Penn fires coach Steve Donahue after 9 seasons

Field Level Media|published: 03/10/2025, 12:22pm EDT

Dec 29, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn Quakers head coach Steve Donahue looks on from the bench during the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Pennsylvania has fired coach Steve Donahue after nine seasons, the school announced Monday.

The Quakers finished 8-19 this season, the worst campaign under Donahue, who finishes 131-130 in nine seasons in Philadelphia. Penn was Donahue's third stop as a head coach.

"I'm appreciative of Steve's long tenure of leadership and service to Penn basketball and our student-athletes, both as an assistant and head coach," Director of Athletics Alanna Wren said in a statement. "I've always had great respect for his commitment to Ivy values, and he has been a strong representative of Penn during his career. Unfortunately, the competitive success on the court has not been up to our standards."

Donahue, 62, led Penn to the NCAA Tournament in 2018 but the Quakers have finished seventh in the Ivy League in back-to-back seasons.

Donahue is 331-344 overall at Cornell (2000-10), Boston College (2010-14) and Penn. He was an assistant coach at Penn from 1991-2000.

Penn has hired an executive search firm to conduct a national coaching search.

--Field Level Media