Scott Nagy has agreed to become the head men’s basketball coach at Wright State University, WSU director of athletics Bob Grant announced Monday. Formerly of South Dakota State, he becomes the ninth head coach in the history of the Raiders men’s basketball program.
He will be formally introduced to the Wright State fans and media on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. in the main arena of the Wright State Nutter Center.
Nagy comes to Wright State after completing his 21st season at South Dakota State. During that time, he guided the school from Division II to Division I and compiled an overall record of 410-240 (.631). Since joining the Summit League in 2007, Nagy’s teams have gone 175-119 (.595), earning berths in the NCAA tournament in 2012, 2013 and 2016, an NIT berth in 2015, and playing in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) post-season tournament in 2014.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Scott, Jamie and their family to the Raider family,” said Grant. “Scott has not only achieved great success as a head coach, but he also shares the values and priorities that I believe make our culture special. Scott runs his program with impeccable character and puts a tremendous priority on the student-athlete experience, which I believe makes him a perfect fit for us. I’m very excited about the long-term future of our program with Scott at the helm.”
“My family and I are extremely excited for the next chapter in our lives,” said Nagy. “It was clear to me at every step of the interview process that Wright State University has everything in place to have a successful men’s college basketball program. I’m so grateful for the opportunity that President Dr. David Hopkins and Athletic Director Bob Grant have given us.”
SDSU is coming off a season in which they finished 26-8, winning the Summit League regular season and post-season tournament championships. They fell to Maryland 79-74 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It marked their third Summit League championship in the last five years.
Nagy and his staff have recruited and developed several all-league, academic all-league and all-newcomer team members over the years. Perhaps his best known player was Nate Wolters, who garnered a host of honors, including being named Third Team All-America as a senior in 2013. He was drafted in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks.
After a transition to Division I that began in 2004, Nagy’s teams began to hit their stride in 2010. The six years since have produced a .693 winning percentage, three Summit League regular season and post-season tournament championships, multiple wins against Power 5 teams, and the program’s first post-season win against Colorado State in the 2014 NIT.
Prior to the transition to Division I, Nagy led the Jackrabbits to eight Division II NCAA tournaments in his first nine years, including an Elite 8 appearance in 1997. He finished with a .781 winning percentage as a Division II coach.
Nagy is a 1988 graduate of Delta State University, where he helped lead the team to three Division II tournament appearances in his four years. In addition to setting career records for games played and assists, he also excelled in the classroom, earning Gulf South All-Academic honors three times. He was inducted into the Delta State Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
After graduating, Nagy joined the staff at the University of Illinois under hall of fame coach Lou Henson. In his two seasons on staff the Illini advanced to the NCAA tournament both years, including a trip to the Final Four in 1989. He also got to coach alongside his dad, Dick, who was a longtime assistant under Henson.
Release: by WSU Athletic Media Relations
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