Columbia basketball coach Jim Engles stepping down after 8th straight losing season

By Canadian Press on March 10, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia men’s basketball coach Jim Engles is stepping down.

The athletic department announced the move Monday after the Lions finished 1-13 in Ivy League play this season. Columbia actually won its first eight nonconference games but finished 12-15 for its eighth losing record in eight seasons under Engles.

“Columbia has meant so much to me, and I’ve given everything I have to make this program the best it can be,” Engles said in a statement. “We may not have accomplished our ultimate goals, but I’m proud of the culture we built and the student-athletes we developed on and off the court. I also want to thank (athletic director) Peter Pilling for his support throughout the years and know the future of this program is bright.”

Columbia won the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament in 2016 under Kyle Smith, but the Lions weren’t able to build on that success. Since the Ivy League began holding a conference tournament for its top four teams in 2017, the Lions are the only men’s program that has never qualified.

“We are grateful for Jim’s leadership during his time at Columbia,” Pilling said. “First and foremost, Jim is an outstanding person who dedicated a great deal of effort to achieving success here. We wish Jim and his family all the best.”

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The Associated Press