Columbia's basketball program dates to 1900 at the Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. The Lions have won multiple Ivy League titles and made several NCAA Tournament appearances, with their peak in the 1960s-70s. As an Ivy League school, Columbia does not offer athletic scholarships.
The Lions nickname has been associated with Columbia since the late 1800s, with the lion symbolizing strength and courage — a fitting emblem for the university named after Christopher Columbus.
Jim McMillian scoring 37 points to lead the Lions past Princeton in a one-game playoff for the 1968 Ivy League title before his standout NBA career with the Lakers.
Columbia's Levien Gymnasium is located in Morningside Heights, Manhattan — perhaps the only Division I basketball venue where players can grab a slice of New York pizza within a block of the arena.
The Columbia Lions compete in the Ivy League and hold an all-time record of 1360–1425 (.488 winning percentage) across 124 recorded seasons dating back to 1900-01.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 16-12 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Kevin Hovde | |
| 2024-25 | 12-15 | 1-13 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2023-24 | 13-14 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2022-23 | 7-22 | 2-12 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2021-22 | 4-22 | 1-13 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2019-20 | 6-24 | 1-13 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2018-19 | 10-18 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2017-18 | 8-19 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2016-17 | 11-16 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Jim Engles | |
| 2015-16 | 25-10 | 10-4 (Ivy) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2014-15 | 13-15 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2013-14 | 21-13 | 8-6 (Ivy) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2012-13 | 12-16 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2011-12 | 15-15 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2010-11 | 15-13 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Kyle Smith | |
| 2009-10 | 11-17 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Joe Jones | |
| 2008-09 | 12-16 | 7-7 (Ivy) | Joe Jones | |
| 2007-08 | 14-15 | 7-7 (Ivy) | Joe Jones | |
| 2006-07 | 16-12 | 7-7 (Ivy) | Joe Jones | |
| 2005-06 | 11-16 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Joe Jones | |
| 2004-05 | 12-15 | 3-11 (Ivy) | Joe Jones | |
| 2003-04 | 10-17 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Joe Jones | |
| 2002-03 | 2-25 | 0-14 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 2001-02 | 11-17 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 2000-01 | 12-15 | 7-7 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 1999-00 | 13-14 | 7-7 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 1998-99 | 10-16 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 1997-98 | 11-15 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 1996-97 | 6-20 | 1-13 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 1995-96 | 7-19 | 3-11 (Ivy) | Armond Hill | |
| 1993-94 | 6-20 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1992-93 | 16-10 | 10-4 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1991-92 | 10-16 | 8-6 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1990-91 | 7-19 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1989-90 | 4-22 | 2-12 (Ivy) | Wally Halas | |
| 1988-89 | 8-18 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Wally Halas | |
| 1987-88 | 6-20 | 2-12 (Ivy) | Wally Halas | |
| 1986-87 | 12-14 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Wayne Szoke | |
| 1985-86 | 12-14 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Wayne Szoke | |
| 1984-85 | 13-13 | 9-5 (Ivy) | Wayne Szoke | |
| 1983-84 | 8-18 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Buddy Mahar | |
| 1982-83 | 10-16 | 7-7 (Ivy) | Buddy Mahar | |
| 1981-82 | 16-10 | 9-5 (Ivy) | Buddy Mahar | |
| 1980-81 | 9-17 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Buddy Mahar | |
| 1979-80 | 10-16 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Buddy Mahar | |
| 1978-79 | 17-9 | 10-4 (Ivy) | Buddy Mahar | |
| 1977-78 | 15-11 | 11-3 (Ivy) | Tommy Penders | |
| 1976-77 | 16-10 | 8-6 (Ivy) | Tommy Penders | |
| 1975-76 | 8-17 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Tommy Penders | |
| 1974-75 | 4-22 | 2-12 (Ivy) | Tommy Penders | |
| 1973-74 | 5-20 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1972-73 | 7-18 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1971-72 | 4-20 | 3-11 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1970-71 | 15-9 | 9-5 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1969-70 | 20-5 | 11-3 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | AP #13 |
| 1968-69 | 20-4 | 11-3 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | AP #14 |
| 1967-68 | 23-5 | 12-2 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | AP #6 |
| 1966-67 | 11-14 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1965-66 | 18-6 | 10-4 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1964-65 | 7-15 | 5-9 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1963-64 | 11-12 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1962-63 | 10-12 | 4-9 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1961-62 | 3-21 | 1-13 (Ivy) | Jack Rohan | |
| 1960-61 | 8-15 | 4-10 (Ivy) | Archie Oldham,Kenneth Hunter | |
| 1959-60 | 9-14 | 2-12 (Ivy) | Archie Oldham | |
| 1958-59 | 3-21 | 2-12 (Ivy) | Archie Oldham | |
| 1957-58 | 6-18 | 2-12 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | |
| 1956-57 | 18-6 | 9-5 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | |
| 1955-56 | 15-9 | 9-5 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | |
| 1954-55 | 17-8 | 12-5 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | |
| 1953-54 | 11-13 | 6-8 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | |
| 1952-53 | 17-6 | 8-4 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | |
| 1951-52 | 12-10 | 7-5 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | |
| 1950-51 | 21-1 | 12-0 (Ivy) | Lou Rossini | AP #3 |
| 1949-50 | 21-7 | 9-3 (Ivy) | Gordon Ridings | |
| 1948-49 | 14-6 | 8-4 (Ivy) | Gordon Ridings | |
| 1947-48 | 20-3 | 11-1 (Ivy) | Gordon Ridings | |
| 1946-47 | 15-5 | 11-1 (Ivy) | Gordon Ridings | |
| 1945-46 | 11-9 | 3-5 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1944-45 | 9-10 | 1-5 (Ivy) | Elmer Ripley | |
| 1943-44 | 7-9 | 2-6 (Ivy) | Elmer Ripley | |
| 1942-43 | 8-8 | 5-7 (Ivy) | Cliff Battles | |
| 1941-42 | 2-13 | 2-10 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1940-41 | 11-5 | 8-4 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1939-40 | 5-12 | 4-8 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1938-39 | 11-5 | 9-3 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1937-38 | 10-8 | 6-6 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1936-37 | 14-6 | 7-5 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1935-36 | 19-3 | 12-0 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1934-35 | 13-6 | 10-2 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1933-34 | 5-14 | 3-9 (Ivy) | Paul Mooney | |
| 1932-33 | 7-10 | 3-7 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1931-32 | 16-6 | 8-2 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1930-31 | 20-2 | 10-0 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1929-30 | 15-5 | 9-1 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1928-29 | 9-9 | 5-5 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1927-28 | 4-13 | 2-8 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1926-27 | 8-9 | 5-5 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1925-26 | 15-2 | 9-1 (Ivy) | Daniel Meehan | |
| 1924-25 | 10-7 | 6-4 (Ivy) | Joseph Deering | |
| 1923-24 | 15-4 | 6-4 (Ivy) | Joseph Deering | |
| 1922-23 | 9-7 | 5-5 (Ivy) | Joseph Deering | |
| 1921-22 | 6-13 | 2-8 (Ivy) | Joseph Deering | |
| 1920-21 | 7-9 | 3-7 (Ivy) | Joseph Deering | |
| 1919-20 | 4-10 | 3-7 (Ivy) | Bebe Benson | |
| 1918-19 | 3-7 | 2-6 (Ivy) | Fred Dawson | |
| 1917-18 | 4-9 | 2-8 (Ivy) | John Murray | |
| 1916-17 | 6-8 | 3-7 (Ivy) | Carl Merner | |
| 1915-16 | 3-9 | 1-9 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1914-15 | 11-5 | 6-4 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1913-14 | 9-3 | 8-2 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1912-13 | 8-5 | 3-5 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1911-12 | 10-2 | 8-2 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1910-11 | 13-1 | 7-1 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1909-10 | 11-0 | Ind | Harry Fisher | |
| 1908-09 | 15-1 | Ind | Harry Fisher | |
| 1907-08 | 10-11 | 5-3 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1906-07 | 11-2 | 8-2 (Ivy) | Harry Fisher | |
| 1905-06 | 12-4 | 7-3 (Ivy) | ||
| 1904-05 | 13-0 | 8-0 (Ivy) | ||
| 1903-04 | 17-1 | 10-0 (Ivy) | ||
| 1902-03 | 10-6 | 5-3 (Ivy) | ||
| 1901-02 | 5-3 | 3-3 (Ivy) | ||
| 1900-01 | 1-4 | Ind |
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All Division I programs · Historical rankings · Championship journeys · Hoopsipedia home
| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|