SEATTLE — The University of Washington has informed men's basketball coach Mike Hopkins he will not return after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, the program announced Friday.
Hopkins will finish out the Pacific-12 Conference Tournament and any subsequent postseason play. Hopkins is 118-105 over his seven seasons with the Huskies.
"Mike has led the program with great integrity during his seven years at Washington, and remains a highly respected coach and one of the great gentlemen in the game," UW Athletic Director Troy Dannen said. "Everyone at the university is grateful for his service, his commitment to the experience of our student-athletes and his leadership within the department. We wish Mike, Trisha and their children the very best in the future."
The head coach will receive a buyout of at least $500,000 based on his contract.
Hopkins led the Huskies to the NCAA Tournament in 2018-19, but the program has not qualified since and just completed a 17-14 regular season that included a 9-11 record in conference play.
Unless the Huskies manage to win the Pac-12 Tournament and automatically qualify, it will be the fifth consecutive campaign without an appearance in the 68-team NCAA Tournament.
Hopkins did manage to win what appears to be his final regular-season game at UW, defeating the rival Washington State Cougars on Thursday night in Pullman.
The Pac-12 Tournament will begin Wednesday, March 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Other conference teams have regular-season games remaining, but the Huskies currently are 7th in the conference standings.
UW will begin competing in the Big Ten Conference in the 2024-25 season, a significantly deeper conference in men's basketball. Athletic Director Troy Dannen, who did not hire Hopkins, likely wants a fresh face at the head of the program as it steps into a new era.
UW is expected to seek an "experienced head coach" in a national search, ESPN reported citing multiple sources.
