State Champion Basketball Coach in Connecticut Returning to Alma Mater

A state champion coach in Connecticut is heading to the place where he starred in high school basketball.

Heading back to his alma mater

Lyman Hall High School Athletics recently announced on social media that ex-Trojans standout Jim Economopoulos is returning to his alma mater to take over the boys basketball program.

Economopoulos replaces Rob Ruys, who coached the Trojans to an 8-13 record in the 2025-26 season.

“The Lyman Hall Athletic Department is proud to announce the hiring of Jimmy Economopoulos as our new head boys basketball coach,” Lyman Hall Athletics posted via X. “He’s a (Lyman Hall) graduate and current educator in the Wallingford Public Schools who brings over 10 years of successful coaching in the (Southern Connecticut Conference). Welcome home coach.”

Economopoulos told CT Insider that he is looking forward to returning home and “do something great at the school” he graduated from in 2009.

Economopoulos’ time at Daniel Hand High School

The decision comes after Economopoulos resigned as head coach of the Daniel Hand High School boys basketball program in April.

Economopoulos guided Hand to the program’s first CIAC championship title in 2022, a Division III crown, after the team won 56-39 over Kolbe-Cathedral. Economopoulos finished with a 112-105 mark in 10 seasons with the Tigers, including 80-42 in the previous five seasons.

The Tigers went 9-14 in Economopoulos’ final season at the helm.

“(Leaving) was very much on the table heading into the year (2025-26 season). And the chaos of my life this winter confirmed it for me,” Economopoulos said via CT Insider last month.

Playing days for the Trojans

Economopoulos led the Trojans to the 2008 CIAC Class L title game and the state semifinals in 2009, but Lyman Hall went on to lose both games.

“That game hurt 1,000 times worse than the state final loss,” Economopoulos told CT Insider. “In the state final loss, we weren’t expected to be there. We had almost everybody back from our junior year and we thought for sure we were winning a state championship that senior year. We thought we had won that game. It was devastating when the shot went in.”

Family connection at Lyman Hall

Economopoulos’ late father, Nick, coached girls basketball for 35 seasons between Lyman Hall, East Catholic and Coginchaug. In that span, he compiled 619 career coaching victories.

At Lyman Hall, Nick Economopoulos guided the Trojans to Class L state titles in 1985 and 1986, including three state final appearances in 1979, 1982 and 1991.

Jim’s sister, Christie Madancy, is currently Lyman Hall’s girls basketball coach.

“It definitely makes it easier. I’ll be working with a girls coach I know very well,” Jim Economopoulos said via CT Insider. “My nephew will be a freshman (on the basketball team) next year, so we will have family in the gym pretty consistently.”

Sign Up for High School On SI’s Free Daily Newsletters

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App