UNIVERSITY PARK, Texas—Southern Methodist University on Monday named Andy Enfield its new men’s basketball coach, luring him away from the University of Southern California after 11 seasons.
Mr. Enfield replaces Rob Lanier, whom SMU fired last month after a 20-win season, just his second year at the school. The Mustangs will shift from the American Athletic Conference to the Atlantic Coast Conference next season.
“We are excited to announce Andy Enfield as head men’s basketball coach at SMU,” Athletic Director Rick Hart said in a release. “Coach Enfield is enthusiastic about joining the Mustang family and the ACC. He has a strong track record of building winning teams on the court and in the classroom, and pursuing championships with integrity. We believe he is a game-changer for SMU men’s basketball.”
Mr. Enfield was reportedly the Mustangs’ sole target after they fired Mr. Lanier on March 21, a day after they lost a National Invitation Tournament first-round game to Indiana State. He will be introduced on Tuesday.
“I am so excited to join the SMU family,” Mr. Enfield said. “It is an incredible time for the university as we enter the ACC. We will make Mustang fans and the city of Dallas proud, and cannot wait to get started.”
Mr. Enfield, 54, just concluded his 11th season at USC. Several key players missed time with injuries as the Trojans finished the season 15–18. Mr. Enfield went 220–147 at USC, with five NCAA Tournament appearances. The Trojans reached the Elite Eight in 2021.
He previously coached at Florida Gulf Coast, guiding the 15th-seeded Eagles to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in 2013.
USC Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen thanked Mr. Enfield in a statement, saying he “elevated and established ... a premier program with a strong national presence.” The Trojans, along with crosstown rival UCLA, are leaving the Pacific-12 Conference for the Big Ten next season.
“Our national search for a new head coach is under way, and I am confident we will find the right person to lead our program,” Ms. Cohen said. “'We have a track record of competitiveness, passionate supporters and fans, a robust donor collective, and are about to compete in the nation’s premier athletic conference. There is no ceiling to what our program can achieve.”
SMU, which finished 20–13 this season, reportedly wanted a high-profile hire for its move to the basketball-rich ACC. The Mustangs, who went just 10–22 in 2022–23, lost seven of their final eight games this season, prompting the separation with Mr. Lanier. The Mustangs have not made the NCAA Tournament since losing in the first round in 2017.
