Sean Miller, is a seasoned college basketball coach with more than 450 career wins and four Elite Eight appearances, was officially named head men’s basketball coach at the University of Texas at Austin on March 23, 2025. The hire comes after Texas parted ways with former head coach Rodney Terry on Sunday morning.
Miller, 56, returns to a Power Five program after a three-year second stint at Xavier, where he led the Musketeers to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2023 and compiled a 65–40 record during that span.
Miller previously spent 12 seasons at Arizona from 2009 to 2021, where he guided the Wildcats to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and five Sweet 16s, including three Elite Eight finishes. He was fired in April 2021 following an NCAA investigation tied to the 2017 college basketball corruption scandal. The Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) later required Miller to vacate 50 wins and multiple postseason results due to player eligibility issues.
Despite the controversy, Miller’s coaching résumé remains among the most accomplished in college basketball. Across his tenures at Xavier and Arizona, his teams made 12 NCAA Tournaments, advancing beyond the first round nine times. He holds a career head coaching record of 487–196 (.713), not accounting for vacated games.
Born Nov. 17, 1968, in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, Miller is the son of longtime high school coach John Miller. A standout point guard, he starred at Blackhawk High School before playing at the University of Pittsburgh from 1987 to 1992, where he became known for his leadership and basketball IQ.
Miller’s coaching career began shortly after graduation with assistant roles at Wisconsin, Miami (Ohio), Pittsburgh, and NC State. He joined Xavier in 2001 as associate head coach under Thad Matta, and in 2004, he was promoted to head coach. In five seasons, he led the Musketeers to four NCAA Tournaments and an Elite Eight appearance in 2008.
At Arizona, Miller helped restore the program’s brand with three Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors and multiple top-10 recruiting classes. He oversaw major facility upgrades, including an $80 million renovation to McKale Center and the addition of a strength and conditioning facility.
Internationally, Miller found success with USA Basketball, earning a gold medal as head coach of the U-19 men’s national team at the 2015 FIBA World Championship. He is one of the few individuals to win gold as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.
His career has been defined by postseason consistency, strong recruiting — especially internationally — and program rebuilding. During his time at Arizona, Miller recruited and developed several NBA players, including No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, Lauri Markkanen, and Bennedict Mathurin.
Miller inherits Texas amid elite talent, but no true identity. Texas has dominated quickly in nearly all sports in the SEC, except men’s basketball. The Miller era hopes to change that in Austin.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Sean Miller era set to begin in Austin, his story is all but written
