K-State Announces Casey Alexander as Men’s Basketball Coach
Mar 13, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Alexander has 303 career wins, including 166 in the last 7 seasons at Belmont.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Casey Alexander, who guided Belmont to 166 wins and four conference titles in the last seven seasons, including the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Championship, has been named the 27th head men's basketball coach at Kansas State, Director of Athletics Gene Taylor announced Friday morning (March 13).
A date and time for Alexander's formal introduction to the public at a news conference is still being determined. The news conference will be streamed on ESPN+ as well as K-State's Facebook Live site. It will also be carried on the K-State Sports Network.
Alexander agreed to a 5-year contract, which was approved by the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors and President Richard Linton. Alexander will be paid $3.3 million in 2026-27 and will receive a $50,000 base salary increase each year remaining on the contract ($3.35 million in 2027-28, $3.4 million in 2028-29, $3.45 million in 2029-30, $3.5 million in 2030-31).
"I'm incredibly excited to join the team at K-State and can't wait to get the journey started," Alexander said. "K-State has such a rich tradition and a wildly passionate fan base and I'm grateful for the opportunity provided by Gene Taylor to be a part of it."
Alexander, 53, has accumulated 303 victories (303-180; .627) in his 15-year head coaching career (2011-26), which includes stints at Stetson (2011-13), Lipscomb (2013-19) and his alma mater Belmont (2019-26), with 6 conference championships (2018 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament, 2019 Atlantic Sun Conference regular season, 2020, 2021 Ohio Valley Conference regular season, 2020 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and 2026 Missouri Valley Conference regular season).
Despite playing in one-bid leagues in his entire head coaching career, Alexander's teams have appeared in the postseason 3 times, including the 2018 NCAA Tournament where Lipscomb lost to 2-seed North Carolina in the first round and twice in the Postseason NIT (2019, 2022), including a trip to the championship game in 2019. In that run to the finals, the Bison won 3 consecutive road games at Davidson, UNC Greensboro and N.C. State and a neutral-site victory over Wichita State in Madison Square Garden before a loss to Texas in the championship game.
Alexander's first Belmont squad in 2019-20 earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning the OVC Tournament before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alexander's current Belmont squad will give him a fourth postseason appearance after winning the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title.
"We couldn't be more excited to announce Casey Alexander as the next head men's basketball coach at K-State," Taylor said. "We had significant interest in our job from numerous talented and successful coaches from around the country. What was evident throughout the search was the positive reputation of K-State basketball, and of the coaches we talked with Casey emerged as the one who best fit our program. He is known nationally as a tremendous evaluator of talent and one of the best offensive minds in the college game. He has built and maintained successful and winning programs at Stetson, Lipscomb and Belmont, and his reputation of developing players and a strong culture all make him a perfect fit for us. We are pleased to welcome Casey, his wife Sunni and their children - Allie, Reed and Mason - to Manhattan and the K-State family."
Alexander has led teams to 10 consecutive 20-win seasons (238-91; .723 winning percentage), which includes double-digit conference win totals each season (138-42; .767 winning percentage), despite navigating three different conferences (Atlantic Sun, Ohio Valley and Missouri Valley). In that span, his teams have averaged nearly 24 wins a season (23.8), including nearly 14 (13.8) in conference play, with six total championships, including four regular-season league titles, and three runner-up finishes while placing no lower than fourth place.
A majority of his 303 wins have come at the helm of his alma mater Belmont, which he has guided to a 166-60 (.735) overall record, including a 102-33 (.756) in conference play, since following the legendary Rick Byrd as head coach in 2019-20. His teams have won 4 conference championships in that span, including the most recent Missouri Valley Conference title.
Belmont is one of only 21 Division I programs with 160 or more victories since the start of the 2019-20 season, which includes the likes of Houston, Gonzaga, Duke, Arizona and Kansas. The Bruins are one of only four teams outside the traditional multi-bid leagues (Akron, Drake, Liberty and VCU) in that fraternity. The 166 wins since 2019-20 are the 14th-most among Division I programs, while the .735 winning percentage is 10th in Division I in that span.
"Coach Alexander is an outstanding fit for K-State, and we are thrilled to welcome him as the next head coach of our men's basketball program," said Linton. "He has built a culture of winning throughout his career, leading with integrity, purpose and a deep commitment to his student-athletes. We are excited to welcome Casey, his wife, and their family to Manhattan. I also want to thank Gene Taylor, and everyone involved in the search for their leadership and dedication in bringing an exceptional coach and person to K-State."
Alexander's success as a head coach followed his tremendous pedigree as first a player (1991-95) then as an assistant coach (1995-2011) for Byrd, who won 713 games in developing Belmont into a NAIA powerhouse from 1986-96 before transiting to Division I in 1996-97 and making the Bruins an NCAA Tournament mainstay before his retirement in 2019.
Alexander succeeded Byrd as the 10th head coach in Belmont history on April 10, 2019.
Belmont is one of three Division I programs (along with Gonzaga and Kansas) to win 20 or more games in each of the last 16 seasons, while the 21 combined conference championships (13 regular season and 8 tournament) since 2006 are only surpassed by the aforementioned programs. Belmont, along with Houston and Louisville, are the only Division I programs to win conference championships in three different conferences over the last two decades.
Alexander played point guard for Byrd at Belmont from 1991-95, where he led the school to the top of the NAIA ranks with a 119-25 record, four postseason appearances and two conference championships. As a senior in 1995, he directed the then-Rebels to a 37-2 record, a No. 1 national ranking and an appearance in the NAIA National Semifinals.
Alexander joined Byrd's coaching staff upon graduation in 1995, spending the next 16 seasons (1995-2011) with the Hall of Famer, where he was part of 287 wins. In Alexander's final eight seasons on staff, the Bruins tallied 172 victories, six postseason appearances (4 NCAA Tournaments, one NIT, one CIT), four Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season championships and four more tournament titles. The team was a remarkable 132-41 (.763) in conference play in that span and posted road victories over Missouri, Alabama and Cincinnati.
Alexander's final season in 2010-11 is considered one of the greatest in school history, as the Bruins posted a 30-5 mark, going 19-1 in league play, and led the nation in scoring margin.
Alexander was inducted into the Belmont University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.
Alexander returned to his alma mater after spending six seasons (2013-19) across town at Lipscomb University, where he produced a program renaissance in leading the Bison to the best 3-year stretch (72-31) of their NCAA Division I era and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history in 2017-18. Overall, he led the school to a 113-84 (.574) record, including a 59-31 (.656) mark in Atlantic Sun Conference play.
Alexander earned his first head coaching job at Stetson University located in Deland, Fla., in 2011-12, guiding the Hatters to 24 wins in two seasons (2011-13), including 18 in Atlantic Sun Conference play. He grew the win total from nine in year one to 15 in year two, including the school's most ASUN wins (11) since 1987.
Alexander earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Belmont in 1995 before obtaining a Master's degree in sports management from Austin Peay in 1996.
Alexander was born on June 8, 1972 in Nashville, Tenn., and prepped at Brentwood Academy. He and his wife, the former Sunni Dixon, also a 1995 Belmont graduate, are the parents of three children: Allie, Reed and Mason.
Alexander will take over a Kansas State program that recently finished the 2025-26 season with a 12-20 overall record, including a 3-15 mark in Big 12 play.
Coaching Experience
Assistant Coach, Belmont (1995-2011)
Head Coach, Stetson (2011-13)
Head Coach, Lipscomb (2013-19)
Head Coach, Belmont (2019-26)
Head Coach, Kansas State (2026-present)
Playing Career
Belmont (1992-95)
Education
Bachelor's degree in physical education, Belmont, 1995
Master's degree in sports management, Austin Peay, 1996
Personal
Born: June 8, 1972 (age 53), in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Wife: Sunni
Children: Allie, Reed and Mason
A date and time for Alexander's formal introduction to the public at a news conference is still being determined. The news conference will be streamed on ESPN+ as well as K-State's Facebook Live site. It will also be carried on the K-State Sports Network.
Alexander agreed to a 5-year contract, which was approved by the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors and President Richard Linton. Alexander will be paid $3.3 million in 2026-27 and will receive a $50,000 base salary increase each year remaining on the contract ($3.35 million in 2027-28, $3.4 million in 2028-29, $3.45 million in 2029-30, $3.5 million in 2030-31).
"I'm incredibly excited to join the team at K-State and can't wait to get the journey started," Alexander said. "K-State has such a rich tradition and a wildly passionate fan base and I'm grateful for the opportunity provided by Gene Taylor to be a part of it."
Alexander, 53, has accumulated 303 victories (303-180; .627) in his 15-year head coaching career (2011-26), which includes stints at Stetson (2011-13), Lipscomb (2013-19) and his alma mater Belmont (2019-26), with 6 conference championships (2018 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament, 2019 Atlantic Sun Conference regular season, 2020, 2021 Ohio Valley Conference regular season, 2020 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and 2026 Missouri Valley Conference regular season).
Despite playing in one-bid leagues in his entire head coaching career, Alexander's teams have appeared in the postseason 3 times, including the 2018 NCAA Tournament where Lipscomb lost to 2-seed North Carolina in the first round and twice in the Postseason NIT (2019, 2022), including a trip to the championship game in 2019. In that run to the finals, the Bison won 3 consecutive road games at Davidson, UNC Greensboro and N.C. State and a neutral-site victory over Wichita State in Madison Square Garden before a loss to Texas in the championship game.
Alexander's first Belmont squad in 2019-20 earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning the OVC Tournament before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alexander's current Belmont squad will give him a fourth postseason appearance after winning the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title.
"We couldn't be more excited to announce Casey Alexander as the next head men's basketball coach at K-State," Taylor said. "We had significant interest in our job from numerous talented and successful coaches from around the country. What was evident throughout the search was the positive reputation of K-State basketball, and of the coaches we talked with Casey emerged as the one who best fit our program. He is known nationally as a tremendous evaluator of talent and one of the best offensive minds in the college game. He has built and maintained successful and winning programs at Stetson, Lipscomb and Belmont, and his reputation of developing players and a strong culture all make him a perfect fit for us. We are pleased to welcome Casey, his wife Sunni and their children - Allie, Reed and Mason - to Manhattan and the K-State family."
Alexander has led teams to 10 consecutive 20-win seasons (238-91; .723 winning percentage), which includes double-digit conference win totals each season (138-42; .767 winning percentage), despite navigating three different conferences (Atlantic Sun, Ohio Valley and Missouri Valley). In that span, his teams have averaged nearly 24 wins a season (23.8), including nearly 14 (13.8) in conference play, with six total championships, including four regular-season league titles, and three runner-up finishes while placing no lower than fourth place.
A majority of his 303 wins have come at the helm of his alma mater Belmont, which he has guided to a 166-60 (.735) overall record, including a 102-33 (.756) in conference play, since following the legendary Rick Byrd as head coach in 2019-20. His teams have won 4 conference championships in that span, including the most recent Missouri Valley Conference title.
Belmont is one of only 21 Division I programs with 160 or more victories since the start of the 2019-20 season, which includes the likes of Houston, Gonzaga, Duke, Arizona and Kansas. The Bruins are one of only four teams outside the traditional multi-bid leagues (Akron, Drake, Liberty and VCU) in that fraternity. The 166 wins since 2019-20 are the 14th-most among Division I programs, while the .735 winning percentage is 10th in Division I in that span.
"Coach Alexander is an outstanding fit for K-State, and we are thrilled to welcome him as the next head coach of our men's basketball program," said Linton. "He has built a culture of winning throughout his career, leading with integrity, purpose and a deep commitment to his student-athletes. We are excited to welcome Casey, his wife, and their family to Manhattan. I also want to thank Gene Taylor, and everyone involved in the search for their leadership and dedication in bringing an exceptional coach and person to K-State."
Alexander's success as a head coach followed his tremendous pedigree as first a player (1991-95) then as an assistant coach (1995-2011) for Byrd, who won 713 games in developing Belmont into a NAIA powerhouse from 1986-96 before transiting to Division I in 1996-97 and making the Bruins an NCAA Tournament mainstay before his retirement in 2019.
Alexander succeeded Byrd as the 10th head coach in Belmont history on April 10, 2019.
Belmont is one of three Division I programs (along with Gonzaga and Kansas) to win 20 or more games in each of the last 16 seasons, while the 21 combined conference championships (13 regular season and 8 tournament) since 2006 are only surpassed by the aforementioned programs. Belmont, along with Houston and Louisville, are the only Division I programs to win conference championships in three different conferences over the last two decades.
Alexander played point guard for Byrd at Belmont from 1991-95, where he led the school to the top of the NAIA ranks with a 119-25 record, four postseason appearances and two conference championships. As a senior in 1995, he directed the then-Rebels to a 37-2 record, a No. 1 national ranking and an appearance in the NAIA National Semifinals.
Alexander joined Byrd's coaching staff upon graduation in 1995, spending the next 16 seasons (1995-2011) with the Hall of Famer, where he was part of 287 wins. In Alexander's final eight seasons on staff, the Bruins tallied 172 victories, six postseason appearances (4 NCAA Tournaments, one NIT, one CIT), four Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season championships and four more tournament titles. The team was a remarkable 132-41 (.763) in conference play in that span and posted road victories over Missouri, Alabama and Cincinnati.
Alexander's final season in 2010-11 is considered one of the greatest in school history, as the Bruins posted a 30-5 mark, going 19-1 in league play, and led the nation in scoring margin.
Alexander was inducted into the Belmont University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.
Alexander returned to his alma mater after spending six seasons (2013-19) across town at Lipscomb University, where he produced a program renaissance in leading the Bison to the best 3-year stretch (72-31) of their NCAA Division I era and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history in 2017-18. Overall, he led the school to a 113-84 (.574) record, including a 59-31 (.656) mark in Atlantic Sun Conference play.
Alexander earned his first head coaching job at Stetson University located in Deland, Fla., in 2011-12, guiding the Hatters to 24 wins in two seasons (2011-13), including 18 in Atlantic Sun Conference play. He grew the win total from nine in year one to 15 in year two, including the school's most ASUN wins (11) since 1987.
Alexander earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Belmont in 1995 before obtaining a Master's degree in sports management from Austin Peay in 1996.
Alexander was born on June 8, 1972 in Nashville, Tenn., and prepped at Brentwood Academy. He and his wife, the former Sunni Dixon, also a 1995 Belmont graduate, are the parents of three children: Allie, Reed and Mason.
Alexander will take over a Kansas State program that recently finished the 2025-26 season with a 12-20 overall record, including a 3-15 mark in Big 12 play.
Coaching Experience
Assistant Coach, Belmont (1995-2011)
Head Coach, Stetson (2011-13)
Head Coach, Lipscomb (2013-19)
Head Coach, Belmont (2019-26)
Head Coach, Kansas State (2026-present)
Playing Career
Belmont (1992-95)
Education
Bachelor's degree in physical education, Belmont, 1995
Master's degree in sports management, Austin Peay, 1996
Personal
Born: June 8, 1972 (age 53), in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Wife: Sunni
Children: Allie, Reed and Mason
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