Mar 20, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley during the NCAA pre tournament press conference at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Dan Hurley Opens Up About Decision To Coach UConn Huskies

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI | By Tommy Wild | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 6:35 PM ET

Dan Hurley had found success at both Wagner and Rhode Island before taking his coaching talents to a college basketball’s top conference, the BIG EAST. He was named head coach of the UConn Huskies on March 28, 2018, and the rest is history.

Hurley certainly has become an infamous figure in college basketball since arriving in Storrs, but one thing no one can deny is that he’s a tremendous coach. Hurley has found a ton of success as UConn’s head coach, including winning back-to-back national championships in ‘23 and '24.

Hurley has had opportunities to leave UConn and coach elsewhere, including last summer when he was contemplating the head position with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, Hurley remained with the Huskies, and the position he’s currently in is one that it appears he’ll be in for a long time.

Dan Hurley has had success throughout his coaching career, but he knows that his decision to go to UConn changed his life forever.

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During a recent interview with Jon Rothstein, Hurley opened up about his decision to take the UConn job eight years ago. Needless to say, UConn's head coach is where he wants to be, not just now, but for the long term.

“When you do have the moments where you reflect on how much it’s meant to your life. Like, how coming to UConn as an opportunity to challenge myself to see if I’m an elite coach, to see if I can become a championship coach. When you’re sitting on the beach at Spring Lake, and you’re listening to some music, and you’ll reflect. Yeah, UConn has changed my life in a way that you know that you’ll never coach anywhere else,” said Hurley.

Hurley took the job to see if he could become one of the best coaches in NCAA basketball, and he’s answered that question with flying colors. Earlier this summer, The Athletic named him the 14th-best coach in college basketball in the 2000s.

Since taking over the Huskies, Hurley has a .705 winning percentage (234-165), including a BIG EAST Tournament Championship, four NCAA Tournament appearances, and two NCAA titles.

Hurley has accomplished these accolades with many different rosters, demonstrating his elite ability to create game plans and recruit. The Huskies have also been early beneficiaries of the NCAA’s transfer portal.

There’s no question that Hurley has turned the program around, and hearing him say he can’t envision himself coaching anywhere else should give UConn fans confidence that the Huskies will continue to be title contenders and one of the best overall programs in college basketball for the foreseeable future.

This article first appeared on UConn Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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