Career Timeline of Mick Cronin (basketball): Major Achievements and Milestones

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 21, 2026

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Mick Cronin (basketball) made an impact.

Mick Cronin is an American college basketball coach, currently head coach at UCLA, where he was named the 2020 Pac-12 Coach of the Year and led the Bruins to the 2021 NCAA Final Four. Before UCLA, Cronin coached at the University of Cincinnati from 2006 to 2019, earning AAC Coach of the Year honors in 2014 and guiding the Bearcats to nine consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. His coaching career also includes a stint at Murray State University from 2003 to 2006.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1991: Assistant Coach at Woodward High

In 1991, Mick Cronin started as a varsity assistant coach and junior varsity coach at Woodward High School.

1994: Director of Pittsburgh Roundball Classic

In 1994, Mick Cronin was the director of the Pittsburgh high school Roundball Classic national all-star game.

1996: Video Coordinator at Cincinnati

In 1996, Mick Cronin took his first college coaching job as a video coordinator under Bob Huggins at the University of Cincinnati.

1996: End of Woodward High Coaching

In 1996, Mick Cronin's time as a varsity assistant coach and junior varsity coach at Woodward High School concluded.

1996: Coached at Magic Johnson Roundball Classic

In the spring of 1996, Mick Cronin coached the East team in the Magic Johnson Roundball Classic.

1997: Assistant Coach at Cincinnati

In 1997, Mick Cronin was promoted to assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati.

2001: Associate Head Coach at Louisville

In 2001, Mick Cronin became the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisville under Rick Pitino.

2001: Assistant Coach at Cincinnati

In 2001, Mick Cronin's tenure as assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati concluded.

2003: Head Coach at Murray State

In 2003, Mick Cronin became the head coach at Murray State University.

2005: Took over at Cincinnati

After the 2005-06 season, Mick Cronin was hired as Cincinnati's coach, replacing interim coach Andy Kennedy after the dismissal of Bob Huggins.

2006: Head Coach at Cincinnati

In 2006, Mick Cronin became the head coach at the University of Cincinnati.

2006: OVC Coach of the Year

In 2006, Mick Cronin was named the Ohio Valley Conference coach of the year while coaching at Murray State.

2008: First Elite Eight since 2008

In 2020–21, Cronin led the Bruins to an overtime victory over No. 2 seeded Alabama, reaching the Elite Eight for the first time in his coaching career (and the first for UCLA since 2008).

2009: Recruited Lance Stephenson

For the 2009–10 season, Mick Cronin successfully recruited Lance Stephenson, who was later named the Big East Rookie of the Year at Cincinnati.

2010: Improved Win Totals

From the beginning of the 2010 season, Mick Cronin improved the school's win total each of his first five seasons at UC.

2011: Contract Extension

In 2011, the University of Cincinnati board of trustees approved a contract extension for Mick Cronin through 2017 with an average pay of $1.5 million a year.

2012: NCAA Tournament Win

In 2012, Mick Cronin became the only UC coach to lead the Bearcats to a win over a higher seed in the NCAA tournament, defeating 3rd-seeded Florida State.

2012: Pac-12 Championship

In 2022–23, UCLA won their first Pac-12 regular season championship since 2012–13.

2014: AAC Coach of the Year

In 2014, Mick Cronin was named the AAC Coach of the Year and guided the Cincinnati program to nine straight NCAA tournament appearances.

2015: Bruins Sweet Sixteen

Cronin led the 2021–22 team to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2022 NCAA tournament, the first time the Bruins had reached the regional semifinals in consecutive seasons since 2015.

2016: Contract Extension Approved

In 2016, the UC board of trustees approved a 2-year extension that would have taken Mick Cronin through the 2022–23 season.

February 3, 2017: Successful Period at Cincinnati

From the beginning of the 2010 season to February 3, 2017, Mick Cronin's Bearcats amassed a 166-63 record, spent 45 weeks ranked in the AP Poll, and reached six straight NCAA tournaments.