Steve Lavin is out as the University of San Diego men’s basketball coach following an 11-17 start to the season, On3’s Pete Nakos reports.
The former UCLA and St. John’s head coach joined the Toreros for the 2022-23 season. Under his watch, USD produced one winning season in four, an 18-15 campaign in 2023-24. USD fell to 6-27 last season and was off to a 5-10 start in WCC play prior to Wednesday’s news of his dismissal.
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Lavin’s dismissal concludes far the worst coaching stint of his career after he previously found relative success with two traditional basketball powers.
Steve Lavin is reportedly out as USD’s head coach.
(The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Lavin, 61, coached UCLA for seven seasons from 1996-2003. The Bruins made the NCAA tournament in each of his first six seasons. UCLA fired him after a 10-19 campaign in 2002-03, his first and only with a losing record with the Bruins. UCLA went 145-78 under Lavin, but never advanced beyond the Elite Eight.
Lavin returned to head coaching with St. John’s in 2010. St. John’s went 92-72 with Lavin as head coach and made the NCAA tournament twice in five seasons — his first and his last. St. John’s tournament appearance in 2011 under Lavin was its first in nine seasons as Lavin helped return the previously proud program to relevance.
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Per the school, Lavin and St. John’s mutually agreed to part ways following a first-round NCAA tournament exit in 2015. Program icon Chris Mullin took his place.
In between his coaching stints, Lavin has worked as a college basketball broadcast analyst.
