March 7, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange coach Adrian Autry watches the second half of the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Image Syracuse fired men’s basketball coach Adrian Autry on Wednesday, three years after replacing legendary coach Jim Boeheim.
Under Autry, who played for Boeheim and was an assistant coach on his staff, the Orange finished 49-48 and did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament. They failed to make the tournament in the final two of Boeheim’s 47 seasons, which has kept Syracuse from having a chance to play for a national title the past five seasons.
This is the longest drought in 50 years.
“Adrian first came to Syracuse as a student-athlete in 1990 and the program has been a constant in his life ever since, as a player, assistant coach, assistant coach and ultimately head coach,” athletic director John Wildhack said in a press release. “His commitment to our student-athletes, both on and off the court, never wavered during his time here. We are grateful for his service and dedication to Orange Basketball.”
Autry, 54, coached his final game on Tuesday, when the Orange lost to SMU 86-69 in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. Syracuse finished the season at 15-17 (6-12 ACC) and 1-11 in Quad 1 games.
Syracuse won 20 games in its first season (20-12) but went 14-19 in 2024-25.
After Tuesday’s game, Autry addressed the difficulties of being an NCAA coach in this era.
“When I took this job, I knew the expectations that came with it. I was a player and a part of it, and I tried to respect that every day,” he said. “What I’ve learned is that there are a lot of variables in today’s world that can’t be overlooked to get to that standard again. The landscape of college athletics has changed. A lot of things have changed to make it the standard we want to be. I think that’s been a struggle for me to adapt. It’s different now to be able to compete nationally.”
The university said a national search for Autry’s replacement will begin immediately.
“We will move quickly and with purpose,” Wildhack said. “This is one of the most storied programs in college basketball, and we plan to hire proven winners to continue that legacy. We are looking for a coach who can recruit and develop players at the highest level and compete for championships, conference and national championships. Syracuse fans deserve nothing less, and that is what we will deliver.”
–Field level media
