Coaching Experience
• Head Coach, Cornell University (2024-present)
• Associate Head Coach, Cornell University (2022-24)
• Assistant Coach, Cornell University (2013-22)
• Graduate Assistant Coach, Columbia University (2012-13)
• Graduate Assistant Coach, Stevens Institute of Technology (2011-12)
Competitive Experience
• Cornell University (2006-10)
• Senior starter and captain on Cornell’s 2010 NCAA Sweet 16 team
• All-tournament team at the 2009 Legends Classic
• Ironi Ashkelon (Israeli Premier League) (2010-11)
Education
• B.S., Biology and Society, Cornell (2010)
At Cornell
Jon Jaques ’10 has been front and center during two of the most successful eras in Cornell men’s basketball history — first as a player, and now as the architect on the sidelines. The through line in both roles is unmistakable: connected teams, unselfish play and an identity built around trust and precision.
In two seasons as head coach, Jaques has guided the Big Red to a 33-24 record (17-11 Ivy), with back-to-back Ivy League Tournament appearances and a run to the 2025 championship game. In that time, Cornell has emerged as one of the most dynamic offensive programs in the country, pairing pace with efficiency at a national level.
The 2025-26 campaign elevated that identity even further. The Big Red led the nation in assists (21.3) and 3-pointers made per game (12.9), while ranking among the top 10 nationally in effective field goal percentage (fifth, .599), 3-point percentage (sixth, .393), scoring offense (sixth, 88.5) and assist-to-turnover ratio (seventh, 1.83). Cornell set both school and Ivy League single-season records for assists (596) and 3-pointers (362), while also establishing a program-best assist-to-turnover ratio. Against one of the nation’s top mid-major schedules — including matchups with Illinois State (NIT Final Four), George Mason, Samford, Kent State, Towson and Sweet 16 participant Michigan State — the Big Red’s style translated across levels. Seniors Jake Fiegen (first team) and Cooper Noard (second team) were both named All-Ivy, with Noard capturing NABC all-district accolades.
That success built on a breakthrough first season in 2024-25, when Cornell finished second in the Ivy League and advanced to the conference tournament championship game as part of an 18-11 campaign. The Big Red set school records in assists, 3-pointers per game and assist-to-turnover ratio, while ranking among the nation’s elite in nearly every offensive category — including first in two-point percentage (.620) and effective field goal percentage (.592). Cornell also ranked second nationally in assists (19.1), third in field goal percentage (.501) and fourth in both scoring offense (85.1) and 3-pointers per game (11.2). Highlights included a win over NIT qualifier Samford, a season sweep of Princeton and a road victory at California — the program’s first win over an ACC opponent in 73 years. Nazir Williams earned second-team All-Ivy and NABC All-District honors, while former walk-on AK Okereke developed into an all-league contributor.
Across Jaques’ two seasons, Cornell has averaged 86.7 points, 20.2 assists and 12.1 3-pointers per game while shooting .615 from two-point range and .595 in effective field goal percentage. The Big Red has scored 85 or more points in 33 of 57 contests, including nine 100-point performances. Cornell has recorded 30 games with at least 20 assists, including 18 such outings in 2025-26 alone, and has produced eight 100-point games — including the top two and four of the top seven scoring outputs in program history.
Jaques’ teams have also rewritten the record book. Cornell set a single-game program record with 24 3-pointers against Misericordia and has made at least 17 threes in 10 contests over the past two seasons. The Big Red also recorded an NCAA record with 12 different players making a 3-pointer in that same game, a reflection of the program’s depth and shared offensive philosophy. Ten of the top 20 assist totals in school history have come under Jaques, including three of the top four.
Jaques returned to East Hill in 2018 and has served in a variety of roles, including game and practice planning, opponent scouting, recruiting, scheduling, alumni relations and individual player development. He was elevated to associate head coach in 2022 before being named the Robert E. Gallagher ’44 Head Coach of Men’s Basketball on April 5, 2024. Since the return from COVID in 2021, Cornell has gone 87-54, qualified for the Ivy League Tournament each season, earned the program’s first NIT appearance and built one of the nation’s most consistent home-court advantages (47-13).
As an Assistant Coach
In his eight years on Coach Brian Earl’s staff, Jaques assisted in making the offense more efficient, lowering opponent scoring average and cutting down on Big Red turnovers – all the things that allow teams to win in the Ivy League. Cornell's improvement in year two culminated in a spot in the Ivy League Men's Basketball Tournament for the first time in program history, as well as a four-game improvement in the win column (two game improvement in Ivy play). With 15 wins and its first .500 conference season in nine years in 2019, the Big Red earned a spot into the CBI Postseason Tournament.The Big Red returned to the Ivy Tournament in 2021-22 with a 15-11 overall record, again in 2022-23 with a 17-11 mark and for a fourth time in 2024, its fifth time in eight seasons finishing in the top half of the conference standings.
Cornell's offense has evolved into one of the most potent in the country. In 2022-23, the Big Red led the Ivy League in 11 categories, including scoring offense (81.7), 3-pointers made (10.7) and attempted (30.4) per game, assists (17.5), assist:turnover ratio (1.41), steals (9.7), effective field goal percentage (.556) and fastbreak points (15.9).
The 2023-24 campaign was even better. The Big Red went 22-8 (the second-most wins in a season in school history), finishing second in the final Ivy League standings and earned the program's first-ever bid to the NIT. Cornell posted a school record for assists in a season (544) and highest assist:turnover ratio (1.486) and ranked in the top three in school history in 3-pointers made (second, 310), steals (second, 250) and scoring average (third, 82.1). The Big Red was road tough, as its 10 true road victories ranked fourth nationally in large part due to its balance - six players averaged at least 8.8 points with nine playing 15.0 minutes per contest or more.
Jaques previously spent three seasons on head coach Bill Courtney's staff as an assistant coach. Cornell had its first consecutive .500 non-league seasons since 2010 during that span with three players (Nolan Cressler, Shonn Miller, Matt Morgan) earning All-Ivy League honors. The Big Red led the Ancient Eight in steals (217) in 2015-16 and annually ranked among the conference’s leaders in 3-pointers made. He also played a key role in Cornell posting one of the nation’s biggest turnarounds, winning 11 more games 2014-15 than the previous year while ranking first in the conference in blocked shots per game and defensive field goal percentage, ranking among the nation's top 20 in the latter. Cornell has had three 1,000-point scorers suit up with Jaques on the sidelines.
Prior to Cornell
In his only season at Morningside Heights, Jaques was part of Kyle Smith's 2012-13 staff for a Columbia team that defeated a pair of NCAA tournament teams (Villanova and Harvard). The Lions went 8-6 in non-league play and ranked in the top 10 in school history in 3-point field goals made (181) and free-throw percentage (.745) while developing a young core of players that would win 25 games and the 2016 Collegeinsider.com Postseason Tournament as seniors in 2015-16.
Jaques began his coaching career at Stevens Institute of Technology under head coach Bobby Hurley and was part of a staff that led the team to a 20-8 record and a spot in the ECAC semifinals. Jaques tutored three 1,000-point scorers, and the squad finished in the top 50 nationally in assists, rebound margin, 3-point field goal percentage defense, field goal percentage defense, field goal percentage, scoring margin and scoring offense in Division III.
Playing Career
Jaques was a four-year member of the Big Red basketball team and a senior captain, emerging as a starter in his final season and developing into one of the nation's most improved players after playing a total of 108 minutes and scoring 33 points through his first three years. Jaques and his teammates won an Ivy League record 29 games and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, defeating nationally ranked opponents Temple and Wisconsin before falling to overall No. 1 seed Kentucky in the regional semifinals. In his four seasons on the team, Cornell went 88-33, including 47-9 in Ivy League play, and won three outright Ivy League titles.
An all-tournament pick at the Legends Classic, Jaques started 23 contests and averaged 6.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.8 assists while shooting 50 percent from the floor, 45 percent from 3-point range and 81 percent from the free-throw line in his final season. He led the Ivy League in 3-point shooting overall (.472) in league games.
After graduating from Cornell with a degree in Biology and Society in 2010, Jaques spent one season playing professionally with Ironi Ashkelon in the Israeli Premier League.
Prior to Cornell, Jaques was a first-team all-league and All-CIF selection at Harvard-Westlake HS while playing alongside more than a half-dozen Division I players, including future NBA player and Parade All-American Alex Stepheson, who played at North Carolina and USC.
Personal
Jaques is married to Jasmine (Marcus) '10 and the couple reside with their family in Ithaca. Away from the court, Jaques earned a reputation as a basketball writer, blogging for the New York Times, Sports Illustrated and Slam Magazine.
ABOUT THE BENEFACTOR:
Robert E. Gallagher `44, former basketball team captain, named the head coach position in 1993. When the United States entered World War II, he enlisted, taking leave from his studies at Cornell to serve as a Navy carrier dive bomber pilot. After being discharged, he returned to Cornell, graduating in 1947. Soon thereafter he joined his father's Chicago based insurance agency, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. In 1963, he was named President and Chief Executive Officer of the firm, which had 19 employees. Under his leadership, the company grew to the world's fourth largest insurance broker with 8,100 employees worldwide. The company went public in 1984 and, in 1990, Mr. Gallagher was elected Chairman of the Board. He continued to serve as CEO until 1995 and remained Chairman until his passing.
* Updated April 2026
