Ohio State University has fired men’s basketball head coach Cris Holtmann after six seasons at the helm, the university announced on Tuesday. Speculation had been swirling about Holtmann’s future since reports surfaced on Wednesday, initially reported by theScore.com, suggesting that his tenure might be coming to an end. Holtmann took over as head coach of the Buckeyes in 2017 and led the team through six seasons, accumulating a record of 137 wins and 85 losses overall, including a 67-64 record in the Big Ten conference.
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Despite his tenure, Holtmann’s time with the Buckeyes was marked by a lack of significant achievements. The team never clinched a conference title under his leadership, and they failed to advance beyond the first round of the NCAA tournament. The decision to terminate Holtmann’s contract comes amidst another disappointing season for the Buckeyes. With Ohio State poised to miss the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year, the university administration felt compelled to take action.
Following a recent loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday night, the Buckeyes currently hold a record of 14-11 for the season, with a conference record of 4-10 in the Big Ten. Their performance places them just one game shy of the bottom of the conference standings. The defeat against Wisconsin also marked the team’s 16th consecutive road loss, further highlighting their struggles this season. There had been optimism among fans in Columbus when the basketball program secured back-to-back top 10 recruiting classes in 2022 and 2023.
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However, despite these recruiting successes, the team only managed a disappointing 20-30 record during that period. With Holtmann’s departure, Ohio State is now in search of a new head coach to lead their men’s basketball program. The university administration is expected to begin the process of identifying potential candidates for the position in the coming weeks.
