Quannas White was named the 15th head coach of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Men’s Basketball, announced by the university on Monday.
White, who is currently in his eighth season at Houston, will be formally introduced on Monday, March 17, in a noon press conference in the Stadium Club at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
“I am extremely excited to announce Quannas White as our next head Men’s Basketball coach,” Maggard said. “A proven winner, both as a player and coach, Quannas is a man of high integrity, character and faith. He’s an elite recruiter and regarded as one of the best player development coaches in the industry.
“It’s with tremendous pride that we welcome Quannas, his wife Leah and their four children, Jordyn, Anaiah, Asher and Asa to the Ragin’ Cajuns family.”
White joined the Cougars as an assistant in 2017 before being elevated to Associate Head Coach in 2023. White’s relationship with current Houston coach Kelvin Sampson goes back nearly 25 years when White played for Sampson at Oklahoma, helping lead the Sooners to the 2002 NCAA Final Four and 2003 Elite Eight.
White has been a key piece in the overall success of the Houston program, ranked third in the country with a 27-4 record and 19-1 in Big 12 games. In Houston’s second season in the Big 12, they hold a 34-4 league mark, including wins in 33 of its last 35 games.
While with Houston, White has been a part of eight conference titles and seven consecutive trips to NCAA Tournaments, including the 2021 NCAA Final Four.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to be named the next Head Men’s Basketball Coach at the University of Louisiana,” said White. “I want to extend my deepest gratitude to University President Dr. Joseph Savoie and Athletic Director Dr. Bryan Maggard for their trust and belief in my vision for this program. This is an opportunity I do not take lightly, and I am fully committed to building a championship culture that reflects the pride, passion, and relentless work ethic of this great university and community.”
White takes over a Louisiana program that has made 11 trips to the NCAA Championships, most recently in 2023. Louisiana has won 12 conference regular-season titles dating back to 1964 and eight conference tournament titles.
“To the players, fans, alumni, and Ragin’ Cajun family—get ready,” White said. “We will play with toughness, discipline, and heart. We will compete at the highest level and find a way to WIN! Together, we will create something special, something lasting, and something that makes all of Louisiana proud.
“The journey starts now, and I can’t wait to get to work. Geaux Cajuns!”
White helped UH advance to the program’s fifth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, a school record, in 2024. The Cougars posted a 32-5 overall record and captured the Big 12 regular-season championship despite starting 1-2 in conference play.
Under White’s guidance, point guard Jamal Shead was named the Big 12 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player to win both in the same year. Shead was a unanimous consensus First-Team All-American in 2023-2024.
In 2022-23, UH spent eight weeks at No. 1 for the first time since 1984. The Cougars competed as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1983 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 or farther for the fourth straight season.
Following the season, guard Marcus Sasser and forward Jarace Walker were taken in the First Round of the NBA Draft, marking the first time since 1984 that a pair of Cougars were chosen in the First Round.
White helped return the UH program to new heights in his first season as the Cougars had a 27-8 record and a second round appearance in the NCAA Championships for the first time in over 30 years.
Before UH, White served as an assistant coach at Western Kentucky during the 2016-17 season. He helped lead the Hilltoppers to 15 wins and recruited Louisiana native Mitchell Robinson, giving the Hilltoppers a national Top-10 recruiting class.
Prior to WKU, White spent two seasons at Tulane.
White led the Louisiana Dynasty AAU program. During his time, he guided the Dynasty to more than 30 tournament titles and developed several players who competed at the NCAA Division I level.
He began his coaching career at OU as a grad assistant during the 2003-04 campaign and received his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2004.
As a player, White helped lead the Sooners to the 2002 NCAA Final Four as a member of the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team after posting 7.6 points and 4.7 assists per game and was named to the NCAA Tournament All-West Regional Team under Sampson. White also led Oklahoma to the 2003 NCAA Elite Eight with 8.6 points and 4.1 assists per game.
White averaged 17 points and won an LHSAA Class 5A state championship at New Orleans’ St. Augustine High School, playing for legendary head coach Bernard Griffith. His teammate, Oklahoma All-American Hollis Price, currently serves as UH’s director of player development.
He had two stints in the NBA D-League with the Austin Toros and Rio Grande Valley Vipers and played professionally in France and Germany.
White and his wife, Leah, have four children: daughters, Jordyn and Anaiah (pronounced Uh-Nye-Uh), and son, Asher and Asa (pronounced A-suh).