Ed Cooley Releases Statement After Leaving Providence For Big East Rival

Ed Cooley on Monday resigned from his position as the head coach of the Providence Friars men’s basketball team and reportedly has accepted the job with Big East rival Georgetown University.

Cooley, a Providence native and 2022 Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year, had been with the Friars since the 2011-12 campaign. He helped Providence to the NCAA Tournament in seven of his 12 seasons and compiled a 242-153 record with the program.

Cooley took to Twitter on Tuesday morning after departing Providence, a decision that has come under fire by a fair share of the Friars’ fanbase. Cooley is the first head coach to leave one Big East program for another in the conference.

“FRIARTOWN! What a ride this has been,” Cooley tweeted. “We created something so special for this school and this city when no one believed we could. From 2011-2023 we turned this program into one of the most special men’s basketball programs in the country.”

Cooley thanked the fanbase, student body, city of Providence as well as president Ken Sicard and athletic director Steve Napolillo, among others. He went on to praise current and former players and ended his tweet thread with “Go Friars!”

You can read his statement in full below:

Providence College revealed shortly after Cooley’s resignation that a search for his replacement will begin immediately.