Billy Donlon

Biography

Billy Donlon enters his first season as head men’s basketball coach at Eastern Michigan University in 2026-27 with a clear identity and a track record built on discipline, development, and winning. Named the program’s 31st head coach in March 2026, Donlon brings more than 25 years of Division I experience and a reputation for building teams that compete with toughness and consistency. Donlon brings 26 years of collegiate coaching experience, including nine seasons as a head coach and multiple deep postseason runs. His résumé features seven NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight run, as well as NIT, CBI, and CIT appearances. As a head coach, Donlon built a reputation for steady program growth. He posted a 155-133 (.538) overall record across nine seasons, including a 109-94 mark at Wright State University and a 46-39 record at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He arrived in Ypsilanti after serving as associate head coach at Clemson, where he played a key role in one of the most successful stretches in program history. Over the past four seasons, Clemson won 98 games and posted a .733 winning percentage in Atlantic Coast Conference play, the second-most wins in the ACC. The Tigers advanced to the 2024 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, their deepest run in more than four decades. Donlon works closely with the guard unit and defensive game planning on Head Coach Brad Brownell's staff. Each season, the production from Clemson’s guards has shown through, with Chase