“Dimitrios Jelen-Joy was named the head coach of the Harford men's basketball program on June 2, 2020.
After the Fighting Owls did not compete in 2020-21 due to COVID-19, Jelen-Joy oversaw Harford's return to the floor with back-to-back winning seasons and a 30-24 record. His 17 wins during the 2022-23 season are the most since 2017-18. Four student-athletes received All-Region 20 Division I honors and two more were awarded NJCAA All-Academic status during this time.
Several Fighting Owls have soared into the program’s record book within this stretch, including five in the 2022-23 campaign. Freshman forward Paul Mason set a new single season record for blocks (79), while sophomore Maseo Carson also made history with 127 career three-pointers made.
Jelen-Joy served as interim head coach during the 2019-20 season. He earned his first collegiate coaching win on November 9, 2019, when the Fighting Owls defeated Thomas Nelson, 84-81. Less than a month later, Harford defeated Region 20 DI rival Allegany on the road, 91-77. The win marked the Fighting Owls first road victory against the Trojans in Harford’s modern era (2008-present).
Under the guidance of Jelen-Joy, redshirt sophomore Christian Sweazie was selected to the All-Region 20 team that season. Additionally, Sweazie and redshirt freshman Ethan Sommer both earned their way into Harford's record book for single-season made three-pointers and single season blocks respectively.
From 2016-2019, Jelen-Joy had served as an assistant coach on the men's basketball staff and the equipment coordinator for all 13 of Harford's Division I teams. Alongside former head coach Mike Smelkinson, he helped guide the Fighting Owls to a pair of regular season conference championships and one Region XX Division I title.
Jelen-Joy played at Harford from 2011-2013, where he was named to the All-Region 20 team as well as the President's List and Athletic Director's Honor Roll. In his sophomore season at Harford, Jelen-Joy became the fourth player in program history to reach the 1,000-career point mark. He went on to play his final two collegiate seasons at West Virginia State University (WVSU), averaging 8.0 points per game and a 40% mark from three-point range.
Jelen-Joy graduated from WVSU in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He earned his master’s degree in sport administration from Liberty University in December of 2018.”
