Indiana Basketball Coaching Search: Mick Cronin Profile
Indiana University is actively searching for its next men’s basketball head coach, as Mike Woodson plans to step down after the 2024-25 season. Athletic director Scott Dolson is evaluating several candidates, and one name frequently mentioned is UCLA’s Mick Cronin.
Cronin, 53, has deep Midwest ties and has built a strong reputation through his coaching stints at Murray State, Cincinnati, and now UCLA. Born and raised in Cincinnati, he started his collegiate coaching career as a video coordinator under Bob Huggins at Cincinnati in 1996. He was promoted to assistant coach the following year, becoming a key recruiter for the Bearcats.
In 2001, Cronin joined Rick Pitino at Louisville as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator before landing his first head coaching job at Murray State in 2003. Over three seasons, he compiled a 69-24 record, led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances, and won Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2006.
Following the 2005-06 season, Cronin returned to Cincinnati, taking over a struggling program a year after Huggins’ departure. His first four seasons were challenging, but then he transformed the Bearcats into a consistent winner. From 2010-2019, Cincinnati won at least 22 games in nine straight seasons and made the NCAA Tournament each year, though postseason success was elusive. The most notable collapse came in 2018, when the No. 2-seeded Bearcats blew a 22-point second-half lead to No. 7 seed Nevada in the second round.
In 2019, Cronin left his alma mater to take over UCLA, replacing former Indiana player Steve Alford. His breakthrough came in 2020-21 when he led the Bruins from the First Four to the Final Four, narrowly losing to Gonzaga on a halfcourt buzzer-beater. He followed that with consecutive Sweet 16 appearances, but UCLA struggled last season, finishing 16-17 and missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010. However, UCLA has rebounded this year with a 20-8 record, putting them back on track for the postseason.
Cronin is known for his defensive mindset, with his teams consistently ranking high in efficiency metrics. He has also embraced the transfer portal, bringing in key players like Johnny Juzang, who flourished at UCLA after transferring from Kentucky.
Cronin signed a six-year extension in 2022 worth $4.1 million per year, with a buyout of $16 million before April 1, 2025, reducing to $10 million after that date. When asked about the IU job following a win in Bloomington, Cronin sidestepped the question, but speculation about his candidacy remains.
Leave a Reply