Stanford University has hired former Washington State coach Kyle Smith as their new head coach of men’s basketball. Athletic director Bernard Muir announced that Smith will helm the Cardinals, coming shortly after Jerod Haase was fired, and just as the school is poised to leave the Pac-12 for the ACC. Haase finished his eighth season at the school without a single NCAA Tournament appearance, going 14-18 this past season and finishing in ninth place in the Pac-12 with an 8-12 record in conference play.
Smith, 54, previously spent six seasons as the head coach at Columbia, and three seasons at San Francisco before coaching the past five seasons in the Pac-12 at Washington State. He went 94-71 in five seasons at Washington State, leading the program to the NCAA Tournament’s second round this season. Washington State went 25-10 and finished second in the Pac-12 in 2023-24; Smith also earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors. Smith has a 258-193 career record and has gone nine straight seasons without a losing record.
Smith said in a statement: “The opportunity to serve as the head men’s basketball coach at Stanford is a dream come true, and I want to thank Bernard Muir for entrusting me with this opportunity. From my perspective, Stanford has the resources and reputation to attract the ideal student-athlete who is seeking the character development aspects of what our basketball program will offer. Stanford has the capacity to provide a place where student-athletes can hone their leadership skills and intellect through hard work and team building. I am thrilled to try to provide that type of culture for an institution that prides itself on excellence in all areas.”
Stanford AD Bernard Muir said in a statement: “I am extremely pleased to welcome Kyle and his family to Stanford. Kyle has an impressive track record of improving results in the programs he has led, and we heard consistently throughout our search process that he leads with great character and integrity. I look forward to working alongside Kyle and I am excited for Cardinal student-athletes to experience his passionate leadership.”
Editorial credit: Macrobyte / Shutterstock.com