TurnkeyZRG Tapped by the University of North Carolina to Find Men’s Head Basketball Coach
March 27, 2026 – TurnkeyZRG has been retained by the University of North Carolina to lead in its search for a new men’s head basketball coach. Hubert Davis, who has served as head coach for five seasons, will not return to coach the Tar Heels. This was after UNC was upset in the first round by VCU in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels are seeking a new head coach for one of college basketball’s most storied programs, which has won six NCAA championships and reached a record 21 Final Fours.
A national search is underway for the Tar Heels’ next head coach. Director of athletics Bubba Cunningham and executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark, are leading the search, along with TurnkeyZRG. Mr. Cunningham and Mr. Newmark also will consult with an advisory group comprised of key stakeholders including former players, former coaches and supporters of UNC athletics.
“We have a fine team leading that search with Bubba Cunningham and Steve Newmark, and we need our leaders to lead,” said UNC board of trustees chair Malcolm Turner. “I trust that they will lead a great process and a great outcome.” The board’s role is limited to reviewing and approving the contract for the next head coach.
Reports have said that the school may break from its long tradition of “family hires” (Dean Smith, Roy Williams, and Hubert Davis) and consider outside candidates for the first time in decades. Several high-profile names have already been linked to the job, including Nate Oats (Alabama), Tommy Lloyd (Arizona), and even NBA coach Billy Donovan, along with rising college coaches like TJ Otzelberger and Grant McCasland. At the same time, UNC faces pressure to move quickly because of the transfer portal, where roster decisions and recruiting can change rapidly if there’s no clear coach in place.
“Well, we know we have the most highly sought-after job in the country. The history and tradition and success of this program is just second to none,” Cunningham said on an episode of the “Carolina Insider,” an in-house production at UNC. “And so, we will be inundated with requests for consideration. So, the first thing we’re going to do and we’ve already done is contracted with Turnkey sports and Chad Chatlos is going to assist us in the search and that will be the process.”
“A lot of people say, ‘Well, you should know all the coaches, and you should be able to do that.’ When a job like this comes open, there are so many requests and you really want to get back to people and have respect for what they’re trying to bring to you,” Mr. Cunningham said.
Using an Outside Firm
“And so, it does help us filter that,” Mr. Cunningham continued. “Certainly, we’ve talked about and we’ll continue to talk about potential candidates and a timeline, and the entire process. But having an outside firm be a shelter or shield to really screen a lot of the calls that are coming will be very helpful for us.”
Related: TurnkeyZRG Assists Southern Methodist University with Director of Athletics Search
Founded in 1996, TurnkeyZRG is a specialized talent recruitment/executive search firm filling C-level, senior-level and mid-management-level positions throughout sports, media and entertainment. Over the past 25 years, the firm has filled more than 1,400 positions. TurnkeyZRG helps teams, leagues, stadiums, arenas, theaters, college athletic departments, events, sponsors, agencies, media companies, private equity companies and other clients identify, recruit, and hire the best management talent.
Len Perna is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Turnkey. He has 30-plus years’ experience in the sports and entertainment industry, with senior-level management experience in sales, event marketing and management, sponsorships, venue feasibility and development, facility operations, licensing, and legal affairs. Since founding Turnkey, Mr. Perna has managed over 1,400 executive searches.
Mr. Chatlos, managing director, college & coaching practice, specializes in senior executive searches across the sports industry with a focus on diverse roles in the ever–changing landscape of Intercollegiate Athletics. He has completed multiple Power Five commissioner searches for the ACC, Pac-12, Big 10 and Big 12. Mr. Chatlos has also placed multiple Power 5 head football coaches and played a pivotal role in the NCAA president search. Prior to joining TurnkeyZRG, Mr. Chatlos started and ran the sports & entertainment practice at Ventura Partners. With more than 15 years of experience in sports marketing and event management, he has property, agency, and corporate experience in the business of sports. Throughout his career, Mr. Chatlos has completed searches for the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, multiple National Governing Bodies, and several brands as well.
Related: TurnkeyZRG Places Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker as Next Head of NCAA
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
