Providence Basketball: Friars History, Legends and the Bryan Hodgson Era

Providence College in Rhode Island has one of the richest basketball traditions of any small school in America. The Friars have reached two Final Fours, won Big East titles, produced Hall of Famers and NBA players, and draw passionate crowds to their downtown arena. In March 2026, the program began a new chapter by hiring head coach Bryan Hodgson.

Quick facts

School	Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island
Nickname	Friars
Conference	Big East (founding member, 1979)
Arena	Amica Mutual Pavilion, downtown Providence
Final Fours	1973, 1987
Big East tournament titles	1994, 2014
NIT titles	1961, 1963
Head coach	Bryan Hodgson (hired March 2026)

Early success and the NIT years

Under coach Joe Mullaney, Providence became a national name in the late 1950s and 1960s, winning the National Invitation Tournament in 1961 and 1963, when the NIT was one of the most prestigious events in college basketball. Lenny Wilkens, who played for the Friars from 1957 to 1960, went on to become a Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach.

The 1973 Final Four

Coached by Dave Gavitt, the 1972–73 Friars featured guard Ernie DiGregorio and center Marvin Barnes. Providence reached the Final Four, where Barnes was injured early in the semifinal against Memphis State, and the Friars lost. That team remains one of the most celebrated in school history. Gavitt later became the founding commissioner of the Big East.

The 1987 Final Four with Rick Pitino

In 1987, a young coach named Rick Pitino led an underdog Providence team to the Final Four, using a fast pace, full-court pressure and plenty of three-pointers in the first season the three-point line was used nationally in college basketball. Guard Billy Donovan, who later won two national titles as Florida's coach, was the team's star.

The 1990s and the 1997 Elite Eight

Providence won the Big East tournament in 1994. In 1997, guard God Shammgod, whose dribble move became famous, and teammates such as Austin Croshere led the Friars to the Elite Eight, where they lost an overtime thriller to eventual champion Arizona.

The Ed Cooley era (2011–2023)

Ed Cooley, a Providence native, rebuilt the program and made it a regular NCAA Tournament team. Highlights included:

• The 2014 Big East tournament title, led by guard Bryce Cotton.
• Kris Dunn winning Big East Player of the Year twice (2015 and 2016) before becoming a top-five NBA draft pick.
• The 2021–22 Big East regular-season championship and a run to the Sweet 16.

Cooley left for Georgetown in 2023.

Kim English (2023–2026)

Kim English arrived from George Mason in 2023. His three seasons produced a 48–52 overall record and no NCAA Tournament appearances. The 2025–26 team finished 15–18, and Providence announced on March 13, 2026, that English would not return.

The Bryan Hodgson era begins

On March 22, 2026, Providence named Bryan Hodgson its 17th men's basketball head coach. Hodgson, 38 at the time of his hiring, had just led South Florida to a 25–9 season and an NCAA Tournament appearance in his only year there, after two seasons at Arkansas State. Before becoming a head coach, he was an assistant to Nate Oats at Alabama, known for fast, analytics-driven offense and strong recruiting. The school cited his energy, recruiting ability and experience with the changing landscape of college athletics.

Friars legends

Player	Era	Known for
Lenny Wilkens	1957–60	Hall of Famer as player and coach
Ernie DiGregorio	1970–73	1973 Final Four star, NBA Rookie of the Year
Marvin Barnes	1971–74	Dominant big man, No. 2 pick in the 1974 NBA Draft
Billy Donovan	1983–87	1987 Final Four star, later a championship coach
God Shammgod	1995–97	Famous dribble move, 1997 Elite Eight
Kris Dunn	2012–16	Two-time Big East Player of the Year

Game day in Providence

The Friars play home games at the Amica Mutual Pavilion, formerly known as the Dunkin' Donuts Center, in downtown Providence. Big East matchups against Villanova, UConn, Georgetown and St. John's draw loud crowds, and the student section, known as the Friar Fanatics, is one of the liveliest in the conference.

For more college sports, read about the Buffalo Braves, one of the NBA's lost franchises, or the Clemson vs South Carolina rivalry.