Report: Frank Martin to accept new Division I head coaching job

After a week of rumors and speculation, former South Carolina coach Frank Martin is returning to the sidelines.

Martin is set to become the new head coach at UMass, according to Matt Vatour of MassLive.com. An announcement is expected sometime Friday after the two sides came to an agreement late Thursday.

UMass formally offered Martin the position March 24 after a meeting with athletic director Ryan Bamford.

Martin spent the last 10 years as the head coach at South Carolina. He amassed a 171-147 record, including a 79-99 mark in SEC action. The Gamecocks went 18-13 overall and 9-9 in league play this season, but missed out on the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight time. The last time South Carolina played in the big dance, it made the 2017 Final Four, where it fell to Gonzaga.

It’s a nice homecoming of sorts for Martin’s wife, Anya. She graduated from UMass, which means she’s returning to her alma mater.

The Minutemen went 15-17 overall in 2021-22, including a 7-11 record in Atlantic 10 play. They decided to move on from Matt McCall after five years. With UMass, McCall had a 60-81 overall record and went 30-52 in A-10 action.

More on UMass’ pursuit of Frank Martin

Martin became available after South Carolina parted ways with him on March 14. Gamecocks athletic director Ray Tanner explained the decision in a press release announcing the move.

“After a thorough evaluation of our men’s basketball program, we have decided to make a change,” Tanner said. “We are grateful for the dedication that Coach Martin has made to Gamecock Basketball. We wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future.”

Reports surfaced March 23 saying Martin emerged as a favorite for the UMass job after St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt became connected to the opening. However, Schmidt reportedly pulled out of contention for the position, which opened the door for Martin to swoop in and take over.

Bamford met with Martin on Thursday and things went well, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. That’s when he received the offer to replace McCall, and the decision came in shortly thereafter.

It was the second meeting between the two sides after an initial conversation on March 22 to gauge each other’s interest.

Prior to his time at South Carolina, Martin served as the head coach at Kansas State for five years. He led the Wildcats to four NCAA Tournament appearances in five years and a 117-54 record in that time. That’s when South Carolina came calling.

The Gamecocks named their replacement for Martin on March 21, hiring former Chattanooga coach Lamont Paris to fill the role.