Kansas State Hires Belmont's Casey Alexander as New Basketball Coach

Alexander replaces fired coach Jerome Tang after leading Belmont to three conference titles

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:04am

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Kansas State has hired Belmont's Casey Alexander as its new men's basketball head coach, replacing the recently fired Jerome Tang. Alexander, 53, has served as Belmont's head coach since 2020, leading the program to three regular-season conference titles and helping it transition from the Ohio Valley to the Missouri Valley Conference. He has over 15 years of head coaching experience and more than 300 career wins.

Why it matters

The move represents a significant shift in direction for Kansas State, which is looking to rebound from a disastrous 2026 season that led to Tang's dismissal. Alexander brings a proven track record of success and a reputation as one of the sharpest offensive minds and talent evaluators in college basketball, which could help revitalize the Wildcats' program.

The details

Alexander, a Chattanooga, Tennessee native, went 166-60 during his time at Belmont, including three regular-season conference titles. He helped guide the program's transition from the Ohio Valley to the Missouri Valley Conference. Prior to Belmont, Alexander had head coaching stints at Stetson and Lipscomb, making his only career NCAA tournament appearance in 2019 with the latter program.

  • Kansas State fired coach Jerome Tang on February 15, 2026 after a poor start to the season.
  • Alexander's Belmont team was eliminated from the Missouri Valley tournament on March 10, 2026.

The players

Casey Alexander

The 53-year-old has been the head coach of Belmont since 2020, leading the program to three regular-season conference titles and helping it transition to the Missouri Valley Conference.

Jerome Tang

The former Kansas State head coach was fired on February 15, 2026 after publicly criticizing his players following a blowout loss.

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What’s next

Kansas State will officially introduce Casey Alexander as its new head basketball coach in the coming days.

The takeaway

Kansas State's decision to hire the experienced and successful Casey Alexander represents a clear shift in strategy as the program looks to rebound from a disastrous 2026 season. Alexander's track record of developing talent and leading efficient offenses could help revitalize the Wildcats and return them to the NCAA Tournament.