Penn fires men’s basketball coach Steve Donahue after going 8-19 in his 9th season in charge

By Canadian Press on March 10, 2025.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn fired men’s basketball coach Steve Donahue on Monday after the Quakers went 8-19 in his ninth season on the job.

Athletic director Alanna Wren announced the move 48 hours after the team lost to Princeton in its season finale.

“Steve has been steadfast in his commitment to the program and the development of our student-athletes,” Wren said in a news release. “I’ve always had great respect for his commitment to Ivy values, and he has been a strong representative of Penn during his career. Unfortunately, the competitive success on the court has not been up to our standards. While difficult, a change in leadership is necessary to provide the championship-caliber experience our student-athletes, alumni and fans expect.”

Penn made one NCAA Tournament appearance during Donahue’s tenure when it won the Ivy League Tournament on their home court at the Palestra in Philadelphia in 2018. As a No. 16 seed, the team lost to top-seeded Kansas in the first round.

The Quakers went 131-130 overall and 63-63 in conference play since Donahue took over in 2015. The school said a national search for Donahue’s successor begins immediately with assistance from Parker Executive Search.

Donahue, 62, was an assistant at Penn from 1991-2000 under Fran Dunphy, the leader in coaching victories in Philadelphia’s Big 5 who is retiring from his most recent post at nearby La Salle. Donahue coached Cornell from 2000-10 and Boston College from ’10-14 before returning to the Ivy League with Penn.

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The Associated Press