"It's time to compete": 2025-26 Men's Basketball Season Preview

Dartmouth men's basketball had a historic 24-25 season, making its first appearance in Ivy Madness as well as clinching its best conference and overall record since the 1998-99 season. Now, the team is hoping to pick up where they left off.

In the offseason, the Big Green graduated top scorers such as Ryan Cornish and Cade Haskins. Entering the upcoming season, key returners, alongside four new faces, will represent Dartmouth on the court.

Despite the roster changes, head coach David McLaughlin said the key to sustaining the program's upward trajectory is to set real, lofty goals. He said the team is a player-led group, and the strength of the three senior captains is crucial in maintaining momentum.

"So when you have lofty goals, and you try to live up to your standards every day, individually and collectively, that's all you can do," McLaughlin said. "And then hopefully talent takes over, and competitiveness takes over, and execution on the court takes over."

Returning as captains from last season are Brandon Mitchell-Day and Jackson Munro, alongside first-time captain Jayden Williams. Last season, the trio played a crucial role in the team's success.

Mitchell-Day was the first Ivy League player to post a 20-20 double-double since January 2012, and the first to record a 20-20 double-double against a Division I opponent since the turn of the century. Munro played in 26 games last season, scoring a career high 19 points against Sacred Heart and recording a double-double against UAlbany. Williams played 26 games, scoring a season high of 26 points against Colby Sawyer.

Williams said the seniors from last season set the foundation for the team's mindset going into this one. He reflected on the previous year, explaining that their leadership was the starting point, and the team believes they can find similar success due to the mentality the past captains displayed.

"We want to carry that forward during this season as well," Williams said. "They really set the standard for what Dartmouth basketball should look like, how it should be played and the mindsets we have."

Connor Amundsen is one of the key returners following an outstanding rookie season, scoring the third-most points on the team with 295 through 28 starts. Mitchell-Day said he wasn't surprised about Amundsen's performance last year, noting that the sophomore point guard has one of the greatest work ethics he's ever seen.

McLaughlin echoed a similar sentiment, explaining that the decision to start the then-first year was an easy one. He highlighted Amundsen's approach to the game and the way he competes.

"Obviously, he is a sophomore, still has things to learn, still has to go through some things, but I think the sky's the limit for him," Mitchell-Day said.

Center Anton Strelnikov, guard Cam Hiatt and forward Tyler Garrett represent the first-year class of the 2025-26 Dartmouth men's basketball roster. When asked what his expectations are for the underclassmen entering their first season, Williams said he wants them to come into practice every day with an "I'm going to get better" mindset. He acknowledged how challenging playing college basketball can be as a first-year, but that they have a great support system surrounding them.

"I know my freshman year, I messed up a lot. I made a lot of mistakes, but at the same time, I know that I had a group of guys around me and the coaches around me that want me to see me get better every single day. And so I know for them, I think they're having the same mindsets." Williams said.

Following the end of last season, the team's conversation of taking another step closer to the NCAA Tournament began. With core players returning this year, the team has been discussing what it is going to take to win two more games and advance to the biggest stage in college basketball.

"There's so much work that needs to be done in the summer, in the preseason practice now, but that's the mentality," McLaughlin said. "I mentioned before, standards and us being a player-led group is really a foundation for the want of playing two more games."

McLaughlin said the key to reaching that goal, besides maintaining good health, is continuous improvement. He said the team needs to stay on a certain trajectory throughout the season and continue to keep getting better each time they step on the court.

"It's time to get better. It's time to compete. Whether practice is two hours long or an hour long, we have to have that competitive nature to us throughout the entire year." McLaughlin said.

The Big Green will open its season on at Leede Arena on Sunday when hosting Marist at 2 p.m. You can purchase tickets here or follow the game live on DartmouthSports.com

Schedules