s basketball in 2025-26. He joined the Scarlet Knights ahead of the 2023-24 season after serving as an assistant coach at Central Michigan University from 2021-23. Known as a top-tier recruiter with deep ties in Detroit, throughout Michigan, the Midwest, and the East Coast, Williamson brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Rutgers. Williamson has thrived as a recruiter for the staff and helped Pikiell welcome the 4th-best recruiting class in the Big Ten Conference and the 30th-best in the country in 2025-26 (On3.com). Before Central Michigan, Williamson spent four seasons as an assistant at Long Island University-Brooklyn (2017-21) under head coach Derek Kellogg, helping LIU to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018—the program’s first in five seasons. He previously served two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh under head coach Jamie Dixon, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015-16. From 2012-14, Williamson was an assistant at the University of Massachusetts under Derek Kellogg, where the Minutemen compiled a 45-21 record and made back-to-back postseason appearances. In 2013-14, UMass earned its first NCAA Tournament bid in 16 years as a No. 6 seed, finishing 24-9 overall and 10-6 in Atlantic 10 Conference play. Pikiell on Williamson’s hiring: “We are very excited to welcome Marlon to the Rutgers men’s basketball family. Marlon is an awesome family man and brings all the thing

Matt Colagiovanni serves as Deputy Athletic Director, Chief of Staff. He has been with Rutgers Athletics for the last 24 years, most recently serving as Deputy Athletic Director - Facilities, Capital Projects and Internal Operations, where he provides sport administration, oversight of capital projects, strategic planning and facility management for the entire 24-sport athletic program. In his role as Chief of Staff, Colagiovanni will serve as a key strategic advisor to support internal planning and policy development. Colagiovanni was appointed to serve as the interim athletic director from July 14, 2025 through Aug. 5, 2025. On November 27, 2024, Colagiovanni was selected as one of the 20 members of the Rutgers Presidential Search Committee, which resulted in the hiring of Tate as the State University of New Jersey’s 22nd president. Tate, who took over duties as Rutgers President on July 1, formerly served as President of Louisiana State University. Colagiovanni also served as the sport administrator for the football and men's basketball programs. He also provided oversight of all aspects for each program, including staff evaluations, scheduling, budgeting and resource management, on top of assisting each program in its donor relations efforts, attending events and relationship-building. Additionally, Colagiovanni held oversight responsibility for an approximate 55-member facilities staff, including administration, grounds, custodial, electrical, painter and mechanical in d

Steve Hayn, who brings over 29 years of collegiate leadership experience—including 17 seasons as a head coach—was elevated to an assistant coaching role with Rutgers men’s basketball heading into the 2023-24 season. After serving as Chief of Staff for two seasons, Hayn returned to the court full-time, working individually with players and leading practice sessions, while maintaining his responsibilities as Chief of Staff. In his dual role, he contributes to recruiting, game planning, scouting, practice coordination, and overall program support. Hayn was first appointed Chief of Staff prior to the 2021-22 season, during which he helped lead the Scarlet Knights to a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten—the highest in school history. In this capacity, he oversaw every aspect of the program, coordinated scheduling, and served as a liaison to the academic advisor. Pikiell on Hayn’s hiring: “After meeting with many qualified candidates during a broad search, the best person for the position was right next door. Steve Hayn has been a successful head coach at the collegiate and high school levels, specializing in the development of big men. His skills and relationships are a perfect fit for our program as we continue our work toward postseason success.” Hayn initially joined Rutgers as an assistant coach on June 4, 2019. A Long Island native, he was named the 2014 Metropolitan Basketball Writers Division II Coach of the Year and previously served as Rutgers’ Senior Advisor for three se

T.J. Thompson enters his fifth season as an assistant coach at Rutgers in 2025-26 and his seventh season overall with the Scarlet Knights. A First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection and four-year starter at George Washington University under head coach Steve Pikiell, Thompson has quickly developed a reputation as one of college basketball’s rising coaching talents. Since joining Rutgers, Thompson has cultivated strong relationships with players and has become an integral part of recruiting, player development, and program growth. During the 2024-25 season, Rutgers recorded its highest-scoring offense in 32 years, averaging 76.6 points per game. In 2023-24, the Scarlet Knights maintained one of the nation’s best homecourt advantages, finishing 12-5 at home with sellouts for every game. In 2022-23, Rutgers became the first team in school history to achieve four consecutive winning seasons and reached postseason play for a third straight year. Thompson played a key role in Rutgers’ return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in consecutive seasons since 1976 during the 2021-22 campaign. He has also established himself as one of Rutgers’ top recruiters, securing the program’s first five-star recruit under Pikiell. Thompson has helped identify talent nationwide, contributing to the recruitment of players including point guard Geo Baker (New Hampshire). Pikiell on Thompson’s hiring: “We are very excited to welcome T.J. and his wife Ilima to the Rutgers family. I was fortunate to c