Fran McCaffery Nears Deal to Return as Penn Men’s Basketball Head Coach

The Philadelphia native and former Iowa coach is expected to lead his struggling alma mater, facing immediate challenges in player retention and program revitalization.

• Fran McCaffery, former Iowa coach and Penn alum, is reportedly finalizing a deal to become the head coach of Penn’s men’s basketball program.
• McCaffery replaces Steve Donahue, who was dismissed on March 10 after nine seasons and a steep decline in team performance.
• Penn’s basketball program has struggled in recent years, finishing near the bottom of the Ivy League, with just seven conference wins over the past two seasons.
• McCaffery’s immediate challenges include retaining key players like Sam Brown, who entered the transfer portal but has not ruled out returning, and AJ Levine, who has decided to stay.
• Penn’s leading scorer Ethan Roberts expressed optimism about the program’s future under McCaffery’s leadership.

4 Articles

The Philadelphia Inquirer EssentiallySports Forbes