Cincinnati hired Jerrod Calhoun as its new head coach, signing the 44-year-old to a six-year contract, sources told CBS Sports' Matt Norlander.
Calhoun, a Cincinnati alum, returns to his alma mater after leading Utah State to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in his two seasons at the school. The ninth-seeded Aggies lost to No. 1-seed Arizona 78-66 on Sunday after compiling a 29-7 record in 2025-26.
Utah State posted a 55-15 mark under Calhoun's leadership. The Ohio native joins Ryan Odom (VCU), Craig Smith (Utah), and Sprinkle (Washington) among coaches who have left the Aggies for prominent programs.
Calhoun reportedly didn't aggressively engage with Kansas State after the school dismissed head coach Jerome Tang on Feb. 15. Calhoun's representatives told Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham in the past week that the coach was ready to head to Ohio, adds Norlander.
The Bearcats haven't qualified for the NCAA Tournament since 2019 and will be hoping Calhoun can help them return to their past glory.
Cincinnati lands a new coach after firing Wes Miller, whose five-season tenure ended after the Bearcats missed the NCAA Tournament with an 18-15 record.
