USF was without a head basketball coach for less than a week. On Wednesday afternoon, the university announced that it had hired Chris Mack from the College of Charleston as its new head coach.
Mack succeeds former head coach Bryan Hodgson, who departed for Providence after just one season at South Florida. Mack becomes the 13th head coach of the USF basketball program.
In addition to Charleston, Mack has had head coaching stops at Xavier (2009-18) and Louisville (2018-22). Mack brings a sterling record to USF, compiling a 323-153 mark over 15 seasons, including nine NCAA Tournament appearances and an 11-9 mark in Tournament play. Mack’s NCAA resume also includes four Sweet 16 appearances and one Elite Eight appearance with Xavier.
In addition to the nine NCAA Tournament appearances, Mack also has 12 20-win seasons on his resume. Mack has achieved a No. 1 AP ranking with Louisville, and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with Xavier. Mack is also one of just 19 coaches in college basketball to lead their team to a No. 1 ranking within two years of taking over the program.
Mack has also been named conference coach of the year twice in his career, most recently in 2018 as Big East Coach of the Year. Mack was awarded the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award at Xavier, given each year to an NCAA Division 1 men’s head coach who not only achieves success on the basketball court but also displays moral integrity off the court.
Before his head coaching stints, Mack spent five seasons as an assistant with Sean Miller of Xavier (2004-09) and also served on the staff of the late Skip Prosser at Xavier. He also served as director of basketball operations (1999-01) under Prosser and as an assistant coach at Wake Forest (2001-04).
“Bulls basketball has incredible momentum, and we’ve found an outstanding coach and leader to elevate our program to the next level,” USF athletic director Rob Higgins said. “Chris Mack has reached 20 or more wins in 12 of his 15 seasons as a head coach and guided teams to nine NCAA Tournaments, including several Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight. He brings elite experience in roster building through the portal and transforming programs in a short time frame.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Chris and his family to Bulls Nation. With Chris and Kristy (Curry) leading our men’s and women’s programs, Tampa Bay’s Home for Hoops will be rocking and poised for an incredibly bright future.”
Chris Mack issued a statement saying he is excited to lead a program on such a trajectory.
“I am truly excited for the opportunity to lead a South Florida basketball program that’s on an exceptional trajectory and to join a university and athletic department defined by strong leadership, shared aspirations, and tremendous alignment,” Mack said. “The exceptional vision and commitment Rob outlined are inspiring, and I am grateful for his trust and belief in my leadership of Bulls basketball. I’m eager to connect with Bulls Nation, the students in the SoFlo Rodeo, and the passionate fans who make the Yuengling Center such a special home court.”
Mack will officially be introduced as the new head coach in a press conference on Tuesday.