The Miami Hurricanes football program stormed to the National Championship while basketball surged to the NCAA Tournament, signaling a remarkable athletic resurgence across campus.
The 2025-26 season marked a significant turnaround for the Miami Hurricanes’ basketball and football programs. Despite not finishing with any trophies, both sports are looking at promising futures.
On the field, the team went on a historic College Football Playoff run, reaching the National Championship for the first time in over two decades. The defense embraced a new identity by playing with physicality and violence under first-year defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman. The unit was led by edge rushing star duo Akheem Mesidor and All-American Rueben Bain Jr., both of whom are projected to be first-round selections in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Despite losing more key players on both sides of the field, the Hurricanes revamped the roster with transfer portal additions, including All-ACC quarterback Darian Mensah.
Coach Mario Cristobal has successfully established a new culture and standard moving forward. He turned the football program around in four years since taking over.
On the court, it was the beginning of a new chapter after coach Jim Larranaga retired in the midst of the 2024-25 season, ending a 13-year tenure. The program hired Jai Lucas, who served as an assistant with the Duke Blue Devils, Kentucky Wildcats, and his alma mater, the Texas Longhorns. Coming off a 7-24 season, the Hurricanes had no returning players, which meant a complete fresh start.
Lucas recruited a few impactful veterans in seniors Malik Reneau, Tre Donaldson, and Ernest Udeh Jr., plus junior Tru Washington. Also, he brought a promising young star in five-star forward Shelton Henderson. After finishing with a 24-7 overall regular-season record, the Hurricanes reached the NCAA Tournament. They advanced to the Round of 32 after an 80–66 victory over the Missouri Tigers in the first round on Friday night.
It marked the Hurricanes’ first “March Madness” win since 2023, when coach Larranaga led the program to its first “Final Four” appearance. Despite suffering a 79–69 loss to the Purdue Boilermakers in the second round on Sunday, coach Lucas, similar to Cristobal, established a new culture and standard moving forward. He completed the best turnaround in the nation after one offseason.
The Hurricanes are reportedly one of two programs to win a College Football Playoff and NCAA Tournament game for the 2025-26 season. The other is the Alabama Crimson Tide. The future of both basketball and football can only get brighter.
As spring training approaches for coach Cristobal and football, coach Lucas will prepare to upgrade the roster for next season with the departures of Donaldson, Reneau, and Udeh Jr., plus retain key players, such as Washington, Henderson, and freshman guard Dante Allen.
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