BYU men’s basketball announces Kahil Fennell as assistant coach

PROVO, Utah – BYU men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope has announced the hiring of Kahil Fennell as the program’s new assistant coach.

“With our last year in the WCC and our subsequent move into the Big 12, it’s an incredible time for BYU basketball," Pope said. "We have had a historic three-year run and we are determined to get better. Kahil Fennell makes us so much better. He is an excellent communicator, elite level recruiter and has an insatiable work ethic. Cougar Nation is going to fall in love with Kahil, his wife Sarah, and their two boys, Ezra and Koa. Let’s go!”

Fennell, a native of Oakland, Calif., comes to BYU after spending the past four seasons at the University of Louisville, including serving as an assistant coach in 2021-22.

“I am incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to join a program such as BYU,” Fennell added. “My family and I have felt tremendous support from Coach Pope, Brian Santiago and the administration in welcoming us into the BYU community, and we look forward to joining the university family. I’m thrilled to be a part of such a high-level staff and am excited to compete for championships in the future.”

Fennell (name pronounced kuh-HILL fe-NELL) was elevated to assistant coach on April 2021 after spending the previous three seasons as the director of operations under Chris Mack.

During his time at UofL, Fennell was part of a staff that went 70-47 including a trip to the 2019 NCAA Tournament as a No. 7 seed. The Cardinals won 20 games twice making them of one of seven schools in NCAA men’s basketball to win 20 or more games in 18 of the past 20 seasons.

Fennell spent one season at Portland State under Barret Peery where the Vikings won a program-record 10 road games and earned a berth into the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament.

Prior to his time in the Pacific Northwest, he spent two seasons coaching at UT Permian Basin, serving as an assistant coach in 2016 before his elevation to associate head coach in 2016-17. The Falcons were Lone Star Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champions, setting school record in wins while ranking first in NCAA Division II men’s basketball in rebounds and 12th in scoring.

Fennell graduated from Thousand Oaks High School where he was an all-league basketball player and team captain. Following one season at Penn State New Kensington, he played the final three seasons of his collegiate career at the University of the Redlands.