Bruce Pearl has retired after 11 years as Auburn men's basketball coach, taking the program to never-before-seen heights with two Final Four appearances, five SEC championships and a No. 1 ranking.
The coach released a statement on Monday afternoon.
“Eleven years ago, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to become the head basketball coach at Auburn, and it has been nothing short of amazing,” Pearl said. “With the Auburn Family’s unwavering support, we have built a program from the ground up and taken it to heights it had never reached before. Not only have we won championships, but we have built the best home-court advantage in college basketball, we’ve invested in this community and changed lives, and we’ve developed and graduated Auburn men. We built a program with the core tenants of faith, family and passion, and together, we made history. I hope we have made Auburn proud.
“I have been at this for almost 50 years and truthfully as hard as it is for me to say this, I have come to the realization that it’s time for me to step aside. Being the head coach at Auburn has been the privilege of my life.
“There are so many people to thank, but the success that we achieved would not have been possible first and foremost, without the players who worked incredibly hard to improve every day on the court, in the classroom and developing into men. I’ve had the best staff in the country and can’t thank then enough for their commitment. We’ve had tremendous support from our university administration, athletic administration and the Board of Trustees, whom I’m incredibly grateful for. I want to thank Jay Jacobs and Jay Gogue for hiring me as well as our current administration, Dr. Chris Roberts and John Cohen, for their commitment to excellence.
“Auburn Family, I love you and I hope you understand that for me, it is time. Brandy and I are looking forward to the opportunity to continue serving the Auburn Family – just, in a new capacity. War Eagle!”
Pearl's son, Steven, is set to replace his father as the head basketball coach. He has been on Pearl's staff in various roles since 2015.