Syracuse Fires Men's Basketball Coach Adrian Autry

Autry unable to lead Orange to NCAA Tournament in three seasons as head coach

Mar. 11, 2026 at 7:49pm

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Syracuse University has fired men's basketball coach Adrian Autry after three seasons at the helm. Autry, who previously served as an assistant under legendary coach Jim Boeheim, was unable to guide the Orange to the NCAA Tournament during his tenure, marking the program's longest drought in over 50 years.

Why it matters

Syracuse basketball is one of the most storied programs in college hoops, with Boeheim leading the team for nearly five decades. Autry's dismissal after just three seasons signals the high expectations and pressure to return the Orange to national prominence and the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Under Autry, Syracuse compiled a 49-48 record with no NCAA Tournament appearances. The team struggled mightily this past season, finishing 15-17 overall and just 6-12 in ACC play, with a dismal 1-11 record in Quad 1 games. After the season-ending loss to SMU in the ACC Tournament, Autry acknowledged the difficulty of meeting the program's lofty standards in the current college athletics landscape.

  • Autry was fired on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
  • Syracuse last made the NCAA Tournament in 2021, the final season under Jim Boeheim.

The players

Adrian Autry

The former Syracuse player and assistant coach who was fired as the team's head coach after three seasons.

Jim Boeheim

The legendary Syracuse head coach who led the program for 47 seasons before retiring.

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What they’re saying

“When I took this job, I knew the expectations that come with it. I was a player and part of it, and every day, I tried to honor that. What I've learned is that there are a lot of different variables in today's world that you just can't overlook to get to that standard again. The landscape of college athletics has changed. To be where we want our standard to be, a lot of those things change, and I think that was the struggle for me to adapt. To be able to compete nationally is different now.”

— Adrian Autry, Former Syracuse Head Coach

What’s next

Syracuse will now begin a search for a new head coach to lead the program back to the NCAA Tournament and restore the team's status as a national power.

The takeaway

The dismissal of Adrian Autry after just three seasons as Syracuse's head coach underscores the immense pressure and high expectations for one of college basketball's most successful programs. The Orange's five-year NCAA Tournament drought, the longest in over 50 years, has led the university to make a change in leadership as it seeks to recapture its past glory.