Creighton Coach Greg McDermott Announces Retirement
Creighton head coach Greg McDermott will retire after this season, concluding a distinguished 16-year tenure. He has guided the team to numerous NCAA tournaments and significant achievements.
Creighton University has announced that head coach Greg McDermott will retire following the conclusion of the current basketball season.
During his 16 years at Creighton, McDermott achieved an impressive record of 365 wins. Over a total of 25 seasons in Division I basketball, he holds a career record of 514-319, which includes reaching the Elite Eight in 2023 and participating in 13 NCAA tournaments while coaching 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," McDermott stated. "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."
McDermott will hand over the reins to Alan Huss, who has been designated as the coach-in-waiting. Huss returned to the Creighton staff and had previously stepped down as the head coach of High Point after leading the team to the NCAA tournament. He was appointed to this future role in April 2025, with plans for him to 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," Huss expressed. "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."
Notably, McDermott coached his son, Doug McDermott, from 2010 to 2014, a period that saw Creighton transition from the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) to the Big East. His legacy includes guiding Creighton to win the Big East regular season title in 2019-20 and maintaining a record of .500 or better in Big East play in 11 of 13 seasons.
This season has been challenging for Creighton, with a current record of 15-17, marking the end of a remarkable streak of 10 consecutive 20-win seasons. McDermott still has games left to coach, including participation in The Crown, a college basketball postseason event.
Before this season, Creighton enjoyed a successful stretch, making five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. The team was poised for a sixth appearance in 2020 after winning the Big East regular-season title but did not compete due to the tournament's cancellation.
In 2023, Creighton narrowly missed the Final Four, losing to San Diego State in the Elite Eight after a controversial foul call led to a last-second free throw.