SMU hires Southern California’s Andy Enfield as men’s basketball coach

SMU named Andy Enfield its new basketball head coach Monday, luring him away from Southern California after 11 seasons.

Enfield replaces Rob Lanier, fired last month after a 20-win season, just his second in Dallas. SMU will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference beginning next season.

‘We are excited to announce Andy Enfield as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at SMU,’ athletics director Rick Hart said in a release. ‘Coach Enfield is enthusiastic about joining the Mustang family and the ACC. He has a strong track record of building winning teams on the court and in the classroom and pursuing championships with integrity. We believe he is a game changer for SMU Men’s Basketball.’

Enfield was reportedly the sole target of the Mustangs after they fired Lanier on March 21, a day after they lost a first-round game in the NIT to Indiana State.

He will be introduced on Tuesday.

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‘I am so excited to join the SMU family,’ said Enfield. ‘It is an incredible time for the university as we enter the ACC. We will make Mustang fans and the city of Dallas proud and cannot wait to get started.’

Enfield, 54, just concluded his 11th season at USC. Several key players missed time with injuries as the Trojans finished the season 15-18.

Enfield went 220-147 at USC, with five NCAA Tournament appearances. The Trojans reached the Elite Eight in the 2020-21 season. He previously coached at Florida Gulf Coast, guiding the 15th-seeded Eagles to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in 2013.

SMU, which finished 20-13 this season, reportedly wanted a high-profile hire for its move to the ACC. The Mustangs, who went just 10-22 in 2022-23, lost seven of their last eight games this season, and Lanier was let go after two seasons at the school.

The Mustangs have not made the NCAA Tournament since losing in the first round in 2016-17.