14 March 2022
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Gamecocks have fired Frank Martin as the head coach of the men’s basketball team, ending his run leading the program that saw the team make its only Final Four in history but make few other postseason appearances.
“After a thorough evaluation of our men’s basketball program, we have decided to make a change,” USC Head Coach Ray Tanner said in a statement on the decision. “We are grateful for the dedication that Coach Martin has made to Gamecock Basketball. We wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.”
The team just completed an 18-13 season that saw them miss both the NCAA tournament and the NIT.
Tanner said a search will begin immediately for a new coach.
“Our expectation is to compete for Southeastern Conference and national championships,” said Tanner. “We have great facilities, a passionate fan base and we provide our student-athletes an outstanding experience at the University of South Carolina. We will hire someone with a winning coaching history, who has the energy, passion, and commitment to excellence in all areas of the student-athlete experience.”
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Martin had led the team for 10 seasons, the third longest run in team history. His biggest highlight was the 2017 NCAA Tournament, where he took the team to the Final Four for the first time in program history. He also led them to the NIT in 2015-16.
But Marin had struggled to build on those successes in recent seasons.
Martin finishes his USC run with a 171-147 overall mark and a 79-99 record in SEC play.