College Basketball News: Coaching Changes and Injury Updates

The landscape of college basketball is undergoing a significant shift as the 2025-26 season concludes, marked by massive contract extensions for elite coaches and a high volume of head coaching changes across the NCAA.

On April 5, 2026, Alabama head coach Nate Oats agreed to a new contract that will place him among the five highest-compensated men’s basketball coaches in the United States.

This move follows a similar development at the University of Arizona on April 3, 2026, where Tommy Lloyd signed a five-year deal with an average annual value of $7.5 million. This agreement also secures Lloyd’s position as one of the top five highest-paid coaches in the sport, effectively ending speculation regarding his candidacy for the North Carolina head coaching position.

Coaching Carousel and Major Hires

The 2026 coaching cycle has seen nearly 50 job changes. Among the most notable movements, LSU has rehired Will Wade on a seven-year deal. Wade previously served as the head coach at NC State for one season before returning to the Tigers.

NC State quickly filled the vacancy left by Wade, hiring former player and Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey on March 31, 2026. Gainey previously played as a point guard for the Wolfpack from 1996 to 2000.

Other significant head coaching appointments include:

• Utah State: Hired Ben Jacobson from Northern Iowa on a five-year deal to replace Jerrod Calhoun.
• Cincinnati: Hired Jerrod Calhoun, a school alumnus, to replace Wes Miller.
• Charlotte: Hired Wes Miller, who was recently fired by Cincinnati.
• Syracuse: Hired Gerry McNamara on March 24, 2026, following the firing of Adrian Autry.
• Boston College: Hired Luke Murray, formerly an assistant at UConn, on March 26, 2026.
• Butler: Hired former NBA assistant and Butler alumnus Ronald Nored on March 25, 2026, following the retirement of Thad Matta.
• USF: Hired Chris Mack on March 25, 2026, to replace Bryan Hodgson.
• Arizona State: Hired Randy Bennett, who spent 25 seasons at Saint Mary’s, to replace Bobby Hurley.

In a move toward stability, Kansas head coach Bill Self announced on April 1, 2026, that he will return for his 24th season with the Jayhawks after evaluating his health following a Round of 32 loss to St. John’s on March 22, 2026.

St. John’s secured a contract extension for Rick Pitino on March 30, 2026, keeping him with the Red Storm through the 2029-30 season. The restructured deal makes Pitino the second-highest paid coach in the Big East.

Player Updates and Injury Reports

Alabama guard Aden Holloway, who was arrested on felony drug charges on March 16, 2026, announced on April 5, 2026, his intention to enroll in classes and rejoin the team this fall. Holloway averaged 16.8 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 rebounds during the season.

Injury concerns continue to impact teams heading into the Final Four. Michigan point guard Elliot Cadeau received medical attention for a possible allergic reaction on April 1, 2026, but the team confirmed he is fine and will travel to Indianapolis for the clash against Arizona.

Other notable player setbacks include:

• North Carolina: Star freshman forward Caleb Wilson’s season ended after he broke his right thumb in a non-contact drill on March 6, 2026.
• Duke: Guard Caleb Foster is out indefinitely following surgery for a fractured right foot, and center Patrick Ngongba II missed the ACC Tournament due to foot soreness.
• Texas Tech: Forward JT Toppin suffered a torn ACL on February 18, 2026.
• BYU: Forward Richie Saunders sustained a season-ending torn ACL on February 14, 2026.

Program Transitions

At Campbell University, coach John Andrzejek stepped down on April 1, 2026, citing a shift in the institution’s priorities regarding the basketball program. Andrzejek is set to join Louisville as associate head coach under Pat Kelsey.

In women’s basketball, Florida hired Tammi Reiss from Rhode Island on March 23, 2026, to replace Kelly Rae Finley. Reiss led Rhode Island to its first NCAA Women’s Tournament appearance in 30 years earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Rutgers parted ways with women’s basketball coach Coquese Washington on March 6, 2026, following a 9-20 season and the worst conference record in program history.