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Top 50 Coaches in College Basketball Entering the 2025-26 Season

David Connelly

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50. Richard Pitino
Richard Pitino knew his coaching style had to change a bit after his failed stint at Minnesota. He leaned upon tempo and defense during his time at New Mexico, and it led to a pair of NCAA Tournament visits with a win in 2025. It was enough to pique the interest of Xavier following Sean Miller's departure, and now Pitino gets his chance at the power conference level yet again. Not much is expected of the Musketeers in his opening season, but it's worth watching if he can set some groundwork for a lengthy stay in Cincinnati going forward.
1. Dan Hurley
There’s no debate that Dan Hurley is the top coaching mind in college basketball right now. After leading UConn to back-to-back national championships, becoming the first program to repeat since Florida in 2007, he’s got the Huskies perched at the pinnacle of the sport. You know you have reached a different level of success when falling just short of knocking off top-seeded Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament feels like a down season.

His teams are relentless, well-drilled, and built to dominate every phase of the game. And while his sideline intensity can border on unhinged, don’t mistake the fire for chaos. Hurley is a brilliant tactician and a true student of the game.

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2. Kelvin Sampson
It might ruffle some feathers to rank Kelvin Sampson this high without a national title, but there’s arguably no coach in college basketball with a higher floor right now. Under Sampson, Houston has become a model of consistency and dominance, finishing in the KenPom top ten for four straight seasons.

He’s turned the Cougars into a perennial powerhouse, and with the trajectory he’s on, it feels less like if a championship is coming to Houston, and more like when.

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3. Bill Self
It's starting to feel like the transfer portal era, along with some health complications, has caught up with Bill Self and Kansas as we sit in the midway point of the decade. Despite making some serious splashes in the portal over the past few seasons, the Jayhawks have disappointed compared to preseason expectations, failing to reach the second weekend since cutting down the nets in 2022.

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4. Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is a certified legend in college basketball, and somehow, he still looks like he’s in his prime. After running the MAAC at Iona and proving his coaching chops never faded, he’s now breathing life into the St. John’s rebuild with the same trademark fire and swagger that’s defined his Hall of Fame career.

He has remained. And if history’s any indication, Pitino’s not done making noise just yet. He has the Red Storm positioned to be a legitimate Final Four contender in 2025-26, with numerous talented transfers lining up to play at his program.
5. Matt Painter
Purdue has become a complete model of consistency under Matt Painter over the better part of the past decade. The Boilermakers have been a four-seed or higher in each of the past eight NCAA Tournaments, the only program to achieve this feat in that span. While Painter is still waiting for that maiden national championship, we know it's only a matter of time as he continues to put the program in positions of success.

Perhaps 2025-26 is another perfect chance to capture immortality, as Purdue should enter the season as the preseason #1 in the AP Poll.
6. Scott Drew
Scott Drew has pulled off one of the most remarkable turnarounds that college basketball has ever seen in his time at Baylor. The Bears' men's basketball program was absolutely nothing when he arrived in 2004, a program that was desperate for someone to stick around and build it into something meaningful. Over two decades later, he has notched two Big 12 regular-season titles, a 21-11 record in the NCAA Tournament, and the program's first-ever national championship.

You can almost always slot Baylor into the top three of the Big 12, regardless of the season, because of the stability that Drew has brought to a once lifeless program.
7. Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo’s championship ceiling may have dipped slightly in recent years, but the lore he has built at Michigan State remains one of the best in college basketball. The Spartans haven’t missed an NCAA Tournament since their debut season in 1997, a streak that shows no signs of ending anytime soon.

With one of the sharpest minds in the sport still calling the shots, Michigan State will continue to matter every March as long as Izzo’s on the bench.
8. Mark Few
We’re not holding the lack of a national title against Mark Few, nor should anyone. He’s one of the elite minds in college basketball and has turned Gonzaga into a national powerhouse, building the program’s identity entirely on hardwood success in a football-first landscape. Since taking over at the turn of the millennium, Few has led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament every single season, never losing more than four conference games in any year.

If he adds a couple more Final Fours—and finally captures that elusive championship—Few’s legacy will stand among the true titans of the sport.
9. Nate Oats
Previously a program known strictly for its dominance on the gridiron, Nate Oats has elevated Alabama's basketball program to a similar level of notoriety as its football team. Before Oats's arrival ahead of the 2019-20 season, the Crimson Tide had just one NCAA Tournament win in 13 seasons. They have accrued 11 tournament wins since then, largely thanks to his fast-paced, efficient offensive scheme that has revolutionized college basketball.
10. Todd Golden
Todd Golden comes crashing into this list after bringing a national championship to Florida in just his third season with the program. His development of players, talent acquisition in the portal, and overall offensive scheming all contributed to the Gators cutting down the nets in April.

He has quickly become one of the best young coaches in the country.
11. Dusty May
It's clear that Dusty May and Michigan were meant for each other. It felt like a perfect marriage throughout his opening season, helping lead the program to the Sweet 16 as a quick bounce back after Juwan Howard's firing.

The more he can curate the roster and instill his principles in Ann Arbor, the more the Wolverines will become nationally relevant on a regular basis.
12. Rick Barnes
For how long Rick Barnes has been around college basketball, he really should be higher on this list. He is a consistent presence in the sport and has led both Tennessee and Texas to great heights for over two and a half decades. The thing that has continued to elude him is deep runs in the NCAA Tournament. Since making the Final Four in 2003, he has not been back despite reaching four Elite Eights since, including in each of the past two seasons.
13. Jon Scheyer
If there is a name to watch as a quick climber on this list, it's going to be Jon Scheyer. He has bettered his NCAA Tournament result in three consecutive seasons, most recently culminating in a trip to the Final Four. With the Boozer twins and a few impact transfers incoming for 2025-26, he'll have another crack at a national semifinal with the Blue Devils.
14. Mick Cronin
There was some serious hype surrounding Mick Cronin's move to UCLA in the 2019 offseason, but things just haven't quite clicked since he headed out west. After the Bruins' shockingly went from the First Four to the Final Four in 2021, the program hasn't gotten past the Sweet 16, and there have been some tumultuous moments between Cronin, the players, and the program.

He still deserves to be on this list, but he could be slipping quickly if he can't figure things out in Los Angeles.
15. Brad Underwood
Brad Underwood has done an unbelievable job raising the floor at Illinois since joining the program in 2018. The team has been inside the top 35 on KenPom at the end of every season since 2020, achieving a single-digit seed every year along the way.

His next step is bringing the Fighting Illini to a Final Four, a feat they haven't accomplished since winning it all two decades ago.
16. Tommy Lloyd
Three Sweet 16s in four seasons for Tommy Lloyd since taking over at Arizona is a pretty damn good start to his head coaching career. It's felt like the Wildcats have been a Final Four contender for each and every season he's been at the helm, but it's now time for him to get the program over the hump.

A few more years of just Sweet 16 appearances, and the fans in Tucson could quickly get impatient.
17. Grant McCasland
What a rise to stardom it has been for Grant McCasland since he took over at North Texas in 2017. After turning around that program in a matter of seven seasons, Texas Tech knew that he had what it took to keep the Red Raiders in the national spotlight going forward. He has done just that after getting them to the Elite Eight in just his second season.

The vibes are high in Lubbock as it seems like they have their man of the future pacing the sidelines.
18. Eric Musselman
Eric Musselman and Arkansas were in a real groove earlier this decade, reaching three consecutive second weekends in the NCAA Tournament as well as a pair of Elite Eights. After a disastrous 2023-24 season, Muss darted across the country for the USC job and now looks to build the program back up in the stacked Big Ten.

It may take some time, but his passion and intensity may be enough to help get the program back to its previous heights.
19. Shaka Smart
Shaka Smart's career trajectory felt limitless after improbably taking VCU to the Final Four back in 2011. It has now felt like a fluke more than anything, after a failed stint at Texas and this tenure at Marquette that feels stuck in neutral. Despite an incredibly talented class that largely stuck together throughout the past two seasons, the Golden Eagles couldn't get past the Sweet 16 in the Big Dance, falling short of expectations.

Perhaps the next wave of roster talent will bode better for Smart, or else he could feel his seat getting warmer by the minute in Milwaukee.
20. John Calipari
Coach Cal has taken a bit of a tumble down this list in recent years after fizzling out at Kentucky and now manning the sidelines for Arkansas. He reminded the college basketball world of his coaching ability in Arkansas's stunning upset of St. John's in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, becoming the only double-digit seed to reach the Sweet 16 in last year's field. He still possesses the player management and ability to attract high-level recruits and transfers. If he can build something similar at Arkansas like he did with Kentucky, then he could quickly climb back up this list in the coming years.
21. Chris Beard
Chris Beard was one of the hottest names in the sport throughout his time at Little Rock, Texas Tech, and ultimately Texas. It wasn't until 2022 that things took a turn after he was fired from Texas after being arrested for third-degree assault against his fiancée, charges that were eventually dropped. Beard started his career back up again at Ole Miss, and he has picked right back up where he left off. In just his second year in Oxford, Beard led the Rebels to the Sweet 16 for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.
22. Brian Dutcher
Not only has Brian Dutcher maintained the high floor at San Diego State that was left by Steve Fisher, but he has also raised the ceiling. In just his sixth season at the helm, Dutcher led the Aztecs to their first national championship appearance in program history, ultimately falling short to UConn. They have only missed the NCAA Tournament once in Dutcher's eight seasons on the sidelines. This level of stability really aids the program in its desire to hit the ground running upon entry into the Pac-12 in 2026, and it's all thanks to Dutcher's coaching.
23. T.J. Otzelberger
Iowa State and T.J. Otzelberger have been knocking on the door more than any team in the past few years, and it only feels like a matter of time before a breakthrough. The Cyclones have five NCAA Tournament wins since he took over in 2022, reaching the second weekend twice. Otzelberger's elite defensive scheming helps keep Iowa State relevant almost regardless of talent, but the offense must improve if the team wants to reach a Final Four. If he can pull that off soon enough, he'll instantly crack our top 20.
24. Randy Bennett
Randy Bennett is a difficult one to rank, given his lengthy regime at Saint Mary's and at the mid-major level. While there is just one Sweet 16 appearance across his 24 seasons with the Gaels, he has completely changed the culture at the program and is one of the best mid-major coaches in history. He has built the school into one of the top brands on the West Coast, and his team has become a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament. A deep run into the Sweet 16 or beyond would go a long way in helping Bennett move further up this list.
25. Dana Altman
While Oregon hasn't quite been at its heights of the previous decade in recent years, head coach Dana Altman remains one of the top tacticians in college hoops. His offensive scheming and high floor as the leader in Eugene have made the Ducks a constant presence out west and a perennial powerhouse in the sport. In the 2025-26 season, he will be a bit desperate to make a run in the NCAA Tournament before his seat starts becoming a touch warm going forward.
26. Sean Miller
After departing from Arizona following 12 seasons at the helm, Sean Miller's future felt as uncertain as ever. Three seasons at Xavier later, Miller is back on the sidelines at a powerhouse program with Texas, seeking that coveted first Final Four appearance of his career. He brought a strong culture of toughness and heart with the Musketeers, and it's a culture that the Longhorns desperately need after a failed tenure with Rodney Terry.
27. Greg Gard
Few coaches in the country provide a higher floor at their program than Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard. The Badgers have made the NCAA Tournament in all but two seasons under Gard since the 2015-16 season, displaying that he provides the stability necessary to run a power conference program. Gard's case to be higher on this list falls apart when you look at his track record in March. Wisconsin has turned just two of those NCAA Tournament showings into Sweet 16 appearances, each of which came in his first two seasons. He desperately needs a deep run in the Big Dance.
28. Will Wade
Will Wade was flying high at LSU after turning things around at both Chattanooga and VCU. Recruiting violations and player payments ultimately led to his demise at Baton Rouge, and McNeese chose to take a chance on him ahead of the 2023-24 season. The Cowboys went a combined 36-2 in the Southland under Wade over the past two seasons, leading them to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and knocking off Clemson in 2025. He could quickly bring North Carolina State to new heights and climb these rankings in the coming years.
29. Mark Pope
Mark Pope is a difficult one to rank, given he has spent just two seasons as a power conference head coach, but he has just shown too much ability in that span of time to stay out of our top 30. Many were critical of Pope's hiring at Kentucky following the John Calipari era. Those skeptics were quickly turned into believers when Pope led the Wildcats to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, an impressive feat for a debut season. The ceiling is yet to be known with Pope in Lexington, but we're bullish that he could bring them back to their heights of the 2010s.
30. Pat Kelsey
After lifting the culture at the College of Charleston in just three seasons, Pat Kelsey is doing the same at Louisville. He led the Cardinals to the NCAA Tournament in his debut season, doing so with a completely revamped roster and a bunch of new pieces. His ability to create cohesion and chemistry among a group that has little to no continuity is unmatched, and it's a skill that is essential in today's college basketball era.
31. Kevin Young
Kevin Young is the latest example of how plucking coaches from the professional ranks may be a pathway to success in college basketball in the future. A former G-League head coach and Phoenix Suns assistant, Young blew past expectations in his debut season at BYU, leading the Cougars to the second weekend of the tournament and boasting a top-ten offense nationally per KenPom. With so much talent on the roster in 2025-26, a trip to the Final Four is not out of the question in Year 2.
32. Kevin Willard
After getting Maryland back to the Sweet 16 for the first time in nearly a decade, Kevin Willard is off to Villanova following a failed stint with Kyle Neptune. The floor has fallen out at a program that is not far removed from regular trips to the national semifinal under former coach Jay Wright. Willard will certainly re-establish the floor, but whether he can achieve a similar ceiling is yet to be determined. Setting the tone in Year 1 will be crucial to avoid any ruffling with a fan base that is accustomed to success.
33. Jamie Dixon
It's easy to forget the heights that Jamie Dixon brought Pitt to back in the day, and we believe that ceiling is still inside of him. He has done well to turn TCU into a respectable program in the middle of the Big 12, but we're yet to see him put them into the national conversation. He is by no means on the hot seat, but a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament or a run at a regular-season conference title would suit him well.
34. Buzz Williams
It felt like the relationship ran its course with Buzz Williams and Texas A&M, so now it's time to embark on a new era at Maryland. Williams is known for his famous principle of selling out on the offensive glass, something we expect to continue with the Terrapins based on the group he is bringing in. We'll see if this pairing works out, as both coach and program could use some recent success.
35. Chris Jans
Chris Jans keeps opposing coaches awake at night with his scheming. One of the defensive masterminds of the sport, he has built an identity of toughness and grit at Mississippi State that makes them a constantly tough out in the SEC. If Jans can get a season with a more successful offensive output, then the Bulldogs would immediately become national championship dark horses.
36. Ben McCollum
Ben McCollum stormed onto the scene in 2024-25, masterfully guiding Drake to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He did so just one year removed from leading Northwest Missouri State to the Division II national championship with star player Bennett Stirtz, who followed McCollum to Drake and now to his new gig at Iowa. He is one of the fast risers in the sport and should have the Hawkeyes in contention this year.
37. Niko Medved
After spending more than a decade building up both Furman and Colorado State, Niko Medved is finally getting his shot at the big time. Minnesota chose to move on from Ben Johnson, so Medved steps up and into one of the taller tasks in the Big Ten. The Golden Gophers are longing for any level of success, and Medved feels like a great fit to bring them back to relevancy. It may not happen immediately, but Minnesota fans should be excited of what's to come.
38. Ed Cooley
Ed Cooley was one of the hottest names in the sport just three years back, when he led Providence to a historic regular-season Big East title. He was on top of the college basketball world until a move to Georgetown has brought things to a halt. It hasn't been the start he was hoping for with the Hoyas, and he will stay outside the top 30 until he can prove he can get things done in D.C.
39. Chris Collins
It's now been over a decade for Chris Collins at Northwestern, one of the toughest power conference jobs in the country. Once a laughing stock of college basketball with zero NCAA Tournament appearances before his arrival, Collins has brought the Wildcats to the Big Dance three separate times in his tenure. The next step is to get them into the second weekend, and he may have his best chance at doing so with National Player of the Year candidate Nick Martinelli back for his final collegiate season in 2025-26.
40. Darian DeVries
There is some serious buzz in Bloomington for the first time in nearly a decade. After the departure of Mike Woodson from the program after four years at the helm, former Drake head coach Darian DeVries now steps onto the sideline with hopes of bringing a storied program back to greatness. His dominance of the Missouri Valley during his time at Drake was unprecedented, as he won the league's automatic bid in three of his final four seasons. There is even a case to be made on how impressive his coaching job was at West Virginia last season, nearly leading the Mountaineers to the NCAA Tournament despite his son, Tucker, suffering a season-ending injury in early December. If things can click at Indiana quickly, DeVries could build this sleeping giant back into a perennial powerhouse.
41. Leon Rice
Leon Rice has laid an incredible foundation at Boise State over the past 15 years. The Broncos have had 20 wins in 12 of those 15 seasons under Rice, a rarity at the mid-major level. He has built them up into a perennial powerhouse in the Mountain West, and all that eludes him is a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. It wouldn't surprise us one bit to see him lead Boise State to the second weekend in the next handful of years.
42. Fred Hoiberg
The resurgence of Fred Hoiberg at Nebraska after returning to the sport from a brief stint in the NBA has been a fun storyline in the sport. He has breathed new life into what was once a dying program for the Cornhuskers, helping lead them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade in 2024. It seems he has established a high floor in Lincoln going forward, and raising the ceiling will help propel him back to the heights he reached previously at Iowa State.
43. Brad Brownell
Many fans will remember not long ago when Brad Brownell was on the hot seat at Clemson after missing the NCAA Tournament in four of five seasons. He cooled his seat down immensely with a run to the Elite Eight in 2024, and backed it up again with an appearance in the Big Dance last season. Things have slowly started to click for Brownell, and he has bought himself some more time with the Tigers based on recent showings.
44. Steve Forbes
Steve Forbes may be running out of time at Wake Forest. After finishing inside the top 100 for four consecutive seasons at East Tennessee State, he was given the job in Winston-Salem to help rebuild the program. While the performances have improved, they have been too inconsistent, resulting in zero NCAA Tournament appearances since his arrival in 2020. We believe Forbes is a very talented coach, but he desperately needs to punch a ticket to March Madness to avoid the hot seat.
45. Kyle Smith
If Kyle Smith can pull out a turnaround at Stanford, he will climb this list very quickly. He did just that in his five seasons at Washington State, leading the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament win since 2008. It will inevitably take some time for the Cardinal to regain relevance, but Smith has them on the right track. He has also pulled similar turnarounds at Columbia and San Francisco, so we will bank on him figuring it out in the next few years.
46. Russell Turner
At this point, we firmly believe that Russell Turner is turning down lucrative job offers in order to stay at UC Irvine. It's remarkable that Turner has kept the Anteaters so relevant in the mid-major ranks for well over a decade, leaning on elite defense, methodical tempo, and shooting efficiency. He is one of the high-end tacticians in the entire country, and he could seriously climb this list if he were to ever take on a job at a high-major program.
47. Mark Byington
It's been a quick climb to the big time for Mark Byington in his coaching career. After turning Georgia Southern into a powerhouse in the Sun Belt and then leading James Madison to a win in the NCAA Tournament after just four seasons at the helm, he is now manning the sidelines at Vanderbilt, surprising everyone and leading the Commodores to the Big Dance in his first season. Vandy is expected to be even better in 2025-26, and a big season could have Byington flirting with the top 20 if they can exceed expectations.
48. Hubert Davis
After leading North Carolina to the national championship game in his debut season, hopes were high for Hubert Davis and his tenure with the Tar Heels. In the three seasons since, Davis has led the blue blood program to just two NCAA Tournament appearances, the most recent being a narrow admittance into the First Four. If things continue to go south in year five for Davis, there will be restless chatter in Chapel Hill for his job.
49. Ryan Odom
It has come full circle for Ryan Odom, going from pulling off the first win in NCAA Tournament history for a #16 seed at UMBC over Virginia, to now being the program's head coach just seven years later. At each of his previous three stops along the way, he has led each program to the Big Dance in his second season. If he could do the same with the Cavaliers, then this could be a match made in heaven for quite a long time.
50. Richard Pitino
Richard Pitino knew his coaching style had to change a bit after his failed stint at Minnesota. He leaned upon tempo and defense during his time at New Mexico, and it led to a pair of NCAA Tournament visits with a win in 2025. It was enough to pique the interest of Xavier following Sean Miller's departure, and now Pitino gets his chance at the power conference level yet again. Not much is expected of the Musketeers in his opening season, but it's worth watching if he can set some groundwork for a lengthy stay in Cincinnati going forward.
1. Dan Hurley
There’s no debate that Dan Hurley is the top coaching mind in college basketball right now. After leading UConn to back-to-back national championships, becoming the first program to repeat since Florida in 2007, he’s got the Huskies perched at the pinnacle of the sport. You know you have reached a different level of success when falling just short of knocking off top-seeded Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament feels like a down season.

His teams are relentless, well-drilled, and built to dominate every phase of the game. And while his sideline intensity can border on unhinged, don’t mistake the fire for chaos. Hurley is a brilliant tactician and a true student of the game.

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Top 50 Coaches in College Basketball Entering the 2025-26 Season

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