Less than a week after losing Chris Mack to South Florida, College of Charleston has found its next head coach.
Akron’s John Groce has agreed to become the head coach at College of Charleston, sources confirmed on March 30.
Groce, 54, replaces Mack, who left on March 25 to take the head coaching position with the Bulls after back-to-back 20-win seasons with the Cougars. Like Mack, who coached at Louisville, Groce has experience leading a Power 4 program having coached Illinois of the Big Ten from 2012-17.
A press conference to introduce Groce is expected to be held on Wednesday.
Groce has compiled a record of 197-94 in nine seasons at Akron, including 114-50 in the Mid-American Conference.
Groce guided the Zips to four MAC Tournament championships earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Zips have been a part of March Madness four of the last five seasons (2022, ’24, ’25, and ’26) under Groce.
The 12th-seeded Zips, who went 29-6 this past season, are coming off a loss to Texas Tech in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on March 20.
Groce has been a head coach for 18 seasons, compiling a 377-225 record, including 4-7 in March Madness. He’s recorded at least two 20-win seasons at all three spots during his career and 10 overall 20-win campaigns.
Groce’s first head coaching position came at Ohio from 2008-12 where he led the Bobcats to an 85-56 record, including two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. As a No. 13 seed, Groce led the Bobcats to the Sweet 16 in 2012.
The following season, he took the head coaching job at Illinois, where he went 95-75 but managed just one appearance in the Big Dance.
Akron signed Groce an extension last season through the 2035 season that pays him a base salary of $650,000 but goes up to $850,000 with incentives and supplements. Included in the extension were two $75,000 retention bonuses.
Groce has a $350,000 buyout clause in his contract.
