Sources: Steve Lavin Out As San Diego Men’s Basketball Coach

The veteran coach has been dismissed after three-plus seasons at the helm.

San Diego has dismissed veteran coach Steve Lavin. | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

San Diego has fired men’s basketball coach Steve Lavin, sources confirmed to Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Fischer. On3 was the first to report that the veteran coach was out as the head of the Toreros’ men’s basketball program.

Lavin landed the position at San Diego in 2022 in what will be remembered as a largely disappointing tenure for the 61-year-old in his third opportunity leading a Division I program. Lavin went 46–79 in three-plus seasons, which includes an 11–17 mark this season. The Toreros’ only winning season under Lavin’s direction was in 2023–24, when the program went 18–15. San Diego did not make any NCAA tournament appearances in Lavin’s first three years, and the school is well on its way to missing the Big Dance once again this March.

Lavin previously spent stints at UCLA from 1996 to ’03 and St. John’s from ‘10 to ’15. In total, Lavin made eight NCAA tournament appearances in his career.

San Diego will commence a national search for its next coach, as the program continues to seek its first tournament appearance since the 2007–08 season.

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