Creighton coach McDermott retiring after season

Creighton coach McDermott retiring after season

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McDermott's retirement will end a gilded run at Creighton, as McDermott won 365 games in 16 years there. He has a career record of 514-319 over 25 Division I seasons, including the 2023 Elite Eight and 13 overall NCAA tournaments while the head coach at Northern Iowa, Iowa State and Creighton.

"It has been an incredible honor to lead the Creighton men's basketball program for the past 16 years," said McDermott in a statement. "I'm very proud of the young men that have proudly worn the Bluejay uniform and represented our program in a first-class manner. Witnessing their growth and development on and off the playing floor was especially gratifying."

16 Legendary Years. Thank you for everything, Coach. 📰 https://t.co/fOxtJ41DsA#GoJays x @cucoachmac pic.twitter.com/prrZME8x27

McDermott will be passing the job to coach-in-waiting Alan Huss, who had returned to the Creighton staff and was formally positioned for a year to take over this role.

The transition to Huss was hatched in April 2025, as Huss stepped down as the head coach of High Point after leading them to the NCAA tournament. He was named coach-in-waiting with no finite timeline, and that timing is now he'll take over for the 2026-27 season.

"I am incredibly honored and humbled to be named the head men's basketball coach at Creighton University," said Huss in a statement. "This University has meant so much to me as a former player, as an alumnus and through the seven years I've spent serving this program. Creighton helped shape who I am, and the opportunity to now lead this program is something I do not take lightly."

At Creighton, McDermott memorably coached his son, Doug McDermott, from 2010-11 to 2013-14. That time included helping bridge Creighton from the Missouri Valley to the Big East.

The seamless transition from the MVC to the Big East will be a huge part of Greg McDermott's legacy, as Creighton won the Big East regular season in the 2019-20 season and had records of .500 or above in Big East play in 11 of 13 seasons in the league.

Greg McDermott won 365 games in 16 years at Creighton. He has a career record of 514-319 over 25 Division I seasons as the head coach at Northern Iowa, Iowa State and Creighton. Jordan Prather-Imagn ImagesCreighton struggled this year by the standard McDermott set, finishing 15-17 and ending a string of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons.

Greg McDermott still has games remaining, as he will coach through Creighton's appearance in The Crown, a college basketball postseason event.

Until this season, Creighton had been on one of the best runs in school history. It had reached five consecutive NCAA tournaments, a number that would have been six as it would have comfortably made the 2020 tournament after winning the regular-season Big East title that year.

McDermott came a controversial whistle from making the Final Four back in 2023, as a free throw with 1.2 seconds left after an Andrew Nembhard foul sent San Diego State to the Final Four. Creighton was a No. 6 seed in that NCAA tournament and reached the Elite Eight.