Cincinnati Bearcats Fire Head Basketball Coach Wes Miller

Utah State's Jared Calhoun emerges as frontrunner for the opening

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:07pm

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The University of Cincinnati has fired head basketball coach Wes Miller after five seasons. Miller went 100-74 during his tenure but failed to lead the Bearcats to the NCAA Tournament, extending their drought to seven straight years. Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham will now conduct a search for the program's next coach, with Utah State's Jared Calhoun reportedly the presumed frontrunner for the opening.

Why it matters

Cincinnati is a storied basketball program that has struggled to return to national prominence in recent years. The Bearcats' failure to make the NCAA Tournament under Miller has led to growing frustration among the fanbase, prompting the university to make a change in hopes of reviving the program.

The details

Wes Miller was 100-74 in five seasons as Cincinnati's head coach, including an 18-15 record this year. He apologized to fans multiple times this season for the team's poor performance, acknowledging they were not playing up to the program's standards. According to reports, the Bearcats will officially part ways with Miller on April 1st, when his buyout drops from $9.9 million to $4.7 million.

  • Wes Miller was fired on March 16, 2026.
  • Cincinnati will officially part ways with Miller on April 1, 2026.

The players

Wes Miller

The former head basketball coach of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, who was fired after five seasons with the team.

John Cunningham

The athletic director of the University of Cincinnati, who will lead the search for the Bearcats' next head basketball coach.

Jared Calhoun

The current head basketball coach of Utah State University, who is reportedly the frontrunner to become the next head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats.

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What they’re saying

“I want to apologize to our fans and all the people that support Cincinnati basketball. It's not it's not okay. I don't want for one second to people to think that I think it's okay. This program, there's a higher standard. There's no excuse. Nobody takes it harder than me. I accept people's frustrations. They deserve it. I promise you, I'm putting my heart, my soul, everything that I can put into my being, into trying to do the the job here again.”

— Wes Miller, Former Cincinnati Bearcats Head Coach (WLWT)

What’s next

According to reports, Cincinnati is planning to make the coaching change official on April 1st, when Wes Miller's buyout drops from $9.9 million to $4.7 million. Utah State's Jared Calhoun is said to be the presumed frontrunner for the Bearcats' head coaching job.

The takeaway

The firing of Wes Miller underscores Cincinnati's desire to return to the NCAA Tournament and regain its status as a national basketball power. The search for a new head coach will be closely watched, as the Bearcats look to find the right leader to revive the program and end their seven-year tournament drought.