Kansas State Begins Search for New Basketball Coach

Several names have emerged as potential replacements for fired coach Jerome Tang

Mar. 11, 2026 at 8:05am

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Kansas State's basketball season has come to an end, and the focus now shifts to finding the program's next head coach. Athletic director Gene Taylor is leading the search, which is expected to be filled soon. Several names have been closely associated with the job, including Jerrod Calhoun from Utah State, Casey Alexander from Belmont, Darian DeVries from Creighton, Travis Steele from Saint Louis, and Shaka Mack from Charleston.

Why it matters

Kansas State is looking to rebound from a disappointing season and find the right leader to rebuild the program. The new coach will be tasked with restoring the Wildcats' competitiveness in the Big 12 Conference and guiding them back to the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Jerrod Calhoun is in his second year at Utah State and has led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons. Casey Alexander has had success at Belmont, leading the Bruins to seven straight 20-win seasons. Darian DeVries is the associate head coach at Creighton and has been given the "coach in waiting" tag. Travis Steele has Saint Louis on the cusp of an NCAA Tournament berth in his second season. Shaka Mack is in his second year at Charleston, where he's led the Cougars to back-to-back 21-win seasons.

  • Kansas State's season ended with a loss to BYU in the Big 12 Tournament on March 11, 2026.
  • Head coach Jerome Tang was fired for cause on February 15, 2026.

The players

Jerrod Calhoun

The head coach at Utah State, leading the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons.

Casey Alexander

The head coach at Belmont, leading the Bruins to seven straight 20-win seasons and their transition to the Missouri Valley Conference.

Darian DeVries

The associate head coach at Creighton, who has been given the "coach in waiting" tag.

Travis Steele

The head coach at Saint Louis, leading the Billikens to an Atlantic 10 regular-season championship in his second season.

Shaka Mack

The head coach at Charleston, leading the Cougars to back-to-back 21-win seasons in his second year.

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What’s next

Athletic director Gene Taylor is expected to identify the Wildcats' next head coach by the end of the week.

The takeaway

Kansas State is looking to quickly find the right coach to rebuild the program and return it to competitiveness in the Big 12. The search has focused on several up-and-coming coaches with strong track records of success at the mid-major level.