Oregon men's basketball coach Dana Altman is retiring, USA TODAY Sports has confirmed: a stunning move, particularly since it takes place less than one month before the 2026-27 season begins.
Oregon has confirmed the news.
"I've loved every minute of coaching here, and stepping away is difficult and truly painful. I love coaching, it's what I know best and what I've been fortunate enough to do for almost five decades. I'm going to miss my coaches, my players and our incredible fans more than I can express," Atlman said in a statement. "But I know this is the right thing to do at this time."
Longtime assistant coach and former DePaul coach Tony Stubblefield will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season, USA TODAY Sports also confirmed,
while Oregon said it will search for permanent coach after the season. Stubblefield has spent a total of 13 seasons on Altman's staff, including the past two seasons.
The winningest coach in program history, Altman has been at Oregon since 2010. He made the Ducks a consistent contender during his 16 seasons in Eugene, winning four Pac-12 regular season title and four Pac-12 Tournament championships. He led the team to nine NCAA tournament berths, including four trips to the Sweet 16, two to the Elite Eight and the 2017 Final Four that was the program's first appearance in 78 years.
However, Altman is coming off his worst season of his tenure. Injuries and inconsistent play led to a 12–20 record and a 5-15 mark in the Big Ten that resulted in a 15th-place finish, the first time Oregon had finished worse than eighth in its conference and didn't win at least 20 games.
There was massive turnover on Oregon's roster going into the 2026-27 season, as well.
The timing of the decision is notable, considering the preparation for the 2026-27 season is in full swing. Oregon is set to participate in Big Ten media days on Thursday, Oct. 8, and its first scrimmage is scheduled against Seattle on Oct. 15. The Ducks officially kick off the season on Nov. 2 against Montana.
Altman finishes with a record of 382-182 with Oregon. Combined with his tenures at Marshall, Kansas State and Creighton, Altman has a 792-425 record in 37 seasons as a Division I coach, the 15th-most wins in NCAA history.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon basketball coach Dana Altman retiring less than one month before season starts
