Busting Brackets
Fansided

College Basketball: Ranking the Top 10 coaching hires for 2017-18

By Daniel Benjamin

Mar 22, 2017; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers athletic director Joe Alleva introduces new basketball head coach Will Wade during a press conference at the LSU Student Union. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2017; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers athletic director Joe Alleva introduces new basketball head coach Will Wade during a press conference at the LSU Student Union. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 12
Next
Jan 31, 2017; Champaign, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach John Groce signals to his team during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Granse-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2017; Champaign, IL, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach John Groce signals to his team during the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Granse-USA TODAY Sports /

9. John Groce, Akron Zips

John Groce is making his third stop as a head coach. Groce is the Zips fourth coach since Akron moved to the MAC in 1992. He replaces Keith Dambrot, who took the Duquesne head coach job.

Groce is a D-I veteran head coach. The 45-year-old got his first top D-I coaching job with the Ohio Bobcats in 2008. He compiled an 85-56 record, which includes two NCAA Tournament appearances, with the Bobcats.

Groce moved on to Illinois, where he was from 2012 until he got fired earlier this year. Groce had fair success with the Illini, posting a 95-75 record. However, he was just 37-53 in Big Ten play.
Illinois reached the postseason in four of five seasons with Groce leading the charges.

Akron has become the king of the MAC recently, and Groce should keep the Zips on top. The Zips have won 20 games in each of the last 12 seasons. They also four regular season conference championships though just two conference tournament titles.

Home/NCAA Basketball News