It has been a disappointing 2021 season for the South Carolina Gamecocks under head coach Frank Martin, as they went 18-13 and missed out on the NCAA Tournament.
This led to the team and Martin parting ways at the end of the season. The team moved on pretty quickly, naming Chattanooga head coach Lamont Parris as their replacement for Martin.
This left Martin without a clear landing spot, but ESPN college sports insider Pete Thamel reported Wednesday that Martin has emerged as a top target to be the head coach at UMass.
Source: Former South Carolina coach Frank Martin has emerged as the target of the UMass basketball search. Martin met with UMass officials Tuesday and the sides are expected to meet again in person on Thursday.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 23, 2022
He will reportedly meet with officials from the school in person on Thursday with a potential deal possible.
Martin is one of the most well-known college basketball coaches out there. He’s best known for his time at Kansas State, but was only able to take South Carolina to the NCAA Tournament one time in his ten years at the program.
His tenure at the program was filled with highs and lows. The team made a miraculous run to the Final Four in 2016 as a 7 seed, but the Gamecocks have also had several seasons with a losing record under Martin’s watch.
This news of Martin potentially having another job lined up has been met with many around the college basketball world praising Martin’s coaching ability and hoping that he does find another head coaching gig.
Frank Martin turns 56 today. His wife is a UMass alum. Could be a heck of a birthday.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 23, 2022
https://twitter.com/Marc_Bertrand/status/1506757346302779401
Here come Martin!!! https://t.co/Ncp7U75hZd
— #12 ZooMass (@ZooMass) March 23, 2022
When it comes to the old 'consider your source' game, I'm willing to bank on Pete just about 100% of the time.
UMass needs a big move. Lots of smoke there about a name hire to replace Matt McCall, and this would qualify. #A10MBB https://t.co/X3uwZYxb0D
— Bill Koch (@BillKoch25) March 23, 2022
If Martin were to take the job, he would certainly have his hands full at a once-powerful UMass program.
The Minutemen finished the 2021 season at 15-17 near the bottom of the ever-improving Atlantic 10 Conference. They haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since the 1997-98 season.
