Tobin Anderson, the coach who orchestrated one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history when 16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson stunned 1-seed Purdue in 2023, is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next men's basketball coach at Tennessee Tech, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Anderson, who has served as special assistant to head coach Bryan Hodgson at South Florida this past season, helped guide the Bulls to 23 wins and an American Athletic Conference regular-season title.
His return to a head coaching position marks the next chapter for a coach who has built a reputation for turning programs around.
Before his brief stint at South Florida, Anderson spent two seasons at Iona, replacing coaching legend Rick Pitino in 2023.
Despite going 33-34 overall and 22-18 in the MAAC, he was let go after last season.
However, his resume includes remarkable success at previous stops that made him an attractive candidate for Tennessee Tech.
At Fairleigh Dickinson in 2022, Anderson led the Knights to a 17-win improvement and a second-place finish in the Northeast Conference.
They lost to Merrimack in the conference tournament championship game, but with the Warriors ineligible for the NCAA tournament, the league's automatic bid went to Fairleigh Dickinson.
The Knights then beat Texas Southern in the First Four before pulling off the historic upset of Purdue, becoming just the second 16-seed to defeat a 1-seed in tournament history.
Anderson's coaching pedigree was established during nine seasons at Division II St. Thomas Aquinas, where he won 209 games and advanced to seven straight Division II NCAA tournaments.
That level of consistent success demonstrated his ability to build and sustain winning programs.
At Tennessee Tech, Anderson replaces John Pelphrey, who spent seven seasons in charge of the Golden Eagles.
The program will look to Anderson to replicate the turnaround artistry he displayed at Fairleigh Dickinson and bring renewed energy to a team seeking to climb the Ohio Valley Conference standings.
The five-year deal signals Tennessee Tech's commitment to Anderson and confidence in his ability to develop players and compete in a competitive conference landscape.
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