Princeton Men's Basketball · Issue 01

Extra Pass

An Italian beginning.October 2026

Twelve days. Four new Tigers. One shared journey.
A first look inside the season ahead.

First edition

A little closer
to the team.

After 15 years as head coach, I wanted a new way to keep you close to the program. Welcome to Extra Pass.

For our former players and alumni, our families and friends, and those getting to know Princeton: this is a look at life with the guys. We're starting in Italy. Come along.

Mitch Henderson, Head Coach, Princeton Men's Basketball

01 · Italia · August 9–20

Twelve days in Italy

Follow the journey from Pompeii to Lake Como. Choose a day, open a photograph, or let the trip unfold. Music is optional.

TOTAL MAPPED KM ≈ 865

GamePracticeStill to come

Diario di viaggioDay 1

A long table set with plates and a red-and-white checked cloth beneath a covered terrace

Away from the court

Every man on a crew.

After a second practice at Olimpia Milano’s facility, the team headed to a farmhouse for a cookout. Every player was assigned to a grill crew: the hamburger crew, the sausage crew, and the ribs over a wood fire. There was football on the lawn while dinner cooked, then everyone sat down together at one long table under the portico.

Two players preparing sausages together at the Milan cookout

Two people arranging meat on a wood-fired grill

A player jumps to catch a football on the lawn while others watch

Italia · In their words

What Italy meant

Jacob Huggins playing basketball in Italy

Everyone enjoys being around one another.

I think Italy was a great bonding experience for the team. We built chemistry while sharing new experiences in a foreign country. During dinner, I think I grew closer to everyone on the team and got to know the freshmen. My favorite parts of the trip were seeing the Amalfi Coast and going shopping in Florence. I think the team getting so close will help us during the season, especially once we get to conference play. Everyone enjoys being around one another which can only benefit us as the season goes along.
Jacob HugginsSenior · Forward · Oak Park, Calif.

Jackson Hicke playing basketball in Italy

One of the best experiences of my life.

The Italy trip was one of the best experiences of my life, and I am extremely grateful that we all had the opportunity to experience it. I enjoyed seeing so many different parts of Italy, experiencing the culture, playing basketball against teams from Rome and Milan, practicing at the Olimpia Milano facility, and exploring a foreign country with such a great group of teammates.
Moments I’ll remember forever were the Amalfi Coast boat tour, the team cooking contest, and all the meals we shared.
The opportunity to have three weeks in August together to practice and become even closer as a team was invaluable, and I think it will help us this season by being even more connected on the court.
Jackson HickeSenior · Guard · Radnor, Pa.

02 · The next chapter · Class of 2030

Meet the freshmen

Italy was their first trip in orange and black. Tap a face. Flip the card. Two answers to get to know each Tiger, with the full interview a click away.

Class of 2030 · In his words

Louis O'Keefe

#0 · Guard · 6-3

Nashville, Tenn. · Newman School

When did you first feel part of this team?

I felt like part of the team right away in August before our Italy trip. It was a great time hanging out in the locker room and grabbing dinner every day.

Which teammate helped you settle in, and how?

Landon Clark helped me settle in because I worked with him in July at our program’s kids' camps, so I got a sense of what the team would be like. Jacob Hammond also helped because I already knew him in high school.

Read the full interview

What have you learned about Princeton basketball?

I’ve learned that Princeton basketball isn’t just a team that practices together every day; it's a close-knit group that is basically together all day, every day, without specific smaller groups off the court.

How will you help us beyond the box score?

I’ll help us beyond the box score by being a great teammate and supporting my teammates in what they do off the court. I also think it is important, as I get older, to help make the incoming freshmen feel acclimated and a part of the team.

Princeton Basketball · The next chapter

Class of 2030 · In his words

Ethan Sabec

#5 · Forward · 6-8

Tampa, Fla. · Calvary Christian

When did you first feel part of this team?

After the first few days in Italy, that is when I really felt like a part of the team.

Which teammate helped you settle in, and how?

I would say Jackson Hicke because, at practice, he always gives me advice and encouragement, and off the court, he is super down-to-earth and cool to be around.

Read the full interview

What have you learned about Princeton basketball?

I've learned that Princeton basketball is super physical and that the coaching is super intense. I think it's great that I'm pushed every day to be the best version of myself, and that there is no room for mistakes or lack of effort. I love the fact that the coaches are always getting on me, even for the things that seem small, and I think I have grown so much from that. I've also learned that our team's togetherness is super strong, and it's so cool to be a part of it.

How will you help us beyond the box score?

I think I can help by being the best, most encouraging, most loving teammate that I can be on and off the court. I can also be someone you can trust to show up for my teammates. For basketball-related things, giving it my all every possession and being super physical can help our team. I also think having the mindset to get every rebound and stay disciplined on defense can help our team. Overall, focusing on the little things and the dirty work is something that I can do to help us.

Princeton Basketball · The next chapter

Class of 2030 · In his words

William Higgs

#9 · Center · 6-11 · 265

Atlantic Highlands, N.J. · Northfield Mount Hermon

When did you first feel part of this team?

I would say I first felt like a part of the team when I came to visit in the spring of last year. Being able to watch a normal day, practice and lift, and then eat in the dining hall with the team was a good experience. It was my first time really meeting most of them, and I felt welcomed and at home.

Which teammate helped you settle in, and how?

Jackson Hicke. He was the first teammate I met during my visit, and I’ve been able to go to him with questions about basketball and Princeton overall.

Read the full interview

What have you learned about Princeton basketball?

The standard is the standard, and the standard is excellence on the court and in the classroom. We focus on winning and making it to March while also focusing on daily and long-term growth.

How will you help us beyond the box score?

My goal is to bring positive energy to the court and everything we do as a team. Positivity is contagious, so I believe being my teammates' biggest supporter and giving them the energy to make the next shot or get a stop helps us get better.

Princeton Basketball · The next chapter

Class of 2030 · In his words

Christopher Kirkpatrick

#30 · Guard · 6-3

Winnetka, Ill. · New Trier

When did you first feel part of this team?

I first felt like a part of the team during our trip to Italy, specifically during karaoke on our late-night bus rides.

Which teammate helped you settle in, and how?

So many guys have helped me settle in that it's hard to pick just one, but Jack Stanton has been super helpful. He's been really welcoming, and whenever I'm confused about a concept, he takes the time to walk me through it.

Read the full interview

What have you learned about Princeton basketball?

Princeton basketball really values the details and the little things. How you cut, set screens, and position yourself in the gaps matters.

How will you help us beyond the box score?

I'll help by being vocal, whether I'm on the court or on the bench, and by always celebrating my teammates' successes.

Princeton Basketball · The next chapter

03 · Back at Jadwin · Start of season

Back to work

Two players leap to contest a shot at the rim in practice

A guard in a green pinnie is guarded by a teammate in a half-court drill

A player follows through on a jumper while teammates work behind him

A guard drives past a defender in practice

A player rises for a dunk while teammates watch

Jadwin, in motion

Make shots.

18 seconds

On deckNovember

Nov 2 · Jadwin Gym · 4 PM

Season opener vs Carnegie Mellon.

Nov 5 · Jadwin Gym · 7 PM

Hofstra, a 2026 NCAA Tournament team.

Nov 8 · Away · 1 PM

At Siena, the 2026 MAAC champions.

Nov 20 · Jadwin Gym · 7 PM

Monmouth.

Jan 4 · Jadwin Gym

Ivy League opener vs Penn.

Until next time

See you at Jadwin.

We ask our guys, every day, to “do something for someone else.” Make the cut that gets a teammate open, share the ball, help us win. Being part of this team should elevate who you are and help you understand how much you have to give. That’s what I hope four years at Princeton will teach our guys, on the court and in every community they become part of.
We’re all still learning, growing, and trying to get better together. Thank you for being part of that work, and for everything you do for this program. See you at Jadwin.

Mitch Henderson, Head Coach, Princeton Men's Basketball

A little closer to the team.

Twelve days in Italy

Every man on a crew.

What Italy meant

Meet the freshmen

Back to work

Make shots.

See you at Jadwin.

A little closer
to the team.