The hire
Washington head men’s basketball coach Danny Sprinkle has announced the addition of Mike Mennenga to his coaching staff, the University of Washington Athletic Communications reported Sept. 24. Mennenga arrives in Montlake after 12 seasons as an assistant at Oregon under head coach Dana Altman.
The announcement confirms Mennenga’s addition to the Washington staff. It does not specify a Washington title, recruiting territory or day-to-day portfolio beyond identifying him as a member of Sprinkle’s staff. Those details should not be inferred from his previous work in Eugene.
A 12-year Oregon tenure
Washington’s release credits Mennenga’s Oregon tenure with 285 wins, four Pac-12 championships and three Pac-12 Tournament titles. The Ducks earned seven NCAA Tournament bids during those 12 seasons and advanced to at least the second round in each appearance.
The release describes Mennenga’s primary responsibilities on Altman’s staff as player development and recruitment. It also says Oregon developed three Pac-12 Players of the Year during his tenure: Joseph Young, Dillon Brooks and Payton Pritchard.
Oregon reached the Final Four in 2017, its first since 1939, and also advanced to the Elite Eight in 2016 and the Sweet 16 in 2019 and 2021, according to Washington’s account.
Earlier coaching stops
Mennenga began his Division I coaching career at Maine in 1996, then had stops at Buffalo, Iowa State, Providence and Canisius. The release says the win total at Buffalo rose from five in his first season to 25 in his fifth.
Washington’s announcement establishes the hire and documents Mennenga’s previous résumé. It does not project how his arrival will affect the Huskies or assign future results to the move. The confirmed development is that Sprinkle’s staff has added an experienced Pacific Northwest assistant with a long record in player development and recruiting.