Brian Earl has resigned as head coach of men’s basketball after leading the team for eight years.
Earl will assume the head coaching position at William and Mary, according to a Cornell Athletics press release.
Associate head coach Jon Jaques ’10 was named interim head coach and will retain the title until Earl’s vacancy is filled. A “national search” has already commenced to replace Earl, according to the press release.
Dr. Nicki Moore expressed her gratitude for Earl’s time with Cornell in the press release, calling Earl “one of the top coaches in the country.”
“Coach Earl did a fantastic job establishing a winning culture while being a wonderful representative of Cornell University in general and Big Red athletics in particular,” Moore wrote.
Hired in 2016, Earl –– the 2024 National Association of Basketball Coaches District Coach of the Year –– departs Ithaca with a 96-103 record after an eight-year stint with the Red. His success has been evident in recent years, as Cornell has notched three straight appearances in the Ivy Madness tournament.
In the press release, Earl thanked Cornell Athletics for the opportunity to become head coach. Prior to his tenure at Cornell, Earl spent nine years as an assistant at the helm of Princeton, his alma mater.
“From the commitment and unselfishness of my student-athletes to the dedication and sacrifices made by my staff, I’m thankful for all the memories I’ll take with me, both personally and professionally,” Earl wrote. “I am proud of what we built at Cornell.”
2023-24 marked Cornell’s best season since its NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen run in the 2009-10 season. Earl’s team eclipsed the 20-win mark this season for the first time in 14 years.
“Coach Earl did a fantastic job establishing a winning culture while being a wonderful representative of Cornell University in general and Big Red athletics in particular,”
This year, Cornell was poised to clinch first place in the Ivy League for a few weeks early in the year, but subsequent losses to Brown, Princeton and Yale pushed the Red down to the third seed.
Cornell also made its first program appearance in the National Invitation Tournament on Tuesday, narrowly falling to Ohio State, 88-83.
“I believe Coach Earl leaves Cornell basketball in an enviable place, and I expect there will be significant interest in the position,” Moore wrote.