COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Feb. 23, 2026) – USA Basketball announced today the 2026 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team coaching staffs. Leading the 2026 USA Men’s U18 National Team will be Anthony Grant (University of Dayton) alongside assistant coaches Matt Langel (Colgate University) and Nate Oats (University of Alabama). The head coach for the 2026 USA Men’s U17 National Team is Scott Fitch (Fairport High School, NY) and he will be assisted by Frank Bennett (Chaminade College Prep, MO) and Nick LoGalbo (Lane Technical College Prep, IL).
The coaching selections for the U18 National Team were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee. For the U17 National Team, selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team Committee. All selections were approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
Grant, Langel and Oats will lead the U.S. at the 2026 FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup from June 1-7 (location to be announced by FIBA at a later date).
Grant has been the head coach at his alma mater since 2017 and on pace for a fifth consecutive 20-win season at Dayton. He ranks third all-time in wins at the University and holds the school record with 29 wins in 2019-20. That season, Grant was named consensus national Coach of the Year from the Atlanta Tip-Off Club (Naismith Trophy), the NABC, the USBWA, the Associated Press and The Sporting News, among others. He will serve his first head coaching assignment with USA Basketball, previously serving as an assistant for the gold-medal-winning 2018 U18 National Team and silver-medal-earning 2008 U18 National Team.
“It is an honor to serve and compete with USA Basketball alongside a great team of players, coaches and staff,” Grant said. “We look forward to uniting this summer toward the goal of the FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup gold medal.”
The winningest coach in school history, Langel has been at the helm at Colgate since 2011. His accolades with Raiders include five Patriot League Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year and NCAA Tournament berths (2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024). He will make his first USA Basketball coaching assignment after serving as a court coach for the 2022 U18 National Team training camp.
Oats was named the head coach at Alabama in 2019 and has led the Crimson Tide to the NCAA Tournament five consecutive times, including the school’s first Final Four appearance in 2024. He is the first coach in Alabama history to win multiple SEC regular season and tournament championships in the same season, doing so in 2021 and 2024. He will make his first USA Basketball coaching assignment after serving as a court coach for the 2025 U19 National Team training camp.
The FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup takes place every two years with the Americans having won 11 gold medals, including seven straight.
Fitch, Bennett and LoGalbo will lead the Americans at the 2026 FIBA U17 Men’s World Cup June 27-July 5 in Istanbul. The trio coached the 2025 U16 National Team to a gold medal at the 2025 FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup in Juarez, Mexico.
Fitch has more than 20 coaching assignments with USA Basketball, notably leading the 2025 U16 National Team to gold last summer. He’s has been an assistant coach on four other men’s junior national teams that went on to win a gold medal. Additionally, Fitch has been a fixture as a court coach at Men’s Junior National Team minicamps. Fitch is the head coach at Fairport High School in Fairport, New York.
“We are excited to embrace the challenge of competing in the FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey,” Fitch said. “I am looking forward to reconnecting with this group of players, who are talented but, more importantly, are special kids off the court. I am blessed to work with the same coaching staff from last year. Frank and Nick are both very strong leaders and we will continue to build on the great chemistry from a year ago.
“Every USA Basketball experience is unique and memorable for different reasons. I continue to make sure I cherish every opportunity. One thing I love about USA Basketball is that we foster growth, in our players and coaches. I am looking forward to growing again with these coaches and players this summer.”
Bennett led the USA men to a victory over the World men at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit. He was also an assistant coach at the 2024 and 2023 events. Bennett has served as a court coach at four minicamps, most recently in October 2025. He is currently the head coach at Chaminade College Prep in St. Louis.
LoGalbo, the 2026 Nike Hoop Summit head coach, has been a part of four gold-medal-winning teams. Also, an assistant coach at the 2024 and 2023 Nike Hoop Summit, he has been a court coach at nine minicamps. He has been the head coach for three gold-medal-winning 3x3 junior national teams. LoGalbo is the athletic director and head coach at Lane Technical College Prep High School in Chicago.
The FIBA U17 Men’s World Cup has been held biennially since 2010 with the USA winning the gold medal in each edition of the competition (seven straight).