Boston College Fires Basketball Coach Earl Grant After 5 Seasons

The school announced the move, citing a need for a change in leadership to improve the program's trajectory.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Boston College has fired head basketball coach Earl Grant after five seasons with the program. Grant posted a 72-92 record during his time with the Eagles, including an 11-20 mark this past season with a 4-14 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Boston College athletic director Blake James said the school has "greater expectations" for the basketball program and believes a change in leadership is necessary to change the trajectory of the team.

Why it matters

Boston College has struggled on the basketball court in recent years, failing to make the NCAA Tournament since 2009. The firing of Earl Grant signals the school's desire to find a new coach who can turn the program around and help it compete at a higher level in the ACC.

The details

Grant was 127-89 during his seven seasons as head coach at the College of Charleston, guiding the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament in 2018. However, he was unable to replicate that success at Boston College, posting a 72-92 record over his five seasons with the Eagles. The school announced the decision to part ways with Grant on Sunday, a week after also firing the women's basketball head coach.

  • Boston College fired Earl Grant on Sunday, March 9, 2026.
  • Grant posted an 11-20 record this past season, including a 4-14 mark in ACC play.

The players

Earl Grant

The former head basketball coach at Boston College, who was fired after five seasons with the program.

Blake James

The athletic director at Boston College, who announced the decision to fire Earl Grant, citing a need for a change in leadership to improve the team's performance.

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What they’re saying

“We are grateful to Earl for his dedication to our student-athletes and to the Boston College community over the past five seasons. Earl is a man of high character who represented our institution with class. However, we have greater expectations for our basketball program and I believe a change in leadership is necessary to change the trajectory of our program. We wish Earl and his family nothing but the best going forward.”

— Blake James, Boston College Athletic Director (statenews.net)

What’s next

Boston College will immediately begin a national search for a new head basketball coach who can help the program compete at a higher level in the ACC.

The takeaway

The firing of Earl Grant after five seasons as Boston College's head basketball coach reflects the school's desire to find a new leader who can turn the program around and help it achieve greater success in the highly competitive ACC conference.