Darius Dangerfield joined the Lafayette men’s basketball coaching staff for the 2023-24 season, where he holds the position of Director of Operations and Assistant Coach in his third academic year.
Men’s basketball improved it’s win total for the third straight season in 2024-25, advancing to the Patriot League Quarterfinal on March 6. Lafayette got out to a slow non-conference start before finding its way during the Lafayette Classic from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, going 2-1 through the inaugural round-robin tournament in the newly refurbished Kirby Sports Center. Momentum swung the program to outcomes such as the exciting 76-61 road win at defending conference champion Colgate and a 78-70 Senior Day victory versus Lehigh, the 150th series dub since the Rivalry’s inception in 1902. Justin Vander Baan was crowned the Defensive Player of the Year after a sensational season in the front court, finishing his Leopard career ranked second all-time in program blocks (188), which topped the NCAA from Jan. 16-20. He was also listed on the Third Team and the All-Defensive Team while Alex Chaikin (Third Team, All-Rookie) and Caleb Williams (All-Rookie) had electric initial campaigns.
The Maroon and White concluded the 2023-24 season with an 11-21 (10-8 PL) overall record, finishing in second place in the Patriot League regular season and advancing to the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal. With his assistance, men’s basketball matched the program record of seven consecutive Patriot League victories in a row to open the conference slate. The 2003-04 squad was the last Lafayette team to open league play with a 7-0 mark. The 10 conference wins are the most that the program has had since moving to an 18-game schedule back in 2013. Four Leopards earned All-Conference laurels following the season, the largest group since 2011-12. Devin Hines, Kyle Jenkins and Justin Vander Baan were named to the All-Patriot League Third Team while Mark Butler took home All-Rookie honors. Butler continued College Hill’s streak of placing at least one player on the first-year squad since 2019. Vander Baan was also tabbed to the All-Defensive squad.
Dangerfield spent four years as a student-athlete at Lycoming College under current head coach Mike McGarvey. In his senior season, the Warriors won the 2021 MAC Freedom Championship. Dangerfield compiled 916 career points with an average of 10.5 points, 3.5 assists and 2.6 rebounds. He lists an impressive resume of collegiate awards, including Lycoming College’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete, Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth Championship MVP and and First Team All-MAC Commonwealth.
After graduation, he began his professional career at Harford Community College where he has served as a top assistant for the men’s basketball program following the 2021 season. During the next winter, Dangerfield led the Fighting Owls to a 13-12 overall record which included a 9-5 home performance.
Most recently, he held a short stint at Albright College as an assistant coach.
A native of Abingdon, Md., Dangerfield earned a Bachelor’s in Corporate Communications from Lycoming in 2021. He is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Athletic Leadership from Albright.
Updated 4/25
