30. Chris Holtmann — Ohio State
Holtmann figures to skyrocket up future iterations of this list. After three strong seasons at Butler, Holtmann has compiled a record of 65-33 in only three seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes (as of Mar. 3, 2020). Holtmann can recruit, motivate, and develop as well as anyone in the Big Ten. Keep an eye on this guy… he could turn out to be an all-timer in Columbus.
Image Source: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
29. Kevin Willard — Seton Hall
Seton Hall has steadily been building under Kevin Willard. The Pirates have won at least 20 games in each of the last five seasons. In 2019-20, Seton Hall is in prime position to win the Big East Championship. Willard is a no-nonsense coach — though one that his players absolutely love. The native of Huntington, New York was once a coach with the Boston Celtics, Louisville, and Iona before earning his current gig.
Image Source: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
28. Buzz Williams — Texas A&M
Brent “Buzz” Williams is an up-and-comer. We’re projecting a bit on Buzz, as we think he’s got a real chance to be an elite coach one day. Effervescent, passionate and technical, Williams has all the traits of a winning figurehead. He led Marquette to five 20+ win seasons in six years (which also included two Sweet 16s and one Elite Eight run). Taking over a dilapidated Virginia Tech program, Williams has quickly made the basketball program respectable within arguably the toughest conference in the country. Va Tech had four-straight years with at least 20 victories. Since then, Williams left Blacksburg for a bit of a rebuilding project at Texas A&M.
Image Source: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
27. Fran McCaffrey — Iowa
McCaffrey is one of those sneaky-good coaches no one knows about. At Siena, he accrued four seasons with at least 20 victories (including three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances). Since coming to Iowa, the Hawkeyes have reeled off six years with 20+ wins. At the very least, McCaffrey has turned Iowa into a very respectable team within arguably the best conference in the country.
Image Source: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
26. Bruce Weber — Kansas State
Weber is a very underrated coach. He first drew notoriety during a highly successful stint with Illinois. The three-headed trio of Deron Williams, Luther Head, and Dee Brown got the Fighting Illini one victory away from a national title. In 2012, Weber made the jump to Manhattan (Kansas) in search of another challenge. At a place not known for much basketball success, Weber has led the Wildcats to five 20+ win seasons, and four NCAA Tournament berths (including an Elite Eight run in 2017-18).
Image Source: Ben Queen/USA Today Sports
25. Lon Kruger — Oklahoma
Kruger is one of the longest-tenured coaches within this ranking. The 66-year-old has been coaching professionally since 1983. Stops at Kansas State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV, and Oklahoma have netted Kruger 18(!) NCAA Tournament appearances. He’s one of only a handful of coaches who has taken two different schools (Oklahoma, Florida) to the Final Four. When factoring in a .611 winning percentage, there’s no doubt Kruger knows what he’s doing.
Image Source: Kevin Jairaj/USA Today Sports
24. Ben Howland — Mississippi State
Howland’s complete body of work is very good. The Southern California native took Northern Arizona to the NCAA Tournament. From there, he led Pitt to back-to-back Big East titles/Sweet 16 appearances. The Panthers played fundamentally sound, and employed a highly physical/defensive-minded style of play. He then went to UCLA — where his tenure was categorized by three-straight Final Four appearances (few have accomplished this feat). While he wasn’t able to win a title, UCLA consistently remained as a top program under his guidance. Now at Mississippi State, Howland likely will guide the Bulldogs to it’s second NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009.
Image Source: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
23. Mick Cronin — UCLA
Cronin knows how to win. The son of a former high school coaching legend, Cronin had been at Cincinnati since 2006 (after leading Murray State to two tournament appearances in three years). With the Bearcats, Cronin has ramped things up considerably since 2010. Nine straight tournament appearances (with a tenth seemingly on the way) has Cronin in the upper-tier of college basketball coaches. The next step for him is to attain some semblance of postseason success. Only once has Cincinnati advanced beyond the round of 32. Without an Elite Eight or Final Four appearance, Cronin’s ceiling is limited (until he’s able to accomplish that feat). Now at UCLA, he’ll be given access to the type of athletes needed to make this dream a reality.
Image Source: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
22. Scott Drew — Baylor
Drew knows a thing or two about coaching. Of course, he is the son of famed head man Homer Drew. The younger Drew has done a fantastic job in building the Baylor program into a national power — as well as a threat to Kansas in the Big 12. Drew won only eight games during his inaugural season with the program in 2003-04. Since then, he’s railed off 11 years with at least 20 wins. This includes a myriad of NCAA Tournament appearances.
Image Source: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
21. Mike Brey — Notre Dame
The man with the perpetual five o’clock shadow, Brey has been the head coach of Notre Dame dating back to the 2000-01 season. A bit ahead of his time, Brey stresses the importance of pace and tempo. His ability to run ‘small ball’ lineups has resulted in explosive offenses. Throughout his tenure in South Bend, Brey has missed the postseason only twice in nearly 20 years. Over the last few years, Notre Dame made back-to-back Elite Eight appearances. Brey is the classic case of a coach who gets the most out of his teams (even if they’re over-matched talent-wise).
Image Source: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
20. Gregg Marshall — Wichita State
Before Gregg Marshall took over, Wichita State was a nothing program in the collective eyes of the media. This narrative quickly changed due to Marshall’s brilliance as a head coach. His teams share the ball offensively, and are often characterized as a suffocating unit on defense. Marshall first started at Winthrop — a place where he dominated Big South competition on an annual basis (six first-place finishes, seven tournament bids). When making the move to Wichita State, the mid-major giant killer was born. The Shockers made seven-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. This included one Sweet 16, and a somewhat improbable Final Four run in 2012-13.
Image Source: Melina Myers/USA Today Sports
19. Leonard Hamilton — Florida State
Hamilton often gets overshadowed by the other coaches in the ACC. However, the 71-year-old must get recognition for turning Florida State’s program into a respectable one. Since 2002, Hamilton has taken the Seminoles to postseason play on 14 separate occasions. Also during this time, the North Carolina native has accrued a .630 winning percentage. In a conference featuring Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse and others, this is quite good.
Image Source: USA Today Sports
18. Greg McDermott — Creighton
Creighton isn’t an attractive job. The top recruits in the country aren’t heading to Omaha, Nebraska in order to play their one year of college basketball. It requires the program to unearth gems from all over the country — in addition to developing at a very sustainable level. McDermott has done just that… and more. Since taking over in 2010, McDermott has led the Blue Jays to at least 20 wins in nine of the last 10 years. He deserves a ton of credit.
Image Source: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
17. Bob Huggins — West Virginia
Huggy Bear is an institution within the sport of college basketball. He first became a head coach as a 28-year-old at Walsh University. From there, a short stop at Akron preceded a wildly successful tenure at Cincinnati. For all intents and purposes, Huggins built Cincinnati into the respectable program it is today. He finished a 16-year run with 14 straight tournament appearances and a .759 winning percentage. At Press (aka West) Virginia, the prickly character has taken his hometown team to four Sweet 16’s, and one Final Four. The fact Huggins was able to do this at West Virginia clearly illuminates his prowess as a developer of talent.
Image Source: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
16. Rick Barnes — Texas
The 65-year-old North Carolina native is currently on quite the upswing. After a 16-year career in Austin (which featured 15 tourney appearances, two Elite Eight spots, and one Final Four), Barnes made the leap to Knoxville. Despite being a football school, Barnes has quickly turned the fortunes of the basketball program around. Currently, Tennessee is one of the most respected teams in the SEC. A 26-win season in 2018 was followed by a 31-6 mark in 2019.
Image Source: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
15. Mark Turgeon — Maryland
Turgeon doesn’t get much in the way of notoriety or credit. We aren’t quite sure why when delving into his background as a coach. Turgeon notched a .708 winning percentage (and four tournament appearances) whilst at Texas A&M. Making the move to Maryland, Turgeon has led the Terrapins to five seasons with at least 20 wins (including one Sweet 16 appearance). In total, his career .639 winning percentage is quite impressive.
Image Source: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
14. Chris Mack — Louisville
Chris Mack has proven to be a very good coach. Xavier isn’t the easiest place to win at — nor would it be considered as a hotbed for big-time recruits. Mack had to rely upon unheralded vets rather than blue chip prospects. In nine seasons with the Musketeers, Mack compiled eight seasons with 20+ wins, eight tournament appearances, and a winning percentage of .689. Now at Louisville, Mack will be able to get the type of recruit he never had access to before. In the process, it will give him the best chance to win at the highest level possible.
Image Source: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
13. Matt Painter — Purdue
Purdue has one of the most rock-solid basketball programs in the country. There’s something to be said about a coach that can consistently have their basketball program in the thick of things on an annual basis. Matt Painter is such a coach. Since 2005, Painter has taken Purdue to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. This also includes four Sweet 16 runs and 11 seasons with 20+ wins. While not a household name, Painter should surely be recognized as an elite coach.
Image Source: Ben Queen/USA Today Sports
12. Dana Altman — Oregon
Altman is a funky coach. Many coaches opt to utilize conventional defensive looks — whether that be man-to-man or zone. However, Altman’s teams shake it up regularly. This could include a classic 2-3 zone…or a triangle and two. It may also feature a box-and-one depending on the opposition. For good measure, an Altman team may press when wanting to up the tempo. His ability to keep opposing teams off balance has resulted in nine-straight years of 20+ wins in Eugene (which includes one Final Four appearance).
Image Source: David Butler II/USA Today Sports
11. Chris Beard — Texas Tech
Beard is one of the more inexperienced names within this list. The 47-year-old also is the coach with the most ‘juice’ as it pertains to being a hot commodity. He led Texas Tech (yes, Texas Tech) to 27 wins and an Elite Eight birth in 2018. Last year, Texas Tech won 31 games en route to an appearance in the National Championship Game. Beard employs a style heavy on offensive tempo, as well as one dedicated to the defensive end of the floor. With the way Beard is recruiting to Lubbock, this program figures to be very good for a long time.
Image Source: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports
10. Bruce Pearl — Auburn
Despite the NCAA transgressions, Pearl can really coach. Over the course of his career, he’s improved every situation he’s walked into. This includes leading Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a Sweet 16 appearance. Pearl also led Tennessee to six-straight tournament appearances, five seasons with at least 20 victories, and an Elite Eight bid. Currently, Pearl is in charge of a program (Auburn) known more for football. Pearl led the Tigers to a 30-win season a year ago. This also included an appearance in the Final Four.
Image Source: Rick Osentoski/USA Today Sports
9. Mark Few — Gonzaga
Few has gone about his business in workmanlike fashion for nearly 30 years. He was an assistant coach at Gonzaga for 10 years before being entrusted with the job. Essentially, the idea of a mid-major becoming a real power on the national landscape started with Gonzaga. In 21 years under Few, Gonzaga has finished No. 1 in the WCC an astounding 19 times. Few alone has a .828 win percentage during his lengthy tenure. While we know the competition Gonzaga faces isn’t great, there’s something to be said about consistency at this level. In the NCAA Tournament, Few’s trophy case includes seven Sweet 16 appearances, eight Elite Eight bids, and one National Championship appearance. Without question, Few is an outstanding coach.
Image Source: Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports
8. John Calipari — Kentucky
Whether you love him or hate him, one thing’s for sure: Calipari knows what he’s doing. Calipari’s greatest skill is his personality. He’s not shy about signing volatile one-and-done prospects. Without much time to mesh teams together, Calipari does a wonderful job at not only making these teams title contenders, but also churning out top talent to the NBA. He’s taken three schools (UMass, Memphis, Kentucky) to the Final Four. In 11 years with Kentucky, Calipari has a .812 winning percentage. This includes five conference titles, three Final Four appearances, and a National Title.
Image Source: Stan Szeto/USA Today Sports
7. Bill Self — Kansas
Kansas has absolutely dominated the Big 12 during Self’s tenure. The 57-year-old Oklahoma native is excellent in meshing together big-time recruits with multi-year players. Kansas’ ‘business’ model has worked to the tune of 14 Big 12 regular season titles in the last 15 years. Even more striking, Self has a home winning percentage above .950. The head coach is brilliant when it comes to defensive principles. Kansas can press — though it also prides itself on utilizing man-to-man elements. Since 2003-04, Self has led Kansas to nine seasons with at least 30+ wins. This includes three Final Four appearances, and one NCAA Championship.
Image Source: Randy Sartin/USA Today Sports
6. Tony Bennett — Virginia
No, we aren’t talking about the famed Italian crooner. Tony Bennett the basketball coach is one of the hottest names in the entire sport. He must be lauded for completely transforming two bad-to-mediocre programs (Washington State, Virginia) into top-five teams. Even with Duke and North Carolina in the same conference, it’s been Virginia making in-roads as a legitimate national power. This was seen last season — as the Cavaliers won the 2019-20 National Championship Game (over Texas Tech). Bennett’s ‘packing-it-in’ style of defense is immensely difficult to score against. Duly, his teams chew up virtually the entire clock on every possession — thus making them a total pain to play against. Since 2009, Virginia has enjoyed three seasons with at least 30 wins under Bennett’s leadership.
Image Source: Michael C. Johnson/USA Today Sports
5. Jay Wright — Villanova
Aside from being the best-dressed man in college sports, Wright has built a power in the Northeast portion of the country. Villanova is largely categorized as a team with stellar guard play, excellent shooting, a hard-nosed disposition on defense, and collective toughness across the board. Wright is also a player’s coach. It’s quite evident that his teams truly do love playing for him. Whilst at Villanova, Wright has compiled a .721 win percentage. This includes five Big East titles, three Final Four appearances, and two National Titles.
Image Source: Jay Biggerstaff/USA Today Sports
4. Tom Izzo — Michigan State
At age 65, Izzo is already revered as an all-time great within the sport. He’s well on his way to leading Michigan State to its 23rd-straight NCAA Tournament bid — a mark few have been able to match. Michigan State teams traditionally play with a real edge to them. This includes a dedication on the defensive end of the floor, and a gradual level of improvement as the season progresses. Under Izzo, Michigan State has remained a prominent brand from a national standpoint. In 24 years, Michigan State has made the Final Four more than a fourth of the time (seven appearances). This rate is phenomenal.
Image Source: Rick Osentoski/USA Today Sports
3. Jim Boeheim — Syracuse
Only one other head coach in college basketball history has more career wins than Jim Boeheim (Coach K). The New York head coach has manned the helm for the Syracuse ship since the 1976-77 season. As one could imagine, Boeheim has shattered every major school record in terms of wins and success. His teams are trademarked with length and athleticism. The opposition has been clamped down on more than one occasion by Boeheim’s patented 2-3 zone. Throughout his illustrious career, Boeheim has led Syracuse to four Final Fours. Buoyed by the brilliance of Carmelo Anthony, Boeheim came away with a National Championship during the 2002-03 season.
Image Source: Mark Konezny/USA Today Sports
2. Roy Williams — North Carolina
Roy Williams continues to win at the highest level. With more than 860 wins under his belt, Williams certainly has a resume chock-full of impressive accolades. The 68-year-old took Kansas to 14-straight tournament appearances (which includes four Final Four spots). Heading back to his native North Carolina, Williams reignited the brilliance of the UNC basketball program. He’s sported a .756 winning percentage since taking the post in 2003. During the last 16 years, North Carolina has won three National Championships. In total, Williams-led teams have won 17 regular season conference titles, and have appeared in nine Final Fours. In a word, wow.
Image Source: Bob Donnan/USA Today Sports
1. Mike Krzyzewski — Duke
There’s no question that Coach K would assume the top spot here. Behind John Wooden, Krzyzewski is the second-best collegiate coach of all-time. As of March 2020, Coach K is No. 1 when it comes to career victories (1,156) as a head coach. Duly, Krzyzewski transformed Duke into the most dominant basketball program over the last 30 years. Coach K has been to the NCAA Tournament an astounding 33 times. This includes 12 Final Four appearances, and five National Championships. Whether it be his ability to constantly put players in the NBA — or the universal respect he garners — there’s definitely an appealing mystique surrounding this genius of a basketball mind.
Image Source: Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports