WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – The Williams College men's basketball team is set to begin its 2026-27 campaign following a 13-11 finish last season.
The Ephs will face a 24-game schedule this season, highlighted by two tournaments including the annual Williams Purple & Gold Classic as well as the inaugural NABC Division III Tournament in San Antonio, Texas over the holiday break.
"Our winter break trip is always exciting and worthwhile, and this year the team is fired up to get to San Antonio, TX for a New Year's Tournament against some great out-of-region competition," said head coach
Kevin App.
Williams will enjoy a heavier home schedule this season, hosting 12 games in Chandler Gymnasium. The Ephs will open their home slate with the Williams Purple & Gold Classic on Nov. 21-22, welcoming University of Maine-Farmington, SUNY-Canton, and Nichols.
Before returning home for the tournament, Williams will open the season on Sunday, Nov. 15, traveling a short distance up Route 2 to face MCLA at noon. The Ephs will then travel to Vassar for a Wednesday night matchup on Nov. 18.
Other noteworthy matchups include, the annual Little Three game against Wesleyan on Dec. 5, and the Ephs' back-to-back NESCAC matchup weekends at home beginning on Friday, Jan. 15 through Saturday, Jan. 23, which include Conn. College, Tufts, Amherst, and Middlebury, in that respective order.
"On top of the always challenging NESCAC slate, we'll face multiple league champions and NCAA participants in our non-league schedule (Vassar, ME-Farmington, and Worcester State)," said App. "We hope to see a packed Chandler for our opening Tournament and a long stretch of home games in January."
Williams returns four of its five top scorers from a season ago, junior
Jackson Rein, junior
Aidan Yates, senior
Matt DeVine, and sophomore
EJ Sommers.
Rein led the Ephs in scoring last season, averaging 13.8 points per game while finishing the season with 331 points and 144 rebounds. Yates averaged 12.5 points per game, totaling 299 points while leading Williams in three-pointers with 53 and blocks with 22.
DeVine and Sommers each averaged 6.8 points per game finishing with 163 and 136 points, respectively.
Junior, Justin Blecher Jr. also returns after leading the Eph in both assists (57) and steals (24) last season.
"There's a lot of excitement surrounding this group. We have a strong mix of key returning players and younger guys ready to step into bigger roles, and we've all come into this season with something to prove," said senior
Matt DeVine. "We have high expectations for ourselves, but we know that starts with the work we put in every day and the standard we hold each other to. We believe in the group we have and are confident in what we're capable of accomplishing this season."
The 2026-27 season marks head coach
Kevin App's 12
th season with the Ephs. App has compiled a 205-92 overall record and a 61-47 mark in NESCAC play, leading Williams to six NCAA Tournament appearances.
Under App, Williams has advanced to the Sweet 16 twice in 2022 and 2024. The Ephs also reached the Elite Eight in 2019 and the Final Four in 2017 during his tenure.
"Every season is so different. With graduating six seniors and adding five first-years, that's a lot of change to the daily personality and feel of the group. The thing that excites me most is we have great young men that are really enjoyable to work with each day. They care about one another and want to represent Williams and this program positively," said App.
