Stetson University Athletics

Donnie Jones was named the 22nd head coach in Stetson men's basketball history on April 1, 2019… Since arriving in DeLand, Jones has transformed the Hatters into a consistent contender in the ASUN Conference while leading the program to unprecedented postseason success… Guided Stetson to its first ASUN Tournament Championship and first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history in 2024… Has also led the Hatters to multiple postseason appearances, consecutive winning seasons and numerous program records. The 2023-24 season became one of the most historic campaigns in Stetson men's basketball history… Jones guided the Hatters to a 22-13 record, marking the program's third 20-win season and its second consecutive winning campaign… The back-to-back winning seasons were the first for Stetson in 40 years. Stetson went 3-0 in the ASUN Tournament, defeating Queens, Jacksonville and Austin Peay to capture the first conference tournament championship in program history… The title secured Stetson's first NCAA Tournament appearance in its 53rd season competing at the Division I level. Jalen Blackmon was named ASUN Tournament MVP and earned First Team All-ASUN honors for the second consecutive season… Stephan Swenson earned Second Team All-ASUN recognition… Blackmon, Swenson and Aubin Gateretse were all named to the ASUN All-Tournament Team. In 2025-26, Stetson finished 12-21 overall and 7-11 in ASUN play… The Hatters earned a first-round victory in the ASUN Tournament, defeating Eastern Kentucky 92-76 before falling to Austin Peay in the quarterfinals… Stetson also set a program record with 21 three-point field goals in a game against VMI on Nov. 22 and tied the school record with 30 assists in the same contest. Collin Kuhl earned Third Team All-ASUN honors while posting the second-best single-season field-goal percentage in program history at .656… Ethan Copeland earned ASUN Newcomer of the Week recognition and finished second in school history for single-season three-point field goals made with 109 and attempted with 254. In 2024-25, Jones led Stetson to an 8-24 overall record and a 6-12 mark in ASUN play… Freshman Jamie Phillips Jr. earned ASUN All-Freshman Team recognition. Jones made an immediate impact after arriving at Stetson… In his debut season in 2019-20, the Hatters won 16 games, a nine-win improvement from the previous season and the largest improvement in the country by a first-year head coach… The 16 victories were the most by Stetson since 2007-08 and the most ever by a first-year head coach in program history. After being picked to finish last in the ASUN preseason poll, Stetson went 9-7 in conference play and tied for third… The Hatters hosted their first ASUN Tournament home game since 1996 and earned the program's first road victory over an SEC opponent since 2004 with a 63-56 win at South Carolina. Rob Perry was named ASUN Freshman of the Year and earned Second Team All-ASUN recognition… Perry and Mahamadou Diawara were each named to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team, while both also earned ASUN All-Freshman honors… Perry added NABC All-District First Team recognition. In 2020-21, Jones guided Stetson to NCAA Division I postseason competition for the first time in program history with an invitation to the College Basketball Invitational… The Hatters defeated Bowling Green 53-52 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach to secure the first Division I postseason victory in Stetson history. Stetson also advanced in the ASUN Tournament that season, upsetting second-seeded Bellarmine 73-70 in the quarterfinals… The Hatters were the only ASUN team to defeat all eight conference opponents at least once during the season. Stetson returned to the CBI following the 2022-23 season after finishing 17-14… The Hatters posted a 12-6 conference record, their best ASUN mark since 1986-87, while setting school records with 303 three-point field goals and a .773 free-throw percentage. Jones earned his 200th career head coaching victory on Dec. 30, 2022, with an 86-80 victory over Lipscomb. Player development has been a consistent part of Jones' tenure in DeLand… Rob Perry was named ASUN Freshman of the Year during Jones' first season, while Perry and Mahamadou Diawara earned spots on the Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team. Chase Johnston followed by earning ASUN Freshman of the Year and Kyle Macy Freshman All-America recognition in 2020-21… Johnston also broke Stetson's then-single-season three-point field goal record with 79 makes in 27 games. During the historic 2023-24 championship season, Jones coached ASUN Tournament MVP Jalen Blackmon along with multiple All-ASUN and ASUN All-Tournament selections… Blackmon earned First Team All-ASUN honors for the second consecutive season, while Stephan Swenson received Second Team recognition. In 2025-26, Collin Kuhl earned Third Team All-ASUN honors while posting the second-best single-season field-goal percentage in program history at .656… Ethan Copeland finished second in program history for three-point field goals made in a season with 109. Jones spent 11 seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Florida under Billy Donovan, helping build one of the nation's premier college basketball programs… During his time in Gainesville, the Gators recorded 261 victories, made nine NCAA Tournament appearances and captured back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 2006 and 2007. Long regarded as one of the nation's top recruiters, Jones helped Florida sign 11 McDonald's All-Americans and 12 future NBA Draft selections, including Matt Bonner, David Lee, Mike Miller and Jason Williams. After 11 seasons at Florida, Jones returned to Marshall for his first head coaching opportunity… In three seasons leading the Thundering Herd, Jones compiled a 55-41 record. Marshall won 24 games during the 2009-10 season and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament… Jones also recruited and coached future NBA standout Hassan Whiteside during his tenure. Jones was named head coach at UCF in 2010 and spent six seasons leading the Knights… Accumulated 100 victories and guided UCF to two postseason appearances, reaching the CBI quarterfinals in 2011 and earning an NIT berth in 2012. The Knights won 20 games in each of Jones' first three seasons in Orlando before transitioning from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference. Jones' collegiate coaching career spans more than three decades and includes stops at Stetson, Dayton, Wichita State, Florida, UCF, Marshall and Pikeville… Also spent the 2016 season as a scout for the Los Angeles Clippers… Has been part of more than 700 victories as a collegiate coach while developing a reputation as an accomplished recruiter, program builder and player developer. Jones began his coaching career at his alma mater, Pikeville College, before moving to Marshall as a graduate assistant from 1990-92… Was elevated to a full-time position in 1992 and remained at Marshall after Billy Donovan joined the program in 1994… Followed Donovan to Florida in 1996, beginning an 11-year run with the Gators. A 1988 graduate of Pikeville… Member of the Pikeville Athletic Hall of Fame… Earned his master's degree in sports management from Marshall University in 1992. A native of Point Pleasant, W.Va.… Jones and his wife, Michelle, have three children: Madisyn, Isaac and Sophie.