Husker basketball coach hopes to continue success after record-setting season

Nebraska men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg reflected on the best season in school history Monday. At a press conference, he said the program is positioned to build off of this year’s Sweet 16 run.

“We can’t wait five, six, seven years for this to happen again,” Hoiberg said. “And, I feel really good about where we're at going into the offseason, and I'm confident that we're going to add some more very important pieces, so we can be in the same situation where we're competing for a Big Ten championship.

“We led a game for 38 minutes to get to the Elite Eight. Unfortunately, [we] didn't close it out. So, there's a lot to build on, and our guys absolutely, 100% should be very proud of what they've accomplished,” he said.

With the transfer portal window opening Tuesday, Hoiberg said he’s going to look for the most talented players, of course, but also “the right type of kid.” He defined that quality as someone who will uphold the program’s standards.

“That's number one. You do a lot of background work to see if they're the right type of kid to bring in here, so we can continue to have a fan base that can be proud of what they're seeing out there on the floor,” Hoiberg said. “And then they have to fit. They have to fit the way that we want to play.”

That could mean adding someone to replace Rienk Mast, a forward who can shoot and pass. Also, Hoiberg said losing seniors Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence means his staff will look for a couple of guards to fill the void.

As for his coaching staff, all of Nebraska’s assistant coaches are still on staff at this point, Hoiberg said.

“Nothing has changed. We'll see how things transpire,” Hoiberg said. “I'm very thankful for the staff that we have, and everybody's on the same page.”

Hoiberg earned coach of the year honors from the Associated Press last week. The Huskers won their first March Madness game in school history — and did it twice — and set a new record for single season wins with 28.

Hoiberg thanked his coaches and players for helping him earn the coach of the year honor. He said the 2026 team should be proud of its season.

Assistants have accepted their roles, said Hoiberg, who added that he went to a more defined offensive and defensive coaching split this year.