Luke Murray named next men's basketball coach

BC hires 41-year-old assistant coach to lead men's hoops program

Mar. 27, 2026 at 12:22am

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Boston College has named Luke Murray as the new head coach of the men's basketball team. Murray, who has extensive assistant coaching experience at top programs like UConn, Arizona, and Louisville, is tasked with ending BC's 18-year NCAA Tournament drought.

Why it matters

BC men's basketball has struggled for nearly two decades, failing to make the NCAA Tournament since 2009. The hiring of the young, up-and-coming Murray signals a renewed commitment from the university to invest in and revitalize the program.

The details

Murray, 41, has never been a head coach before, but has built an impressive resume as an assistant at several high-profile programs over the past 14 years. He spent the last five seasons at UConn, helping the Huskies reach the NCAA Tournament. Prior to that, he was an assistant at Arizona, Wagner, Towson, URI, Xavier, and Louisville. BC is hoping Murray's recruiting prowess and offensive expertise can help turn the program around.

  • Murray was officially named BC's new head coach on March 27, 2026.

The players

Luke Murray

The 41-year-old is BC's new head men's basketball coach, tasked with ending the program's 18-year NCAA Tournament drought.

Blake James

The Boston College athletic director who hired Murray, stating that he is the "perfect fit" to lead the men's basketball program.

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What they’re saying

“I am deeply honored and incredibly grateful to lead the Boston College Men's Basketball program. BC is a university with a prestigious academic reputation and a storied basketball tradition. Boston College alumni and fans will find our program defined by a standard of excellence, and our team will play an unselfish, tough, and highly competitive brand of basketball. I am excited to get to work to build this proud program. Go Eagles!”

— Luke Murray, Head Coach, Boston College Men's Basketball

“Today marks a turning point in Boston College Men's Basketball. In Luke Murray, we have found a leader who does not just understand the modern landscape of college basketball – he has helped define it. His role in building a national championship caliber program, his sophisticated offensive vision, and his relentless pursuit of excellence make him the perfect fit to lead our student-athletes. We are thrilled to welcome Luke, his wife, Kara, and their family to the BC community.”

— Blake James, Athletic Director, Boston College

What’s next

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The takeaway

This hiring signals a renewed commitment from Boston College to invest in and revitalize its struggling men's basketball program. While Murray lacks head coaching experience, his impressive resume as an assistant at top programs and his reputation as a strong recruiter and tactician make him an intriguing choice to end the Eagles' long NCAA Tournament drought.