I mentioned this one a few times over the past few days. It’s now official. Here’s the release from Fordham:
Following a national search, Fordham University announced today that Keith Urgo will become its new head men’s basketball coach, taking the reins of the school’s 118-year-old program. Urgo, who brings over 20 years of coaching experience to the position, served as the associate head coach at Fordham in 2021-2022.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am to be named head men’s basketball coach at Fordham,” said Urgo. “This means so much to myself, my wife, our children and my mother and father. My father is a proud 1959 Fordham College and 1962 Law School graduate and for me to coach at his alma mater means the world to him. This is a dream come true for me and my family and I can’t wait to get started building on what we accomplished last year.”
Ed Kull, Fordham’s athletic director, and Urgo will continue to build upon Fordham Athletics’ strategic mission—a mission that goes beyond the quest for men’s basketball championships, to elevating nationally the profile of the entire athletic department and its student-athletes. Fordham University boasts a total of 22 men’s and women’s varsity sports teams, totaling 286 male student-athletes and 237 female student-athletes, and 16 club sports.
“We are thrilled to announce Keith as the next leader of our Fordham men’s basketball program,” said Fordham Director of Athletics Ed Kull. “After an extensive search process, Keith emerged as the top choice due to the leadership role he has played in the program’s strategic plan, his Fordham roots, and his vision for creating a winning environment for our student-athletes, alumni, fans, and community. The passion Keith has for the Institution and our Jesuit mission is evident and we are excited to give him the reins as our head men’s basketball coach.”
Urgo helped Fordham to a 16-16 overall record in 2021-2022, 8-10 in the Atlantic 10. The 16 wins, a 14-win improvement from the previous year, are the most for a Fordham men’s team over the past six years while the eight conference wins are the most for the Rams over the past six years and tied for most in the past 15. Additionally, Fordham won a second round A-10 Championship game and reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007.
Prior to arriving at Rose Hill, Urgo served as an assistant coach at Penn State University for ten years, the final eight as associate head coach, and served on the men’s basketball staff at Villanova University for five years.
A Washington, D.C., native, Urgo is a 2002 graduate of Fairfield University, and was a two-sport athlete who played varsity basketball and lacrosse for the Stags. He also played basketball for Gonzaga High School in Washington, D.C.
“Keith Urgo brings to the head coach’s position not only an impressive basketball pedigree, but a solid grounding in Jesuit education from high school onward,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham. “Keith will be a strong role model for our student athletes, and a great leader for the team.”
Urgo will be formally introduced at a press conference on Friday, April 29, at 1:00 PM in the new Joseph M. McShane, S.J., Campus Center on Fordham’s Rose Hill Campus. The event is open to the public.
