Auburn AD John Cohen releases statement on Bruce Pearl’s retirement
By Jake Faigus
Published:
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl announced that he is retiring with just a few weeks to go before the start of the 2025-26 college basketball season.
Auburn Athletic Director John Cohen released a statement regarding Pearl’s retirement and praised his accomplishments, especially his impact on student-athletes throughout his career, before and during his time on the Plains.
“Throughout his five decades on the court, Bruce has energized fan bases, won championships, helped student-athletes graduate, worked with young people to achieve their dreams, and impacted countless lives. The marks of a true college basketball Hall of Famer,” Auburn athletic director John Cohen said in a statement. “While Bruce has been a stalwart of college basketball for his entire career, nowhere has he made a more substantial impact than his 11 years at Auburn. During his tenure on the Plains, Bruce has brought pride to the Auburn family as he pursued and won championships through relentless toughness and determination.”
It is worth noting that Cohen has only been with Auburn since 2022, but Pearl’s last three years with the Tigers have been the best, highlighted by a Final Four appearance this past season.
Pearl’s son, Steven Pearl, will take over as Auburn’s head coach for the upcoming season. The Tigers will play their season-opener at home on Nov. 3 against Bethune-Cookman.
