Georgia Tech Names Scott Cross Men's Basketball Head Coach

Georgia Tech officially named Troy head coach Scott Cross as their new men's basketball head coach on Friday, March 20, 2026.

The five-year deal, as reported by ESPN sources, brings a proven winner to Atlanta to replace the recently fired Damon Stoudamire.

Atlanta News First

Athletic director Ryan Alpert made the announcement, highlighting Cross as the 16th head coach in Georgia Tech basketball history.

The hiring comes amid Georgia Tech's recent struggles, as the team finished last in the ACC with a 2-16 conference record and an overall 11-20 mark during the 2025-26 season.

Cross arrives at Georgia Tech with an impressive coaching pedigree from his seven seasons at Troy University, where he transformed the program into a consistent winner.

Under Cross's leadership, the Trojans achieved remarkable success, including back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances and consecutive Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament championships.

ESPN

His Troy teams posted five consecutive 20-win seasons, with a 22-12 record in 2025-26, and he earned his 350th career victory in the Sun Belt Conference championship game.

This sustained success earned him the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year honor, marking the third such award of his career.

The hiring decision comes at a critical time for Georgia Tech basketball, which has struggled significantly in recent years.

“Georgia Tech basketball targeting Troy's Scott Cross as next coach | Sources Troy coach Scott Cross has emerged as the leading candidate in Georgia Tech's basketball coaching search, multiple people with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports on Friday, March 20”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Stoudamire was fired on March 8, one day after the Yellow Jackets completed a disappointing season with a 12-game losing streak.

His three-year tenure resulted in a 42-55 record with no NCAA tournament appearances, continuing a troubling trend for the program.

The Yellow Jackets have reached just one NCAA tournament since 2010, with coaches Brian Gregory, Josh Pastner, and now Stoudamire all failing to bring sustained success.

Cross emerges as the leading candidate from a pool that included Furman's Bob Richey, as athletic director Ryan Alpert seeks to reverse the program's fortunes and restore its proud tradition.

Cross's coaching career spans 19 seasons with a remarkable record of 350-260, demonstrating his ability to build successful programs at multiple institutions.

Before his successful tenure at Troy, Cross coached at Texas-Arlington for 12 seasons from 2006-2018, where he achieved five 20-win seasons and a school-record 27-9 mark in 2016-17.

Newsday

His dismissal from UT Arlington in 2018 after three consecutive 20-win seasons has been described by ESPN as 'one of the biggest administrative blunders in recent college basketball history.'

Since his departure, the Mavericks have gone through three coaches with only one 20-win season.

Cross's ability to transform struggling programs - taking over Troy with just one winning season in the previous nine years - has made him an attractive candidate for programs seeking turnaround success.

Cross brings not only coaching credentials but also a deep connection to the Texas-Arlington program where he played from 1995-1998.

“March 20 (UPI) --The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets named Troy's Scott Cross as their new men's basketball coach, athletic director Ryan Alpert announced Friday”

UPI

As a senior, he averaged 11.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while earning two Academic All-American honors and graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA in marketing.

UPI

This academic and athletic background reflects his emphasis on developing student-athletes, a quality that impressed Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera.

Cross expressed his enthusiasm for the new opportunity, stating in his news release that he is 'truly honored and humbled' to lead the Yellow Jackets and plans to build a culture defined by 'discipline, toughness and accountability.'

He will be formally introduced to the Georgia Tech community on Monday, March 23, as he begins the task of restoring the program to national prominence.