NCAA Basketball: Ranking the Top 25 Active Head Coaches in 2018

8. Mark Few – Gonzaga Bulldogs

Career wins: 535 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 19

Best result: National Title game in 2016

Ever since Few became the head coach in 1999, Gonzaga has yet to miss the Big Dance. The program never had less than 23 wins, while being the only active program with four consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearances.

There will be those who credit the WCC for the Bulldogs’ overall success, but they would be mistaken. Most mid-major conferences have their own juggernaut but fail to make the Big Dance for one reason or another. Either Few and Gonzaga performed well enough in the non-conference to warrant an at-large bid, or they won their conference tournament to secure the bid.

Between transfers, international players and old-fashioned development, Few hasn’t needed to get the five-star players to sustain the team’s success. But now that they’re starting to come, more Final Fours could be in store for the program.

7. John Calipari – Kentucky Wildcats

Career wins: 720 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 19

Best result: National Championship with Kentucky in 2012

We’ve reached the point where the title winners are up, with little to separate them. First up is Calipari, who has taken three different schools to the Final Four, although the NCAA only recognizes one of them.

Over a billion dollars worth of NBA contracts has come from his players, and his ability to get five-star recruits sacrifice playing time for the sake of development and winning in an enviable gift.

Of course with the yearly high level of talent comes expectations, and three Final Fours in nine years falls short for some. It’s a debate as to whether it’s fair to judge Calipari by those standards, but that’s what happens when a top-two recruiting class comes in each season.