Georgia Tech fires coach Josh Pastner after 7 seasons, ACC tournament loss
Josh Pastner is out at Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets are expected to fire Pastner on Friday afternoon, just two days after they were knocked out of the ACC tournament by Pittsburgh.
Thank you, Coach, for all that you and your family have done for Georgia Tech. 💛 pic.twitter.com/Y8KjgXoWao
— Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (@GTAthletics) March 10, 2023
Pastner has spent the last seven seasons at Georgia Tech, where he jumped to in 2016 after a seven-year run at Memphis. Pastner went 109-114 while in Atlanta, but made the NCAA tournament just once after winning the ACC tournament in 2021. The Yellow Jackets were then knocked out of the tournament in the first round.
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Pastner had just three winning seasons at Georgia Tech, and went 15-18 this season — which was better than just Notre Dame and Louisville in the ACC.
Georgia Tech has largely struggled as a program since its two-season run from 2003-05, when it fell in the national championship game to UConn and then made the NCAA tournament the following season. That marked the only stretch in the past 30 years when the Yellow Jackets made consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament.
First-year athletic director J Batt, who joined the school after a stint as Alabama’s deputy athletic director last fall, will now begin the search for a new coach.
"We have high expectations at Georgia Tech for all of our sports programs, and it is imperative that our storied men's basketball program achieves a greater level of success," Batt said, via ESPN.
"Our men's basketball program is important to our department and to our institution. We will not shy away from expecting to consistently compete for ACC championships, NCAA tournament appearances and sustained success."
