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Washington D.C. basketball powerhouse Gonzaga hires former Fordham head coach

Wg0vf-nP_400x400by: Keegan Pope05/20/25bykeeganpope
NCAA Basketball: Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Semifinals-Fordham vs Dayton
Fordham Rams head coach Keith Urgo reacts after a call in the second half against the Dayton Flyers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Gonzaga College, one of the top basketball programs on the East Coast, has its new head coach.

On Tuesday, the school announced that Keith Urgo, a Gonzaga graduate and former head coach at Fordham University, will be taking over the program. He replaces Steve Turner, who left the school in March after 20 years at the helm to coach at national powerhouse Montverde Academy.

Urgo most recently coached at New York’s Fordham University, where he was named the Atlantic 10 coach of the year in 2023. He was fired after just three seasons in 2025, compiling a 50-49 record.

“Gonzaga is excited to welcome Coach Keith Urgo as our next Head Basketball Coach!” the school announced on social media. “A proud alumnus of the Class of 1997, Coach Urgo was a three-sport athlete on Eye Street who continued his athletic career at Fairfield University, playing both basketball and lacrosse. After college, Coach Urgo began his career in education at the Washington Jesuit Academy and coached basketball at Gonzaga for four years as the Freshman Head Coach and a Varsity Assistant. Over the past 18 years, he has coached at the collegiate level with roles at Villanova, Penn State, and Fordham. Three years ago, he became the Head Coach of Fordham, earning the title of Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year in his first season.”

Added athletic director Terry Kernan: “Coach Urgo’s coaching philosophy is deeply rooted in Jesuit tradition and mission. Having attended or served at four separate Jesuit institutions, he is committed to the individual growth of each player, both on and off the court. He is passionate about returning to his alma mater to lead Gonzaga’s basketball program. We can’t wait to welcome him back to Eye Street.”

He has large shoes to replace following Turner’s departure after two decades where he built the program into a national powerhouse.

This season, Turner led the Eagles to a 29-5 record and a top-10 national ranking in the On3 Composite High School Basketball Team Rankings. They also took home a DCSAA Class AA title, defeating Sidwell Friends 67-51 in the finals.

Over his two decades at the helm, Turner amassed a 497-176 record and led the program to multiple state championships.