Stanford hires Kyle Smith: Cardinal tap Washington State coach to lead program into ACC era

A huge get for Stanford, as Smith just led Washington State to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008

By David Cobb  & Matt Norlander Mar 25, 2024 at 11:28 am ET• 2 min read

Stanford hired Washington State's Kyle Smith as its next men's head basketball coach, the school announced Monday. Smith just led WSU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008 — and nabbed his first NCAA win by defeating Drake in the first round. Smith replaces Jerod Haase, who was fired after his eighth season and with zero NCAA Tournament appearances. 

Smith has been Stanford's top target for weeks; the Cardinal waited for Washington State's postseason run to end in order to complete the hire. Stanford athletic director Bernard Muir worked with Smith and his representation all throughout Sunday before agreeing to terms deep into the evening. CBS Sports' Matt Norlander initially reported Smith's hiring.

Smith owns a 258-193 record across stops at three places that are traditionally extremely hard to win at: Columbia, San Francisco and Wazzu. The 54-year old is a former longtime Saint Mary's assistant under Randy Bennett who has shown the ability to mold winning teams in difficult terrain as a head coach.

"The opportunity to serve as the head men's basketball coach at Stanford is a dream come true, and I want to thank Bernard Muir for entrusting me with this opportunity," Smith said in a statement. "From my perspective, Stanford has the resources and reputation to attract the ideal student-athlete who is seeking the character development aspects of what our basketball program will offer. Stanford has the capacity to provide a place where student-athletes can hone their leadership skills and intellect through hard work and team building. I am thrilled to try to provide that type of culture for an institution that prides itself on excellence in all areas."