The DMV area has been the hotbed of the recent men’s basketball head coach hiring cycle. Ed Cooley left Providence to take over at Georgetown. Providence responded by hiring Kim English from George Mason. Now George Mason has responded, naming a top Maryland assistant Tony Skinn as its next head coach.
Tony Skinn is an alum of George Mason. He played three seasons with the Patriots, including their magical run to the NCAA Final Four in 2006. He averaged 12.6 points in 34 games that season.
After a six-year professional playing career, Skinn transitioned into coaching. He started his coaching career as an assistant for the Nike Team Takeover AAU club in 2012. He moved to the college ranks, coaching as an assistant at Louisiana Tech, Seton Hall, Ohio State, and most recently at Maryland.
George Mason will be Skinn’s first head coach position. At Maryland, Skinn reunited with head coach Kevin Willard in 2022, with who Skinn served as an assistant for three seasons at Seton Hall. Skinn is a strong recruiter, helping shape this season’s roster through the transfer portal.
Skinn has great ties to the DMV recruiting. He is a Takoma Park native, and his time on the AAU circuit gives him an upper hand. He led the charge to recruit Maryland’s top incoming freshman DeShawn Harris-Smith out of Paul VI in Virginia.
Now, Skinn is tasked with building up the program he helped put on the map nearly two decades ago. English was considered an up-and-coming coach. In two seasons, he got the opportunity to head a major program at Providence.
The Patriots have only made two NCAA tournament appearances since their 2006 Cinderella Final Four team. They have had zero appearances since former head coach Jim Larranaga left for Miami. Coincidentally, Larranaga is back in the Final Four this year with the Hurricanes.
George Mason is coming off a 20-13 season this year, its first 20-win season since 2016-17. The team finished fifth in the Atlantic-10. The Patriots’ leading scorer Josh Oduro has followed English to Providence. Freshman guard Justyn Fernandez is also following English.
