North Carolina State University has announced that Kevin Keatts will not return as the men’s basketball head coach next season. Keatts, who led the NC State Wolfpack to the Final Four last season, has not replicated that success this year. With a roster turnover from last season, NC State finished 12-19 and missed the conference tournament, ESPN reported.
In eight seasons, Keatts compiled an overall record of 151-113, including a 69-84 mark in the ACC, per USA Today. The Wolfpack made a Cinderella run last season, knocking off Duke in the regional final before advancing to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed. However, after struggling this season, Keatts is departing with a $7.8 million buyout.
“I want to thank Coach Keatts for his contributions to NC State and for always representing the university with class,” athletic director Boo Corrigan said in a statement, USA Today reported. “He will always have a treasured place in Wolfpack history for the accomplishments of his 2023-24 squad, and I appreciate the passion he brought to this role. We wish him and his family the best in the future.”
Keatts also left a message on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “The last eight years have been a dream come true.” He noted that the program was under NCAA investigation when he first took over but that the culture has since changed.
“I am extremely proud of what we accomplished during my time here,” Keatts wrote. “As we enter this new era of college sports, I wholeheartedly believe that I am leaving the program in a better position to succeed than when I started—and that the basketball program will continue to thrive when supported to the level necessary to compete.”
According to ESPN, VCU’s Ryan Odom and McNeese’s Will Wade are two potential candidates to replace Keatts at NC State.
