NCAA Basketball: 10 Best Mid-Major Coaches in 2018

2. Rick Byrd – Belmont Bruins

Career wins: 686 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 7

Best result: Round of 64 (7x)

Arriving at Belmont in 1986, Byrd led the program in dominating the NAIA for over a decade until they took the jump to D-1 basketball. It took a few transition years, but the Bruins went on a run through the Atlantic Sun Conference the likes that can only be compared to Gonzaga.

Since 2005, not once have Belmont had less than 19 total wins, as well as two times where they failed to participate in any postseason event. Most mid-majors usually have two or three great years before going back to normal, but Belmont never did, becoming one of the great mid-majors currently.

1. Randy Bennett – Saint Mary’s Gaels

Career wins: 392 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 6

Best result: Sweet Sixteen with Saint Mary’s in 2010

Gonzaga has dominated the WCC for the most part, with the exception at times being Saint Mary’s. After spending 15 years as an assistant in college basketball, Bennett took over a Gaels program who was one of the bottom feeders in the league.

After a rough first season, he made Saint Mary’s into a regular threat for the Bulldogs’ crown, including winner a couple of regular seasons and tournament titles. And once the Gaels made the Big Dance, they made some noise against the power conference teams.

Next: Top 25 Active Head Coaches in 2018

Not only has Bennett been a great developer of talent, but he essentially created his own pipeline in Australia, rather than fight for prospects in California that likely wouldn’t have gone to Moraga in the first place. It’s been that kind of ingenuity that allowed the program to flourish and will continue to do so in the future.