Providence Fires Basketball Coach Kim English After Three Seasons

Friars part ways with English following second straight losing season

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The Providence Friars have decided to part ways with head basketball coach Kim English after three seasons. English led the team to a 21-14 record and an NIT appearance in his first season, but the team has struggled the past two years, going 12-20 last season and currently sitting at 14-16 overall this year.

Why it matters

Providence is one of the more prominent basketball programs in the Big East Conference, so a coaching change at this level is significant. The Friars have high expectations and will now be searching for a new leader to try to turn the program back around.

The details

English was hired by Providence in 2023 after a brief two-year stint as head coach at George Mason. In his first season, he led the Friars to a 21-14 record and an NIT appearance, but the team has regressed the past two years, going 12-20 last season and currently 14-16 overall this year. With the Friars set to miss the NCAA Tournament again, the program has decided to part ways with English before the end of the season.

  • English was hired as Providence's head coach in 2023.
  • In his first season in 2023-24, he led the Friars to a 21-14 record and an NIT appearance.
  • Last season in 2024-25, the team fell to 12-20 overall and 6-14 in Big East play.
  • This season in 2025-26, Providence is currently 14-16 overall and 7-12 in conference play.

The players

Kim English

The former head coach of the Providence Friars basketball team, who was fired after three seasons with the program.

Devin Carter

A player that English helped develop during his first season at Providence, who went on to become a lottery pick in the NBA Draft.

Ed Cooley

The previous head coach of the Providence Friars, who left the program to take the head coaching job at Georgetown.

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What they’re saying

“Even if Providence is able to beat Georgetown in their final game of the regular season, they will still have clinched a sub-.500 record in season play.”

— David Yapkowitz, Author (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

Providence will now begin a search for a new head coach to try to turn the program around and get it back to the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This coaching change at Providence highlights the high expectations and pressure that come with leading a prominent Big East basketball program. English was unable to sustain the initial success of his first season, and the Friars have decided to go in a new direction as they look to regain their status as an NCAA Tournament team.