RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada coach Steve Alford is retiring at the end of the upcoming season, ending a 36-year coaching career that also included stops at Iowa, New Mexico and UCLA.

Alford is entering his eighth season at Nevada, where’s gone 137-88 with NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024. He is 724-386 overall.

“After 36 years, I feel like this is the right time to step away from the bench,” Alford said in a statement on Thursday. “Tanya and I have loved our time in Reno, and have embraced this amazing community and built lifelong friendships. I want to thank the University of Nevada for the opportunity to lead this program, and I am looking forward to finishing this season the right way, with a team I believe in.”

The 61-year-old Alford previously coached at UCLA, leading to the Bruins to consecutive Sweet 16s in 2014-15 during an up-and-down six-year tenure.

Alford was a star player at Indiana, winning a national championship under Bobby Knight. He played four NBA seasons before going into coaching at age 26.

Alford led Manchester College in Indiana to the 1995 Division III championship game and moved to Missouri State, taking the Bears to the Sweet 16 in the final of his four seasons. He coached at Iowa from 1998-2007, leading the Hawkeyes to two Big Ten Tournament titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Alford made a surprising move from the Big 10 to coach New Mexico of the Mountain West Conference in 2007, but had some of his greatest coaching success in Albuquerque. He led the Lobos to four Mountain West regular-season titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the second round twice.

“Steve Alford has been an important part of Nevada athletics and Wolf Pack basketball for nearly a decade, leading the program with consistency, integrity and a deep commitment to developing outstanding young men,” Nevada athletic director Stephanie Rempe said in a statement. “Throughout his tenure, he helped Nevada remain one of the Mountain West Conference’s most competitive programs while navigating a period of significant change in college athletics.”

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