Reports: Vandy hiring Mark Byington as new coach

Field Level Media|published: Mon 25th March, 13:32 2024

Mar 24, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; James Madison Dukes head coach Mark Byington talks to the team during a time out against the Duke Blue Devils in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center. credits: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Vanderbilt is set to hire James Madison's Mark Byington as its next head coach, multiple outlets reported Monday.

The report comes less than 24 hours after JMU was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Duke in the second round. Byington led the 12th-seeded Dukes to their first tournament win since 1983, beating No. 5 Wisconsin in a South Region opener on Friday.

Byington, 47, will replace Jerry Stackhouse, who was fired by Vanderbilt on March 15.

Byington went 82-36 in his four seasons at the Harrisonburg, Va., school, the first two in the Colonial Athletic Association and the last two in the Sun Belt. He is 213-133 overall, having also coached seven seasons at Georgia Southern (2013-20).

The Dukes (32-4) set a program record for wins this season.

Stackhouse compiled a record of 70-92 (28-60 SEC) in five seasons at Vanderbilt, with two appearances in the NIT (2022, 2023). The Commodores have not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2017.

ESPN was the first to report the move.

—Field Level Media