Stanford fires coach Jerod Haase after Pac-12 tournament loss

Jerod Haase failed to lead Stanford to an NCAA Tournament appearance over his eight-year tenure as coach of the Cardinal men's basketball team. File photo: John Sommers II/UPI

March 15 (UPI) — Stanford has fired men’s basketball coach Jerod Haase after eight seasons, athletic director Bernard Muir said.

Muir announced the decision almost immediately after the Cardinal lost 79-62 to Washington State in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Conference tournament Thursday in Las Vegas.

“While the on-court results fell short of our expectations, coach Haase led our men’s basketball program with great integrity and made a deeply positive impact on many Cardinal student-athletes,” Muir said in a news release.

“As we embark on the search for our next head coach, I wish Jerod and his family all the best in the future.”

Haase led the Cardinal to a 126-127 record over his tenure as coach. They won 20 games just once and never reached the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s been a heck of a run,” Haase said at his postgame news conference, which occurred after news broke of his dismissal.

The Cardinal went 14-18 in 2023-24. They were 11-9 on Feb. 1 but lost eight of their final 10 regular-season games. They beat California 87-76 in overtime in the first round of the Pac-12 tournament Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena.

Haase previously coached at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He led the Blazers to an 80-53 record and a 2015 NCAA Tournament appearance over that four-year tenure.

The Cardinal said their search for his replacement will begin immediately. Their men’s basketball team made just one NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007-08. Meanwhile, the Stanford women’s team will appear in the NCAA Tournament for the 36th time in the last 37 seasons.

Women’s coach Tara VanDerveer’s 1,214 victories are the most for any men’s or women’s coach in college basketball history.

VanDerveer, who is in her 39th season, also led the Cardinal to 15 Final Four appearances and three national titles.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here