AP Photo/Terrance Williams
Kansas City made a splash hire at the Summit League level, bringing in veteran coach Mark Turgeon as the program’s next head coach. An official announcement is expected Sunday, with Turgeon set to replace Marvin Menzies, who will finish out the season before departing.
Turgeon returns to the sidelines more than four years after stepping down at Maryland, ending a decade-long tenure in College Park. The move gives Kansas City one of the most accomplished resumes in mid-major college basketball and signals a clear shift in ambition for a program that has never reached the NCAA Tournament since moving to Division I in 1987.
A Resume Built Across Power Programs
Turgeon carries a 479–275 career record across more than 23 seasons as a head coach. His stops include Jacksonville State, Wichita State, Texas A&M, and Maryland, with NCAA Tournament appearances at each of his last three jobs.
He led Wichita State to the Sweet 16 in 2006, then guided Texas A&M to four straight NCAA Tournaments from 2008 to 2011. At Maryland, Turgeon produced five NCAA Tournament teams and had a sixth poised for March before the 2020 tournament cancellation. The Terrapins also shared the Big Ten regular-season title that season and reached the Sweet 16 in 2016.
A Regional Fit With Deep Kansas Ties
This hire also carries personal significance. Turgeon grew up in Topeka, Kansas, played at Kansas under Larry Brown, and later coached under both Brown and Roy Williams. Kansas City athletic director Brandon Martin reportedly pursued Turgeon aggressively in recent weeks, and the regional ties helped close the deal.
Turgeon is also expected to bring his son, Will Turgeon, onto his staff.
A Program Seeking Its First Breakthrough
Kansas City enters the hire in a difficult stretch, sitting near the bottom of Division I this season. The Roos have never qualified for the NCAA Tournament and have struggled to build sustained success at the Division I level.
By hiring Turgeon midseason ahead of a formal transition, the program gains a head start on recruiting, staff building, and laying a foundation before next year begins.
For a school that has long searched for relevance in the Summit League, Turgeon’s arrival represents more than a coaching change. It is a bet that experience, credibility, and regional roots can finally push Kansas City toward its first true March breakthrough.
