Former Miami men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga was immortalized in program history before tipoff against Florida State on Jan. 20, unveiling a banner bearing his name and the years 2011–24.
Prior to Miami, Larrañaga spent 14 years as head coach at George Mason University and said it was not an easy decision to leave, but one that proved rewarding.
“I’ve worked for the university for 15 years, and these are the 15 greatest years of my life,” Larrañaga said in a halftime conversation moderated by WQAM sports broadcaster Joe Zagacki. “That banner represents a heck of a lot of hard work from so many people in our program, coaches and players alike.”
Larrañaga became the oldest coach in the ACC at age 62 when he was named Miami’s head coach April 22, 2011.
“I was 62 years old, and you know what I told the media — I’m just getting started,” Larrañaga said.
April 22, 2011, marked the start of something special. In 13 seasons, Larrañaga led the Hurricanes to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including four trips to the Sweet 16.
He helped Miami reach the program’s first Elite Eight in 2022 and its first Final Four in 2023. Those accomplishments are only a sliver of his impressive résumé at UM.
The program recorded five 25-win seasons and eight 20-win seasons during his tenure.
He turned his players into March Madness heroes, fostering a winning atmosphere that allowed them to flourish on college basketball’s biggest stages.
In the 2023 Elite Eight against Texas, Jordan Miller shot 7-for-7 from the field and 13-for-13 from the free-throw line. He finished with 27 points to send Miami to the Final Four.
In 2022, Kameron McGusty scored 27 points to send the Hurricanes to the Elite Eight. Other notable players included Isaiah Wong, Sam Waardenburg and Nijel Pack.
Most importantly, he brought the Miami Hurricanes community together. In 2017–18, season tickets sold out for the third straight season. During the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, Miami recorded four of the five highest single-game student attendance marks in program history.
In the midst of his 14th season coaching Miami, Larrañaga stepped down Dec. 26, 2024. He credited his decision to the ever-changing landscape of college athletics.
“All those players and coaches and the fans that followed us, you deserve all the credit,” Larrañaga said. “That banner represents you as well, and I thank you for that.”
Larrañaga will forever be a Miami Hurricane.
