After losing in the First Four to Texas, NC State expected to build on its 2025-26 campaign, the first under head coach Will Wade. Then, they found themselves needing a new head coach all of a sudden, as Wade left NC State for LSU in a move that surprised the university.
Now, NC State has found its new head coach, according to Pete Nakos on On3.
The Wolfpack will be hiring Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey to lead the program. Tennessee just went to a second straight Elite Eight this season, including defeating two-seed Iowa State during the run. They would fall to Michigan in the Elite Eight, but in the process, Gainey became a hot name in the coaching carousel.
Gainey played point guard for NC State from 1996-2000, then played professionally in Australia, France, and the USBL. After his professional career ended, the former NC State guard began working in administration at NC State from 2006-2009. His coaching career at Elon for the 2009-2010 campaign, before moving to Appalachian State.
Gainey returned to admin as the director of operations for Marqueete from 201-14-17 before returning to coaching for the 2017-18 campaign at Santa Clara. Gainey would then coach two seasons under Sean Miller at Arizona. He would return to Marquette under Steve Wojciechowski for one season before joining Rick Barnes at Tennessee ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.
Gainey has been focused on the defense at Tennessee, which has consistently been one of the best in KenPom's defensive efficiency ratings.
This is the first time NC State has hired a coach without previous college head coaching experience since hiring Sidney Lowe after the 2005-06 season, but he had been a head coach at the NBA level. The last time the school hired a coach without college or NBA head coaching experience was ahead of the 1946-57 season, when they hired Everett Case.
