Officially official.
After weeks of rumors, Kansas State has finally solidified its hiring of Belmont head coach Casey Alexander.
"I'm incredibly excited to join the team at K-State and can't wait to get the journey started," Alexander said in a statement. "K-State has such a rich tradition and a wildly passionate fan base, and I'm grateful for the opportunity provided by Gene Taylor to be a part of it."
Alexander owns a 303-180 head coaching record, including 166-60 (73.5%) over seven seasons at Belmont. He's done well at Belmont, placing in the top four in the Missouri Valley every season. Joining a Kansas State team that's placed in the bottom half of the Big 12 the last three seasons, Alexander's consistency at the top is something the program hopes to replicate. In addition, Alexander has a track record of developing players like Ben Sheppard and Ja'Kobi Gillespie.
Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor expressed his excitement with the addition of Alexander.
"What was evident throughout the search was the positive reputation of K-State basketball, and of the coaches we talked with, Casey emerged as the one who best fit our program," Taylor said. "He is known nationally as a tremendous evaluator of talent and one of the best offensive minds in the college game. He has built and maintained successful and winning programs at Stetson, Lipscomb, and Belmont, and his reputation of developing players and a strong culture all make him a perfect fit for us."
The Wildcats need this stability and development within their system. Jerome Tang's tenure at Kansas State was filled with underwhelming results since his 2023 Elite Eight run. Talented rosters fell short, as the likes of PJ Haggerty and Coleman Hawkins couldn't get the team over the hump.
This past season was the icing on the cake, as a Tournament-bound unit barely finished out of the last spot in the conference. The tipping point was Tang's famous rant scathing his players after an embarrassing home loss to Cincinnati. This moment, combined with a 1-11 conference record, was more than enough for the team to part ways with the veteran coach.
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