Georgia hires Mike White as men’s basketball head coach

Published 2:35 pm Monday, March 14, 2022

Three days after announcing the departure of head coach Tom Crean, Georgia has hired his replacement. Florida’s Mike White will be the next head coach of Georgia’s men’s basketball program.

UGA Athletics officially confirmed the hire in a tweet on Sunday evening welcoming White to Athens.

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In an official announcement on Sunday night, Georgia Athletic Director Josh Brooks had high praise for White.

“We have witnessed Coach White to be a leader of men, as well as a proven winner with an impressive postseason body of work,” Brooks said. “We want to compete for national success in all 21 of our sports, and we believe that he is the coach that can build Georgia Basketball to a consistent winner on the collegiate basketball landscape.”

White himself was quoted in that announcement as well, emphasizing his excitement in regard to his new job.

“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to lead the men’s basketball program at the University of Georgia,” White said. “President Jere W. Morehead and Athletics Director Josh Brooks are united in a strong vision for UGA Basketball which resonated with me deeply. They believe, as I do, in developing our young men as students, athletes and leaders, as well as providing them with the support they need to be successful. I believe in the limitless future of Georgia Basketball.”

White went 142-88 over the course of seven seasons at the helm of Florida’s program, leading the Gators to four NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Elite Eight in the 2017 tournament.

Prior to his time at Florida, White was the head coach of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs from 2011-2015. He led the team to a 101-40 overall record and three NIT appearances including back-to-back runs to the quarterfinals in 2014 and 2015.

White will hope to lead Georgia’s program out of the SEC cellar following a historically poor 6-26 season for the Bulldogs that culminated in an 86-51 loss to Vanderbilt in the first round of the SEC Tournament.

Georgia has not made the NCAA tournament since the 2014-15 season, when former head coach Mark Fox led the Bulldogs to a 21-12 record that included an 11-7 finish in SEC play.