Kansas announces Director of Basketball Operations Fred Quartlebaum leaving program

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self announced the departure of Director of Basketball Operations Fred Quartlebaum. He spent 12 years with the program and will officially leave the program in June.

“Q has been with us for the last 12 seasons and has been very involved in many aspects of our program, but primarily as the liaison between our staff and community relations,” Self said. “He’s been the primary person in charge of working with the players and developing a culture within our program. He has done a fantastic job and will be missed. I’m excited for him and (his wife) Christy as they move into another phase in their lives.”

When Quartlebaum first got to Kansas in June of 2013, he was the Director of Student-Athlete Development. He would later be moved to the Director of Basketball Operations role in 2020. He also serves on the University of Kansas’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Committee, Strategic Planning subcommittee for Culture Building, Leadership and Integrity and leads social justice initiatives to empower and educate the men’s basketball program. Furthermore, he serves on the Team IMPACT’s Athletic Advisory Board.

While at Kansas, Quartlebaum was part of an excellent run of success for the Jayhawks program alongside head coach Bill Self. That included winning the 2022 national title. He was also a part of six Big 12 regular season championships, two Big 12 Tournament titles, and three NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearances. However, Kansas hasn’t finished better than fifth in the Big 12 over the last two seasons and hasn’t made it out of the Round of 32 since that title run.

To replace Quartlebaum, Bill Self is promoting Lexi Price to the Director of Operations role. Price has been the program’s office manager since December 2021.

“Lexi is one of the most organized and detail-oriented individuals I have been around,” Self said. “Her skill set allows this to be a seamless and smooth transition. The new position will be a continuation of her current role in addition to coordinating student-athlete enrollment, housing, and team travel.”

Price has been with the Kansas men’s basketball program since the 2017-18 season. She initially was a student team manager for four seasons. Then, in 2020, she would earn her bachelor’s degree in sport management with a minor in psychology from the University of Kansas. In 2022, she’d go on to earn a master’s degree from Kansas. Now, she’ll look to play a major role in her alma mater’s men’s basketball program getting back to deep runs of success in March.