In something of a surprise, recent news out of Indianapolis has indicated that Paul Corsaro has been dismissed after just a single season as head coach at IU Indy. According to a report released by the university, the decision was made as a result of an indication into his conduct.
Corsaro is far from a stranger to Indianapolis, having grown up in the city before spending much of his collegiate career at the University of Indianapolis, a D2 school. Originally a quarterback at Youngstown State, he’d play both basketball and football at Indianapolis before immediately beginning his coaching career following graduation.
IU Indy statement on head coach Paul Corsaro being let go:
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 13, 2025
“His behavior did not meet the university’s values and standards regarding the treatment of student athletes.” https://t.co/WWPAx95zj9
After six years as an assistant with the Greyhounds, Corsaro got his first D1 gig as an assistant at Purdue Fort Wayne, but he returned to his alma mater very soon after, beginning his head coaching career in 2020. Over the next four seasons, Indianapolis made significant progress, qualifying for the D2 NCAA Tournament in both 2023 and 2024.
IU Indy brought him aboard as their new head coach just a year ago. He inherited a program that hasn’t been in great shape in recent years and has had its fair share of struggles. His first season saw the Jaguars finish just 10-22, but that was actually a marked improvement after predecessor Matt Crenshaw won just 14 games in three years.
While there were heightened expectations for next season with a few solid returning faces, the Jaguars are thrown into another coaching search in the blink of an eye, weeks after the coaching carousel had ended for the offseason. Corsaro’s apparent behavior and misconduct was more than enough for the university to pull the plug after just one season.
This situation continues what’s been a tiring decade for the school. Former coach Jason Gardner resigned in 2019 for off-court issues and the half-decade that followed was filled with uncertainty and inconsistency, with the program making a weak impression as a new member of the Horizon League.
Right now there’s not much that this program can do to salvage the upcoming season. The Jaguars will need to name an interim head coach and in all likelihood wait until next offseason for another big coaching hunt. These recent events are a clear disappointment and may mar this upcoming season, especially if any IU Indy players enter the transfer portal.
Not since current Tulane coach Ron Hunter led this program have the Jaguars even finished a season above .500 and it’s clear that this rebuild is going to take a bit longer. Whether or not IU Indy can find a suitable replacement in the coming days or weeks, this clearly isn’t great news for this program or the Horizon League. How do IU Indy, it’s roster, and Corsaro bounce back after this news?