Scott Cross Hired as Georgia Tech Basketball Coach

Georgia Tech Hires Scott Cross as New Men's Basketball Head Coach

Less than 24 hours after Troy's NCAA tournament exit on March 19, 2026, Georgia Tech moved swiftly to name its next men's basketball head coach. Scott Cross, who spent seven seasons building Troy into a Sun Belt powerhouse, was officially announced as the Yellow Jackets' new head coach on March 20, 2026 — making him the 16th head coach in Georgia Tech men's basketball history. The rapid hire signals a new era of urgency for a program that has qualified for the NCAA tournament only twice since 2010.

The move is also the first major personnel decision by Ryan Alpert, Georgia Tech's new athletic director who joined the school from Tennessee in July 2025. With the transfer portal opening just five days after the official announcement, the timing could not be more deliberate — giving Cross an immediate head-start on reshaping the roster. Georgia Tech officially announced the hire via Yahoo Sports.

Who Is Scott Cross? A Career Built on Sustained Winning

Scott Cross arrives in Atlanta with one of the more quietly impressive coaching resumes in mid-major basketball. Over 19 seasons as a head coach — 12 at UT Arlington and seven at Troy — Cross has compiled a 350-260 career record, a .574 win percentage that reflects consistent success across two different programs.

At UT Arlington from 2007 to 2019, Cross went 225-161, capturing two Sun Belt regular-season titles, one conference tournament championship, and earning one NCAA tournament berth. That run established him as one of the Sun Belt's elite coaches and led to his move to Troy.

His tenure at Troy proved even more decorated. Cross went 125-99 over seven seasons, winning two conference regular-season championships, two tournament championships, and earning two NCAA tournament bids. Most recently, he led Troy to the Sun Belt regular-season and tournament titles in 2026, earning his third Sun Belt Coach of the Year award in the process — before watching his team fall to No. 4 seed Nebraska 76-47 as a No. 13 seed in the South region.

Cross is a three-time Sun Belt Coach of the Year, a distinction that underlines his ability to develop programs from the ground up — exactly the skill set Georgia Tech is banking on. More on Cross's background and qualifications at MSN Sports.

Why Georgia Tech Needed a Coaching Change

The Yellow Jackets made this hire out of necessity. Damon Stoudamire, hired with considerable fanfare, never found his footing in the ACC. In three seasons, Stoudamire went just 42-55 overall and a dismal 2-16 in conference play during his final ACC season in 2025-26. He was fired following the season, leaving a program in clear need of direction.

The broader context is sobering: Georgia Tech has reached the NCAA men's tournament only twice since 2010. For a school with the academic prestige and recruiting footprint of Georgia Tech in a basketball-rich state like Georgia, that track record represents a significant underperformance. Alpert's decision to move quickly and hire a proven winner — even if Cross comes from the mid-major level — reflects a desire to stop the slide and start building genuine momentum.

The Inside Connection That Made the Hire Happen

Coaching hires rarely happen in a vacuum, and this one had a key facilitator. Brent Jones, now Georgia Tech's associate athletic director, previously served as the athletic director at Troy — the same role he held when Cross was hired there. That existing relationship of trust and familiarity likely accelerated Georgia Tech's decision-making process and gave Alpert a credible internal endorsement for Cross.

Ryan Alpert released a statement via Sports Illustrated welcoming Cross to Georgia Tech, emphasizing his track record of building programs and his experience competing in the Sun Belt Conference — a league that, while not the ACC, demands consistent roster management and player development to win.

"The connection through Brent Jones gave us a high degree of confidence in who Scott is and how he operates a program," Alpert noted. For Cross, the Georgia Tech opportunity represents the culmination of nearly two decades of mid-major success — a chance to prove himself at the Power Four level.

What Cross Brings to Atlanta: Strengths and Challenges

Cross is regarded as a player developer and program builder rather than a blue-chip recruiter, which makes the transfer portal timing all the more critical. His ability to identify and develop talent at the mid-major level will be tested immediately in the ACC, one of college basketball's most competitive conferences.

His strengths include:

• Sustained winning at multiple programs — not a one-hit wonder
• Conference championship experience, including back-to-back tournament wins
• Three Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors demonstrating consistent peer recognition
• Experience managing NCAA tournament rosters under pressure
• A .574 career winning percentage over nearly 600 games

The challenges ahead are real:

• The ACC is a massive step up from the Sun Belt in terms of nightly competition
• Georgia Tech's recent struggles may make top recruits hesitant initially
• Rebuilding roster depth via the transfer portal in a compressed window is high-stakes
• Atlanta's recruiting market, while talent-rich, is fiercely contested by Georgia, Kentucky, and other major programs

A full breakdown of the hire and its implications is available at MSN.

Troy's Next Move: Filling a Significant Void

Cross's departure leaves a significant void at Troy, which must now replace a coach who transformed its basketball program. Troy has already begun its search for Scott Cross's replacement, according to reports. The Trojans finished the 2025-26 season as Sun Belt regular-season and tournament champions, meaning Cross leaves the program in better shape than he found it — a strong foundation for whoever comes next.

For Troy, the challenge will be retaining momentum and key players who may now consider entering the transfer portal given the coaching change. Mid-major programs routinely face roster disruption after losing a successful head coach, and the Sun Belt title pedigree Cross established will be difficult to maintain without him.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scott Cross and Georgia Tech

Why did Georgia Tech hire Scott Cross so quickly after the NCAA tournament?

Georgia Tech moved fast to get ahead of the transfer portal window, which opened just five days after the hire was announced. The quick turnaround also reflects Ryan Alpert's decisiveness in his first major hire as Georgia Tech's athletic director. Cross had already been on the radar given his connection with associate AD Brent Jones.

What is Scott Cross's overall coaching record?

Scott Cross has a career record of 350-260 (.574 win percentage) across 19 seasons, split between 12 years at UT Arlington (225-161) and seven years at Troy (125-99).

Has Scott Cross ever coached in a Power Four conference before?

No — Cross's entire head coaching career has been in the Sun Belt Conference, a mid-major league. Georgia Tech and the ACC will represent his first Power Four opportunity, which is both the biggest appeal of the hire and its biggest question mark.

Why was Damon Stoudamire fired from Georgia Tech?

Stoudamire was let go after three seasons in which he went 42-55 overall and just 2-16 in ACC play during his final year. The program failed to show meaningful improvement in conference competition, and Georgia Tech's administration decided a new direction was necessary.

What does Scott Cross need to do to be considered a success at Georgia Tech?

At minimum, Cross will need to restore competitiveness in the ACC and return Georgia Tech to the NCAA tournament within three to four seasons. Given the school has made the tournament only twice since 2010, sustained postseason relevance — not just occasional bids — would define a successful tenure.

Conclusion: A High-Stakes Bet on a Proven Builder

Georgia Tech's hire of Scott Cross is a calculated gamble on a coach with an unimpeachable track record of building mid-major programs into consistent winners. His 350 career wins, three Coach of the Year awards, and back-to-back conference championships at Troy make him one of the most accomplished mid-major coaches to receive a Power Four opportunity in recent memory.

The questions surrounding the move — can a mid-major specialist thrive in the ACC? — are legitimate. But for a program that has struggled for over a decade to recapture its identity, hiring a methodical program builder with proven systems and a pre-existing institutional connection may be exactly the kind of stable, long-term investment Georgia Tech needs. The transfer portal window will be Cross's first real test, and how he navigates the roster rebuild this spring will set the tone for everything that follows in Atlanta.