The Miami Hurricanes basketball program and Jai Lucas made an addition to its coaching staff by hiring Russell Springmann, the former head coach at Oral Roberts University. Springmann joins first-year head coach Lucas, bringing over three decades of coaching experience to the Hurricanes. CanesInSight was the first to report the hiring.
“I’ve been fortunate to not only play for Russell, but also work alongside him during our time at Texas,” Lucas said. “He is an exceptional basketball coach and an even better person. His wisdom and 20-plus years of basketball experience will help create the culture we want here at The U.”
Springmann's coaching journey began shortly after his playing days at Salisbury State University, where he served as an assistant coach from 1990 to 1992. He then took the helm at Mardela High School in Maryland, earning two conference Coach of the Year honors during his four-year tenure. His college coaching career began at the University of Florida and included a notable 14-year stint at the University of Texas under head coach Rick Barnes. During his time with the Longhorns, Springmann was involved in 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and five Sweet 16 runs.
In 2015, Springmann joined the University of San Diego as an assistant coach until 2017 before spending a year as a scout for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He then became an assistant coach at Oral Roberts University in 2018, eventually being promoted to head coach in 2023. During his time at Oral Roberts, Springmann was a part of the 2023 run where, as a No. 15 seed, Oral Roberts made it to the Sweet Sixteen.
Springmann's hiring comes in an effort by Lucas to assemble a diverse and experienced coaching staff. As the Hurricanes look to rebound from a challenging 2024-25 season, the revamped coaching staff aims to restore the program's ability to compete in the ACC.