On September 18, 2026, the Washington Huskies men's basketball team announced the hiring of Mike Mennenga, a former assistant coach at Oregon, to their coaching staff. This move comes as head coach Danny Sprinkle continues to build his team ahead of the college basketball season, which is less than two months away.
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Mennenga joins the Huskies following a year with the Creighton Bluejays and after previous successful stints with Oregon, where he spent 11 years under head coach Dana Altman. During his time with the Ducks, Mennenga contributed to seven Pac-12 championships and played a pivotal role in the team making NCAA Tournament appearances in all but three seasons. Highlights from his tenure include a run to the 2016 Elite Eight, a trip to the 2017 Final Four, and two Sweet 16 appearances in 2019 and 2021.
His hiring fills the vacancy left by Quincy Pondexter, a Husky alum who departed to become the head coach of the Chicago Bulls' G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls. Mennenga's extensive knowledge of developing NBA talent, including notable players like Payton Pritchard and Dillon Brooks, is seen as a valuable asset for the Huskies, who have faced challenges in their initial seasons under Sprinkle.
The Huskies are set to face competition early in the season, with games against Utah and Baylor in non-conference play, along with BYU during the Southwest Maui Invitational. Although the schedule includes mid-major opponents, the transition to Big Ten play will pose a significant challenge for the largely untested roster. With the addition of Mennenga, Sprinkle's staff now includes experienced coaches capable of building competitive teams at a national level.