Providence hires Bryan Hodgson: Friars tap USF coach to replace Kim English

Bryan Hodgson: Friar.

Providence hired the 38-year-old to be the next coach of its men’s basketball program, the school announced on Sunday. Hodgson agreed to a five-year contract with Providence, sources told CBS Sports. Hodgson just guided South Florida to the NCAA Tournament (as a No. 11 seed) in his first season with the Bulls and was at Arkansas State for two years prior to that, totaling a 70-37 record and two first-place finishes in the Sun Belt and the American.

“We are very excited to welcome Bryan Hodgson and his family to Providence College,” Providence athletic director Steve Napolillo said in a statement. “Today we begin a new journey with Providence College men’s basketball. It was my goal to find a head coach who would fit with our great athletic and academic institution. In addition, in this new revenue share/NIL landscape, I knew we needed a coach with the energy, passion and the skills to get us back to competing for championships and playing in the NCAA Tournament.”

The move was expected throughout this week. Napolillo put Hodgson atop his list of targets earlier this month, according to sources, and it became clear behind the scenes that Hodgson was bound for the Big East; no other candidates lingered as potential alternatives. Though he hasn’t ever coached in the Big East, Hodgson has power-conference experience; he was a mover on the recruiting trail from 2019-23 under Nate Oats at Alabama.

Hodgson is replacing Kim English, who spent three years with the program but was fired after the Big East Tournament and a 15-18 season. Hodgson’s bold-as-brass temperament figures to be a personality fit with a fan base that is small but fiery and deeply invested. Speaking of investments, money is expected to be plentiful at PC. Per two sources, the Friars are expected to operate north of $10 million in NIL and revenue sharing for the 2026-27 season. 

That type of spending power will make PC a player in the portal market in the lead-up to its official opening on April 7, the day after the national title game.

With Providence off the board, the Friars join Kansas State (Casey Alexander) and Georgia Tech (Scott Cross) as the three high-major vacancies to fill amid the din of the NCAA Tournament.