College of Charleston has become one of the premier men’s basketball programs at the mid-major level.
The last two coaches, Earl Grant and Pat Kelsey, have both gone on to jobs in the ACC, at Boston College and Louisville, respectively.
Kelsey was introduced as Louisville's new coach on Thursday afternoon. His departure wasn’t unexpected, and filling his shoes will be no small task for the Cougars' next head coach. Expectations around the program have never been higher after Kelsey's back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
Since the 2017 season, the College of Charleston has recorded five 20-win seasons with three NCAA Tournament bids and an NIT appearance.
Will CofC athletic director Matt Roberts go with a head coach who is a proven winner? Of will he try to get one of the top young assistant coaches at a Power 5 school? That's what Florida Atlantic did when it hired Baylor associate coach John Jakus earlier this week.
College of Charleston president Andrew Hsu said the school will undertake a "national search" for its next coach. CofC will use search firm Collegiate Sports Associates to assist in finding the next coach.
"The College of Charleston is a top 10 program all time in Division I winning percentage thanks to John Kresse, Bobby Cremins, Earl Grant and Pat Kelsey, and we are committed to continuing that legacy of excellence on and off the court," said Hsu. "I am excited about the future of Charleston basketball as we immediately embark on a national search for the next leader of our history-making program."
Here are five candidates widely thought to be candidates:
Bob Richey
Current job: Furman head coach
Age: 41
Record: 156-71 in 7 seasons at Furman
Postseason: 2019 NIT; 2023 NCAA Tournament
The Skinny: Richey has proven he can win at the mid-major level with five 20-win seasons at Furman. He guided the Paladins to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1980 and upset Virginia in the first round of March Madness in 2023. Richey coached at Charleston Southern as an assistant coach and knows the Lowcountry well.
Richey helped develop former Pinewood Prep’s Jalen Slawson, who is playing for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Will Richey consider CofC a move up or a lateral move?
Mike Morrell
Current job: UNC Asheville head coach
Age: 41
Record: 95-88 in 6 seasons at UNC Asheville
Postseason: 2022 CBI; 2023 NCAA Tournament
The Skinny: Morell has led the Bulldogs to back-to-back 20-win seasons. His best team was during the 2022-23 season, when UNCA went 27-8, won the Big South regular season and tournament titles and went to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 15 seed.
Morrell has connections to the state of South Carolina and the Lowcountry with assistant coaching stints at Clemson and Charleston Southern.
Morell was also a part of Shaka Smart’s staff at Virginia Commonwealth during its run to the Final Four in 2011.
Bucky McMillan
Current job: Samford head coach
Age: 40
Record: 77-41 in 4 seasons at Samford
Postseason: 2024 NCAA Tournament
The Skinny: McMillan took the route less travelled to become a Division I head coach. McMillan was a highly successful high school coach before being named Samford’s head coach in 2020. He struggled his first season with the Bulldogs (6-13) during a COVID-shortened season.
Since, the Bulldogs have won 20 games in each of the last 3 seasons, including this year when Samford went 29-6 and earned a No. 13 seed – same seed as College of Charleston – in March Madness.
The Bulldogs play an up-tempo aggressive style called “Bucky Ball”.
McMillan, who was named the SoCon Coach of the Year this season, has no real connections to South Carolina or the Lowcountry.
Jerrod Calhoun
Current job: Youngstown State head coach
Age: 42
Record: 242-143 in 12 seasons at Fairmont State and Youngstown State
Postseason: 2013, ’15, ’16, & ’17 NCAA Division II Tournament; 2023 NIT Tournament; 2022 TBC
The Skinny: Calhoun’s first head coaching gig came with NCAA Division II where he led the Falcons to five, 20-win seasons and four appearances in the Division II national tournament, including a spot in the finals in 2017 when Fairmount State went 34-3.
He moved onto Youngstown State for the 2017-18 season and it took him a while to build a consistent winner.
Calhoun’s best season with the Penguins came during the 2022-23 season when Youngstown State went 24-10, won the Horizon League regular season title and made it to the NIT.
Calhoun has no connections to the Lowcountry.
BJ McKie has been an assistant coach at Wake Forest since 2020. File/Wake Forest Athletics
BJ McKie
Current job: Assistant coach at Wake Forest
Age: 46
Record: N/A
Postseason: N/A
The Skinny: McKie, who has been an assistant coach at Wake Forest since 2020, was one of the top high school players the state of South Carolina has produced. He had his number retired at South Carolina.
The knock against McKie is that he doesn’t have any collegiate head coaching experience, but he has been an assistant coach at a Power 5 school in Wake Forest.
The Deacons have had two 20-win seasons, while McKie has served on Steve Forbes’ coaching staff. Wake Forest went 25-10 during the 2021-22 season and won two games in the NIT.
McKie spearheaded the recruitment of All-ACC First Team guard Hunter Sallis. He also has strong ties to the Lowcountry, having been an assistant coach at Charleston Southern for six years.
