Syracuse University has its next chancellor in J. Michael Haynie. SU has fired Syracuse basketball head coach Adrian Autry, with that news coming on Wednesday morning.
Next up on the Hill? An announcement on the next Syracuse Orange athletics director, followed by a new Syracuse basketball head coach. Outgoing SU athletics director John Wildhack, who is retiring on July 1, said in a press release on Wednesday that as it relates to a search for the next Orange hoops head coach, "We are going to move quickly and with purpose."
Adrian Autry '94 will not return as head coach of the men's basketball program for the 2026-27 season. A national search for the program's next head coach has commenced and will move expeditiously.https://t.co/2lawDoX4Oo
— Syracuse Men’s Basketball (@Cuse_MBB) March 11, 2026
He added: "This is one of the most storied programs in college basketball, and we intend to hire a proven winner who will build on that legacy. We are looking for a coach who can recruit at the highest level, develop players and compete for championships, conference and national. Syracuse fans deserve nothing less, and that is exactly what we are going to deliver."
Wildhack previously said that he would make any necessary changes at Syracuse basketball following the team's 2025-26 season, which ended on Tuesday in an ACC Tournament first-round loss to SMU. Wildhack followed up that assertion by parting ways with Autry, who went just 49-48 overall in three seasons at the 'Cuse helm and never reached the annual NCAA Tournament.
I've gone on record in saying that I don't believe Wildhack should hire the next Syracuse basketball head coach, because he is leaving SU on July 1. With Wildhack making his decision on Red, that paves the way for the new athletics director to be revealed soon.
Things will move fast in announcing the next SU athletics director, followed by a new Syracuse basketball head coach.
There has been some chatter that the new AD could have been announced by now. Some candidates have been publicly named, but other candidates surely have been interviewed. Haynie will make the final decision on the next athletics director, and I'm hearing that an announcement is potentially imminent - it could happen later this week.
Regarding the next Syracuse basketball head coach, SU Athletics said in its media statement, "A national search for the program's next head coach has commenced and will move expeditiously." Later in the release: "The university will conduct a thorough and expedient search for the program's next head coach."
Assuming the new athletics director is soon in place, he or she should make the hiring decision on the next Orange hoops head coach, although I'm sure that Wildhack, Haynie and other stakeholders will have input, including potentially Carmelo Anthony.
It's highly encouraging that Wildhack said on Wednesday that SU Athletics will "move quickly" in finding its next Syracuse basketball head coach. Timing is of the essence, because the transfer portal in men's basketball will run from April 7 to April 21, and the Orange needs to have its head coach and staff in place before the window opens.