New Candidate Emerges in NC State's Coaching Search

RALEIGH — Athletic director Boo Corrigan and a small group of people involved with the athletic program embarked on a marathon journey around the country Saturday, searching for the next head coach for the NC State men's basketball program. That trip added another name to the official list.

After stops in St. Louis and Chicago to see Josh Schertz and Justin Gainey, presumably the top two candidates for the job, NC State's private jet made the trip to the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, with Furman University head coach Bob Richey being the likely target for another interview. Richey's name came up in circles familiar with the program following Will Wade's exit.

Assessing Richey as a candidate

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Furman Paladins head coach Bob Richey in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Richey, 43, just wrapped up his 10th season with the Furman Paladins, leading them to their second NCAA Tournament in that span after winning the Southern Conference tournament to secure the automatic bid. During his decade at the helm, Furman amassed a 203-94 record and stunned Virginia in the 2022-23 NCAA Tournament with an iconic March Madness moment.

Seven of Richey's 10 teams won 20 or more games at Furman, helping reach a .684 winning percentage during his tenure. He's been a candidate for head coaching positions before and already generated some buzz during this cycle. NC State would make for a major step up from Furman, as Richey's entire career has been at the mid-major level.

His lack of experience at the Power Four level could be a blessing and a curse for the Wolfpack. Corrigan wants to find a coach who won't view NC State as a stepping stone and would be a strong representative of the school's values on the court, while also winning consistently. Richey checks those boxes well, but his lack of Power Conference recruiting experience and postseason experience would create some angst for fans.

Geographically, Richey is relatively familiar with the area, having spent the last decade-plus in South Carolina, just a few hours away from Raleigh by car. Furman's brand of basketball is a unique one, dependent on depth and buy-in, two things that are difficult to come by in the upper echelons of the sport in the modern era. However, there would be considerable differences in Richey's hypothetical NIL resources at NC State compared to his team at Furman.

Dec 4, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Furman Paladins head coach Bob Richey during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 97-83. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

NC State still seems more inclined to hire Schertz or Gainey at the time of this writing, but Corrigan and the rest of the athletic department wanted to do their due diligence and interview a variety of different candidates for the position. Only time will tell who emerges as the top candidate in the coming days, but the Wolfpack will be deciding before April 7, no matter what.