ITHACA, N.Y. – Brian Earl, the 2022 Ivy League and 2024 NABC District Coach of the Year, has resigned as the Robert E. Gallagher '44 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Basketball. Earl has accepted the head coaching position at the College of William & Mary.
"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," said Nicki Moore, the Meakem Smith Director of Athletics & Physical Education. "I believe him to be one of the top coaches in the country, and we were fortunate to have him shepherd the program the past eight years, including navigating the COVID pandemic. We wish Brian and his family the best of luck in accepting this new challenge, and know he'll always be a part of our Big Red family."
"I'll always be grateful to Cornell for providing me my first opportunity to be a Division I head coach," Earl said. "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. I appreciate the partnership of our administration, and I am proud of what we have built at Cornell."
Earl guided the Big Red to four Ivy League Tournament appearances and postseason bids to the CIT (2019) and the NIT (2024), both program firsts. The team's 22 victories in 2024 match the total for the second-most in school history, and the Big Red tied for a runner-up finish in the regular season Ivy standings – its highest finish since winning the league in 2009-10. Earl posted a 96-103 mark in seven seasons spanning eight years guiding the program, including a 54-30 mark over his final three campaigns.
Overall, Earl developed 10 All-Ivy League selections and a pair of Academic All-Americans. Playing at one of the fastest paces in college basketball, his teams ranked among the national leaders in scoring, field goal percentage, effective field goal percentage, 3-point field goals made and attempted, steals, assists and assist:turnover ratio over the past three seasons.
A national search for Earl's successor will begin immediately. Associate head coach Jon Jaques '10 will serve as interim head coach.
"I believe Coach Earl leaves Cornell basketball in an enviable place, and I expect there will be significant interest in the position. In the meantime, I am grateful to Coach Jaques - who has deeply invested in this program for many years as a player and coach - for accepting the role of Interim Head Coach. The future is bright, and we'll search near and far to find the right person to lead this program," Moore said.
