Jason Crafton
{{short description|American basketball coach|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Jason Crafton
| image = Jason Crafton at Notre Dame in November of 2023.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Crafton in 2023
| current_title = Chief Program Strategist for Men's Basketball
| current_team = Columbia
| current_conference = Ivy League
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|1|30}}
| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1999–2003
| player_team1 = Nyack
| coach_years1 = 2003–2005
| coach_team1 = Villanova (video coordinator)
| coach_years2 = 2005–2010
| coach_team2 = Navy (assistant)
| coach_years3 = 2010–2012
| coach_team3 = Navy (associate HC)
| coach_years4 = 2012–2018
| coach_team4 = Nyack
| coach_years5 = 2018–2019
| coach_team5 = Delaware Blue Coats (assistant)
| coach_years6 = 2019–2024
| coach_team6 = Maryland Eastern Shore
| coach_years7 = 2024–present
| coach_team7 = Columbia (assistant)
| overall_record = {{winpct|90|184|record=y}}
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = 0–1 (TBC)
| championships =
| coaching_records =
}}
Jason Crafton (born January 30, 1982) is an American college basketball coach who is currently serving as Chief Program Strategist for men's basketball at Columbia University.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-09 |title=Jason Crafton Joins Men's Basketball Staff as Chief Program Strategist |url=https://gocolumbialions.com/news/2024/12/9/mens-basketball-jason-crafton-joins-mens-basketball-staff-as-chief-program-strategist.aspx |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=Columbia University Athletics |language=en}} He was previously the head coach for the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men's basketball team.{{cite web|url=https://easternshorehawks.com/news/2019/4/24/mens-basketball-hawks-hire-jason-crafton-as-new-steward-of-basketball-program.aspx?path=mbball|title=Hawks hire Jason Crafton as new steward of basketball program|website=University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics}}
Playing career
Crafton played college basketball at Nyack College, where he was named team captain his junior and senior seasons. He was also a member of the schools only CACC Championship Team in the 1999–2000 season.
Coaching career
After graduation, Crafton joined Jay Wright's staff at Villanova as a video coordinator for two seasons until 2005, when he accepted an assistant coaching position at Navy where he'd serve under fellow former Villanova staffer Billy Lange as well as a season under Ed DeChellis.{{cite web|url=http://navysports.com/news/2005/5/19/Matt_Sladky_and_Jason_Crafton_Join_Navy_Men_s_Basketball_Staff.aspx|title=Matt Sladky and Jason Crafton Join Navy Men's Basketball Staff|website=Naval Academy Athletics}} Crafton would return to Nyack to become the school's head men's basketball coach where from 2012 to 2018 he compiled a 47–108 record before accepting an assistant coaching position with the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League.{{cite web|url=https://bluecoats.gleague.nba.com/news/blue-coats-announce-basketball-operations-staff/|title=Blue Coats Announce Basketball Operations Staff|website=Delaware Blue Coats|access-date=2019-04-26|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185329/https://bluecoats.gleague.nba.com/news/blue-coats-announce-basketball-operations-staff/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://athletics.nyack.edu/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/20180906yclfl0|title=Warrior Men's Basketball Head Coach Accepts NBA G-League Coaching Position|date=14 September 2018|website=Nyack|access-date=26 April 2019|archive-date=26 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426032800/https://athletics.nyack.edu/sports/mbkb/2018-19/releases/20180906yclfl0|url-status=dead}}
On April 24, 2019, Crafton was named the head coach at Maryland Eastern Shore.{{cite web|url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/sports/2019/04/24/philadelphia-76-ers-g-league-assistant-hired-next-umes-hoops-coach/3550062002/|title=Philadelphia 76ers G-League assistant hired as next UMES men's basketball coach|website=Delmarva Daily Times}}
The 2022–23 season was a historic one in many ways for Hawk Basketball. Crafton's squad finished 18–13, leading to the program's best win percentage (.581) in 50 years and the most wins in a season of Crafton's coaching career. The team broke last season's school records in steals (345) and steals-per-game (11.1). Their per-game clip ranked #1 in the nation this season, while the team also ranked #1 nationally in turnovers forced per contest (19.0). Crafton guided the Hawks to a 10–3 record at William P. Hytche Athletic Center, the best home mark for the program since the 1973–74 season. The team also logged significant non-conference wins at Temple on December 20 and Columbia on December 28. The Hawks finished the first half of MEAC play at 6–1, the best Division I record to open league play in 50 years. Under Crafton, forward Nathaniel Pollard Jr. was named to the All-MEAC Second Team and guard Zion Styles received All-MEAC Third Team and All-Defensive Team honors. Pollard was also named to the 2023 HBCU All-Star Game in Houston, Texas. Crafton was named a finalist for the Ben Jobe Coach of the Year award, recognizing the top Division I minority coach annually.https://easternshorehawks.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jason-crafton/1348 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
On December 9th, 2024, Crafton was formerly named as Chief Program Strategist for Men's Basketball at Columbia University.
Head coaching record
=NCAA DII=
{{CBB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conference =|postseason=|poll=both}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name =Nyack
| conference=CACC
| startyear =2012
| endyear =2018
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2012–13
| name= Nyack
| overall= 5–20
| conference= 3–15
| confstanding= 7th (North)
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2013–14
| name= Nyack
| overall= 10–16
| conference= 8–11
| confstanding= 5th (North)
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2014–15
| name= Nyack
| overall= 7–19
| conference= 6–13
| confstanding= 6th (North)
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2015–16
| name= Nyack
| overall= 11–15
| conference= 8–11
| confstanding= 5th (North)
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2016–17
| name= Nyack
| overall= 7–19
| conference= 3–16
| confstanding= 7th (North)
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2017–18
| name= Nyack
| overall= 7–19
| conference= 7–12
| confstanding= 5th (North)
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Nyack
| overall = 47–108 ({{winpct|47|108}})
| confrecord = 35–78 ({{winpct|35|78}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall = 47–108 ({{winpct|47|108}})
| poll =
| polltype =
| polltype2 =
}}
=NCAA DI=
{{CBB Yearly Record Start|type=coach|conference =|postseason=|poll=both}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name =Maryland Eastern Shore
| conference=MEAC
| startyear =2019
| endyear =2024
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2019–20
| name= Maryland Eastern Shore
| overall= 5–27
| conference= 4–12
| confstanding= T–9th
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2020–21
| name= Maryland Eastern Shore
| overall= Season Canceled (Covid)
| conference= N/A
| confstanding= N/A
| postseason= N/A
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2021–22
| name= Maryland Eastern Shore
| overall= 11–16
| conference= 6–8
| confstanding= T–6th
| postseason= TBC First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2022–23
| name= Maryland Eastern Shore
| overall= 18–13
| conference= 9–5
| confstanding= T–3rd
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship=
| season= 2023–24
| name= Maryland Eastern Shore
| overall= 9–20
| conference= 4–10
| confstanding= 7th
| postseason=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Maryland Eastern Shore
| overall = {{winpct|43|76|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|23|35|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
| overall = {{winpct|43|76|record=y}}
| poll =
| polltype =
| polltype2 =
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men's basketball coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crafton, Jason}}
Category:American men's basketball coaches
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Delaware Blue Coats coaches
Category:Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men's basketball coaches
Category:Navy Midshipmen men's basketball coaches
Category:Nyack Warriors men's basketball players
Category:Nyack Warriors men's basketball coaches
{{US-basketball-coach-stub}}