Chris Holtmann is headed to DePaul.
The Blue Demons officially announced the hiring of Ohio State's former head coach on Thursday evening, granting him a fresh start after his firing from the Buckeyes.
Our next head coach.
— DePaul Basketball (@DePaulHoops) March 14, 2024
Welcome to DePaul @ChrisHoltmann!
https://t.co/rl3YPv2TJi pic.twitter.com/QCuv3DxQex
“I am very excited about this opportunity to be the head men's basketball coach at DePaul,” Holtmann said in a statement. “During this process, I was extremely impressed with the commitment, eagerness and vision of (DePaul athletic director) DeWayne Peevy and President (Rob) Manuel to build a successful BIG EAST basketball program. My wife, Lori, and our daughter, Nora, look forward to getting to Chicago and spending time in the DePaul community. We can't wait to get to work!”
According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Holtmann has agreed to a six-year contract with the Blue Demons that will keep him in Chicago through the 2029-30 season.
Holtmann has agreed to a 6-year deal, per a source. DePaul presented a strong offer of support and valued his track record as a high-end Big East coach. https://t.co/LprDxxrcZ1
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 14, 2024
While Ohio State owed Holtmann a $12.8 million buyout after firing him, that amount will now be mitigated by his salary at DePaul, which has not yet been reported.
Holtmann coached Ohio State for seven seasons and collected a record of 137-86. His teams made four NCAA Tournament appearances, each coming in the first five years of his tenure. The Buckeyes would have also reached the 2020 NCAA Tournament, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Holtmann's deepest runs in The Big Dance were second-round exits in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Coaching DePaul means a return to the Big East for Holtmann, who coached at Butler for three years (2014-17) before leaving Indianapolis for Columbus. In Holtmann's tenure at Butler, the Bulldogs went 70-31 overall and made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Sweet 16 in 2017.
DePaul was one of the worst teams in college basketball this season. The Blue Demons – who have not reached the NCAA Tournament since the 2003-04 season – went 3-29 overall (0-20 Big East). DePaul has not finished a season with a .500 record or better since 2019, when the Blue Demons went 16-16 (3-16 Big East). In the four years since, the team has a combined 33-82 record and has won only 11 league games.
