NC State Visits 3 Coaches During Saturday's Coaching Carousel Marathon
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RALEIGH — The sudden resignation of head coach Will Wade sprung the NC State athletic department, led by athletic director Boo Corrigan, into action, immediately in need of a new leader for the men's basketball program. The search process began as soon as Corrigan received the notice that Wade was heading back to LSU on Thursday after just one season with the Wolfpack.
Viable candidates came across Corrigan's desk as the rumors of Wade's looming departure heated up, but NC State's search really got going Saturday. Corrigan, other members of the athletic department and financial power brokers for the Wolfpack embarked on a city-to-city adventure Saturday morning, reportedly interviewing three of the top candidates for the opening.
The Gateway to the West
Josh Schertz meeting: ✅
— Tucker Sennett (@SennettTucker) March 28, 2026
Now, the NC State plane is bound for Chicago, presumably to meet with Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey, as the Vols prepare to face Michigan in the Elite Eight. pic.twitter.com/A4i7LL8noY
Corrigan's marathon journey started when the Cessna jet picked him up from the Raleigh Private Jetport and immediately bolted for St. Louis. There, the Wolfpack search team would meet with the presumed top candidate for the NC State opening, Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz. After falling to Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Billekins' coach has been one of the hottest names in the coaching cycle.
By all accounts, the meeting went well, but there was no official offer submitted by NC State to Schertz. It turned out that Corrigan and his team were doing their due diligence with all of the candidates before submitting official offers, something the athletic director stated would be part of the process rather than hastily moving through negotiations. The trip to St. Louis was just the beginning of a long day.
A Wolfpacker in the Windy City
As the Tennessee Volunteers prepare for an Elite Eight matchup against the Midwest region's top seed, the Michigan Wolverines, an NC State alumnus is playing a critical role on Rick Barnes' coaching staff. The NC State jet left St. Louis after meeting with Schertz and charted a path for Chicago Midway International Airport to interview Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey.
The former NC State player has spent the last few seasons under Barnes, who gave him a glowing recommendation at the same time he reportedly interviewed with Corrigan. As news of the Wolfpack's interest in Gainey reached the public, other former players from the program chimed in with their opinions on the candidate, with many endorsing him for the gig. After another lengthy meeting, the jet departed for another stop.
Meeting with a Paladin
After the plane initially looked to be bound for Raleigh once again, Corrigan and his team needed to make one last stop in the lengthy trip. The plane landed at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, presumably to meet with Furman head coach Bob Richey. The Furman coach's name had been floated over the previous few days, but the stop confirmed NC State's interest.
The Wolfpack search team spent a few hours in South Carolina before eventually ending the trip. The 14-hour trip finally came to an end when the plane touched down in Raleigh. Whether or not Corrigan and Co. are done interviewing candidates remains to be seen, but the expectation is that NC State will move quickly. It's safe to assume the three coaches interviewed Saturday are the top of the list.
Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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