The Brief
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USF announced the hiring of Chris Mack as it’s next men’s head basketball coach, becoming the 13th leader of the program.
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Mack brings a 323-153 career record, 12 seasons with 20+ wins, and nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
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Mack takes over after a historic season for USF, with hopes to elevate the team on the national stage.
TAMPA, Fla. – The University of South Florida has named veteran coach Chris Mack as the 13th head coach of its men’s basketball program, the school announced Wednesday.
The backstory
Mack brings plenty of Division 1 experience to Tampa, compiling a 323-153 career record over 15 seasons as a head coach, including previous stops at Xavier University, University of Louisville and most recently the College of Charleston. He has led teams to 12 seasons with 20 or more wins and made nine appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including four Sweet 16 runs and one Elite Eight appearance.
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“Bulls basketball has incredible momentum, and we’ve found an outstanding coach and leader to elevate our program to the next level,” USF Vice President of Athletics Rob Higgins said. “He brings elite experience in roster building through the portal and transforming programs in a short time frame. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Chris and his family to Bulls Nation. With Chris and Kristy (Curry) leading our men’s and women’s programs, Tampa Bay’s Home for Hoops will be rocking and poised for an incredibly bright future.”
Mack was named the 2016 national coach of the year after a standout run at Xavier and has earned multiple conference coach of the year honors throughout his career. He is also among a select group of coaches to lead a program to a No. 1 national ranking within his first two seasons.
What they’re saying
“I am truly excited for the opportunity to lead a South Florida basketball program that’s on an exceptional trajectory and to join a university and athletic department defined by strong leadership, shared aspirations, and tremendous alignment,” Mack said. “The exceptional vision and commitment Rob outlined are inspiring, and I am grateful for his trust and belief in my leadership of Bulls basketball. I’m eager to connect with Bulls Nation, the students in the SoFlo Rodeo, and the passionate fans who make the Yuengling Center such a special home court.”
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Dig deeper
Most recently, Mack led Charleston to back-to-back 20-win seasons, including a 24-9 record in his first year and a 21-11 finish this past season.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 10: Head coach Chris Mack of the Charleston Cougars signals to his players in the second half against the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks during the semifinals of the Jersey Mike’s CAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at CareFirst Arena on March 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Before that, he guided Louisville to a 24-7 record during the 2019-20 season, when the Cardinals reached No. 1 in the national rankings prior to the season being cut short due to COVID-19.
Before his stint with the Cardinals, Mack compiled a 215-97 record over nine seasons at Xavier, highlighted by an Elite Eight appearance in 2017 and the program’s first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2018.
What’s next
Mack takes over a USF program coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history, as the Bulls aim to build momentum on the national stage.
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The Source
Information for this story was provided by a University of South Florida Athletics press release.
