Tennessee's Justin Gainey Named as Next Head Coach for NC State Wolfpack

Tennessee assistant coach Justin Gainey has been named as the next head coach for NC State.

It has been a dramatic week for the college basketball head coach carousel. The LSU Tigers announced that week that they had officially hired Will Wade to be the program's new head coach. Wade had previously been the head coach for the Tigers before the program was labeled with allegations. Now, after just one season with NC State, Wade is headed back to the Tigers.

There have been a lot of names linked to the open NC State job, but the Wolfpack ultimately landed on one of Tennessee's coaches. Assistant coach Justin Gainey has been named NC State's head coach, according to Pete Nakos.

Justin Gainey's Connection to the NC State Basketball Program

Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey during a NCAA Tournament Elite 8 game between Tennessee and Michigan at the United Center in Chicago on March 29, 2026. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gainey has been with the Volunteers since the 2021 season. By the 2022 season, Gainey was named as associate head coach by Rick Barnes. Gainey also served seasons with Marquette and Arizona prior to his time with the Volunteers. Gainey played for NC State from 1996-2000 and was on staff from 2006-09.

After getting his coaching career started with NC State, Gainey worked his way up the ranks and will now be the head coach at his alma mater. Something a lot of coaches dream of doing at some point in their careers, so one can't blame Gainey for wanting to make the jump.

Gainey was asked about his connection to the NC State head coaching job during Tennessee's tournament run and this is what he had to say at the time.

“We have been so locked in here and you kind of see the noise and not really knowing what is real and what is not,” said Gainey. “NC State is a great place. It is home. I don’t know what they’ll do or what direction they’ll go in. I hadn’t really heard much.”

The Volunteers had their season end on Sunday in the Elite Eight after losing to the Michigan Wolverines. It is the third straight year the Volunteers have made the Elite Eight, but the program still has not made a final four appearance ever.

The Volunteers have remained as one of the top programs in college basketball and certainly in the SEC under head coach Rick Barnes. Now, they will have to try and continue their success without the assistance of Gainey, now that he is headed to join NC State.