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2019 NCAA Tournament: Ranking all 68 head coaches in the Big Dance

By Joey Loose

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 27: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers and head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels shake hands before North Carolina's game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 27, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - FEBRUARY 27: Head coach Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers and head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels shake hands before North Carolina's game against the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena on February 27, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – MARCH 25: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats cuts down the net after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 71-59 in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament East Regional at TD Garden on March 25, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 25: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats cuts down the net after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 71-59 in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament East Regional at TD Garden on March 25, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

As the NCAA Tournament begins, coaches new and old prepare their teams for the most important games of their lives. Let’s rank these coaches from top to bottom!

At long last, the 2019 NCAA Tournament is finally here! After more than four months of basketball, we have 68 teams set to battle until one champion remains. The NCAA Tournament remains the greatest postseason tournament in all of sports and each March Madness creates new and exciting storylines. We remember players and teams that go on fantastic runs, but we must also remember the coaches that brought them there.

There are all kinds of head coaches in this Tournament, some making their first trip and some with regular experience. A great young coach can easily outduel a seasoned veteran, one of the reasons that March Madness is such an exciting time of year. Most people know the names of these Blue Blood coaches, but every Tournament seems to elevate a mid-major coach into everyone’s thoughts. Last season, that was Ryan Odom when his UMBC Retrievers upset #1 Virginia; but who could it be this season?

Not only are going to identify each of the 68 coaches, but we’re going to attempt to rank them. They are ranked off their accomplishments and experience as a coach, not solely off the team’s skill or talent. A veteran coach of a 12-seed could easily be ranked above the young up and coming coach of the 5-seed they’re facing. These coaches will be ranked off their entire body of work, though there will of course be plenty of attention paid to what they’ve done this season.

Breakout coach candidates in NCAA Tournament. light. Related Story

Any rankings are volatile, and there’s no reason to believe that a coach ranking near the bottom won’t elevate himself in the years to come. Of course, all 68 of these coaches have done a fantastic job to lead their programs into the NCAA Tournament. Without saying any more, let’s get right into the head coach rankings.

*Sports Illustrated Realtime Brackets is the first bracket game that lets college basketball fans switch their picks, in exchange for points, between and during live tournament games to keep their brackets alive all month long. Sign up now!

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