Oral Roberts now has a vacancy at their head coaching position after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign led to the dismissal of coach Russell Springmann.
Oral Roberts and HC Russell Springmann Part Ways Following Lackluster Season
The Golden Eagles have announced their decision to part ways with Springmann.
Oral Roberts announces they’ve parted ways with head basketball coach Russ Springmann after just 2 seasons.
The Golden Eagles went 19-42 in those 2 years, including 7-23 this past season, their worst record since 1993-94, the 1st season under Bill Self. pic.twitter.com/v5VNclkS3h
— TJ Eckert (@TJEckertKTUL) March 7, 2025
“After an on-going evaluation of our men’s basketball program, the decision has been made to make a change in our head coaching position, effective immediately,” ORU AD Tim Johnson said. “We want to thank Coach Springmann for his devotion to ORU and work over the last seven years to help ORU basketball achieve recognition on a national level. We pray for nothing but the best for Coach Springmann and his family in the future.”
As mentioned, Springmann led the Golden Eagles to a 19-42 record in his two seasons as head coach and only notched seven wins in the 2024-25 season prior to his departure.
Oral Roberts finished in ninth place — out of nine teams — in the Summit Conference with a dismal 3-13 conference record. They were defeated 73-56 in the first round of the Summit Tournament by the Kansas City Roos on March 5.
Two days later, Springmann finds himself without a job and AD Johnson enters a search for the programs next head coach.
The program clearly is able to win games, as evidenced by their NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2023. The 2021 season featured upset victories over second-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and seventh-ranked Florida Gators before falling by two points in the Sweet Sixteen matchup against the third-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks.
Former Golden Eagles head coach Paul Mills led those runs to the tournament before departing to take the Wichita State Shockers head coaching job.
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Springmann was hired from within the program following the 2023 season as the 12th head coach in Oral Roberts men’s basketball history. He was hired in May of 2018 by Mills as an assistant coach and served in that role until becoming the head man.
Now, after two disappointing seasons, Springmann is out, and the program will be searching for another head coach, hoping to reignite a former NCAA Tournament regular.
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