Oregon men's basketball coach Dana Altman is retiring, the program has announced: a stunning move, particularly since it takes place less than one month before the 2026-27 season begins.
Longtime assistant coach and former DePaul coach Tony Stubblefield will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season, while Oregon said it will search for a permanent coach after the season.
"I've loved every minute of coaching here, and stepping away is difficult and truly painful. I love coaching, it's what I know best and what I've been fortunate enough to do for almost five decades. I'm going to miss my coaches, my players and our incredible fans more than I can express," Altman said in a statement. "But I know this is the right thing to do at this time."
The winningest coach in program history, Altman has been at Oregon since 2010. He made the Ducks a consistent contender during his 16 seasons in Eugene, winning four Pac-12 regular-season title and four Pac-12 Tournament championships. He led the team to nine NCAA tournament berths, including four trips to the Sweet 16, two to the Elite Eight and the 2017 Final Four that was the program's first appearance in 78 years.
However, Altman is coming off his worst season of his tenure. Injuries and inconsistent play led to a 12-20 record and a 5-15 mark in the Big Ten that resulted in a 15th-place finish, the first time Oregon had finished worse than eighth in its conference and didn't win at least 20 games.
There was massive turnover on Oregon's roster going into the 2026-27 season, as well.
The timing of the decision is notable, considering the preparation for the 2026-27 season is in full swing. Oregon is set to participate in Big Ten media days on Thursday, Oct. 8, and its first scrimmage is scheduled against Seattle on Oct. 15. The Ducks officially kick off the season on Nov. 2 against Montana.
Why did Dana Altman retire?
Altman said in a press conference his energy was low and he took two weeks off in August hoping "my energy would return, and it didn't."
"Some people I trust and truly respect told me just delegate more and take it easier, back off a little bit, and I tried that for a couple weeks in September, and that's not me. It's not what I've done for 37 years," he said. "I looked in the mirror, and I'd be a hypocrite if I lied to myself and said I was the best coach for the job."
The former coach added that his health also played a factor, but he isn't facing anything serious.
"I had a physical last month, and I'm not as healthy as I should be, and not as healthy as I want to be," Altman said. "Nothing serious, nothing life-threatening, nothing like that. But I'm 68, and I want to hang around for a while."
Dana Altman record
Altman finishes with a record of 382-182 with Oregon. Combined with his tenures at Marshall, Kansas State and Creighton, Altman has a 792-425 record in 37 seasons as a Division I coach, the 15th-most wins in NCAA history.
Dana Altman age
Altman turned 68 years old on June 16. He began coaching in the 1980-81 basketball season as an assistant at Western Colorado. He had his first Division I head coaching job at Marshall in 1989-90, then Kansas State (1990-94), Creighton (1994-2010) and Oregon (2010-26).
Who is replacing Dana Altman? What to know of Tony Stubblefield
Oregon's coach for the 2026-27 season will be Tony Stubblefield, who is very familiar with the Ducks after spending 13 seasons on Altman's staff. He arrived with Altman in 2010 and spent 11 seasons as an assistant, including on the 2017 Final Four team.
Stubblefield got his first head coaching role at DePaul in 2021. After he led the Blue Demons to 15 wins in his first season, he was unable to build on it and was fired midway through his third season in 2023-24. He finished his tenure with a 28-54 record.
He returned to Oregon in 2024 and has been with the team for the past two seasons.
Stubblefield will hold a virtual news conference at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon basketball coach Dana Altman retiring less than one month before season starts
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