BY ALEJANDRO LOPEZ
Creighton’s long time head coach is calling it a career.
Blue Jays head coach Greg McDermott is retiring after 16 seasons with the program, according to ESPN. The head coaching job will go to associate head coach Alan Huss.
“It has been an incredible honor to lead the Creighton men’s basketball program for the past 16 years,” said McDermott in a statement on Monday. “I’m very proud of the young men that have proudly worn the Bluejay uniform and represented our program in a first-class manner. Witnessing their growth and development on and off the playing floor was especially gratifying.”
McDermott’s final season with Creighton came to an end sooner than the program would have liked after reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year and appearing in a Sweet 16 in 2024.
“For those of us who have been part of the ‘new’ BIG EAST Conference the past 13 years, Greg McDermott and Creighton basketball are synonymous,” BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman said in a statement on Monday. “Starting with the Jays’ appearance in the 2014 BIG EAST title game at Madison Square Garden, Creighton has consistently proven its place among the NCAA’s top tier, with 20+-win seasons, regular NCAA tournament appearances, All-American players and a fan base that’s among the most passionate in the sport.”
This season the Blue Jays season ended with a loss to the Seton Hall Pirates in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Tournament.
McDermott will, however, coach the team through its appearance in this year’s Crown tournament.
“While this chapter of my career comes to a close, my love and respect for the Bluejays will never fade,” McDermott added. “I look forward to the continued success of Bluejay basketball under the leadership of Alan Huss.”
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