The Lafayette men\u2019s basketball program and head coach\u00a0Mike McGarvey\u00a0have added Eylijah (E.J.) Stephens \u201921 to the staff as the Director of Basketball Operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are thrilled to be welcoming E.J. back to College Hill for his first coaching position after his professional playing career,\u201d McGarvey said. \u201cHe has not only made an impact as an undergraduate here on the basketball court as a First Team All-Conference athlete and 1000 point scorer, but he\u2019s also been able to build and maintain strong relationships with the Lafayette community at large. I know he\u2019ll be a great role model for our student-athletes and have a positive impact on our program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stephens competed in over 103 contests while wearing the Maroon and White, totaling 1,017 points, 307 rebounds and 175 assists in his career. Following his senior season as a co-captain, he earned Second Team All-Patriot League laurels, a NABC All-District 13 Second Team nod and three Lafayette Dean\u2019s List awards. The Psychology major was also chosen as the Oaks Leadership \u201cLeader of Distinction.\u201d To this day, Stephens ranks 11th\u00a0in the conference for his 90.4 free throw percentage.<\/p>\n
The Plantation, Fla. native furthered his education as a transfer with the University of Minnesota, playing in all games that winter, securing a Master\u2019s in Sports Management.<\/p>\n
Stephens continued his athletic career with England\u2019s Cheshire Phoenix in the British Basketball League (BBL) from 2023-24. Under head coach Ben Thomas, he helped lead the Phoenix to a BBL Trophy Final victory over the EuroCup powerhouse London Lions.<\/p>\n
Most recently, he played for the Newcastle Falcons in Australia\u2019s NBL1 East Division during the 2025 season alongside former Leopards Leo O\u2019Boyle \u201923 and Myles Cherry \u201920.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Upon returning to the United States, Stephens acted as an assistant coach for Plantation High School. He assisted in game planning, opponent scouting and player development for the varsity team, ultimately leading to the program\u2019s first back-to-back 10+ win seasons in over 20 years.<\/p>\n