Providence Basketball: 10 candidates to replace Ed Cooley as head coach

Keith Urgo

The final name on today’s list is another example of a hot name in the coaching market who’s really only just getting his career started. This didn’t stop Providence when they made their last two coaching hires, and clearly bringing Cooley aboard was a move that worked for all sides. Can Urgo have the same kind of success if he were to take over the Friars?

Urgo is a DC native who played at Fairfield a few years before Cooley got there. His coaching career started with a stint on Villanova’s staff before joining Penn State for nearly a decade as an assistant. He joined his friend Kyle Neptune on the Fordham staff in 2021 and succeeded him as head coach. In his first season as a collegiate head coach, Urgo led Fordham to their best season in recent memory, winning 25 games and finishing 2nd place in a tough A-10.

Judging a coach by one great year led to Keno Davis, meaning Providence will probably be aware of how this move could backfire. However, Urgo has plenty of experience coaching in the Big East and Big Ten even though nothing directly connects him to the Friars. He’s not the sexiest hire in the world, but few people can win that many games in a season with this Fordham program. Urgo is definitely worth a look but it won’t be a surprise if he’s not seriously considered for the job in the end.

We are finished with our deep dive into these ten potential candidates to be the next head coach at Providence; but who do you think the Friars will tab to be their next leader for the future?