CAA Basketball: Top 10 head coaches of the century (2000-20)

By Joey Loose | May 30, 2020

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 02: Jamie Skeen #21 and Toby Veal #31 of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams react during a timeout against the Butler Bulldogs during the National Semifinal game of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship at Reliant Stadium on April 2, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

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TOWSON, MD – JANUARY 03: Head coach Earl Grant of the Charleston Cougars (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

10. Earl Grant – Charleston (2014-2020)

When Grant was hired by the College of Charleston in 2014, the program wasn’t exactly in a prosperous situation. The Cougars hadn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 1999 and had only just transitioned to the CAA in the previous season. They had done well in the SoCon but couldn’t quite get over the hump.

Grant, a former assistant under Gregg Marshall and Brad Brownell, found his footing in Charleston. After rebuilding the team in his first two seasons, he led the Cougars to that elusive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018. In each of the last four seasons, they’ve won at least 11 conference games, topping 24 total wins in three of those seasons. This was already a solid team in the SoCon earlier in the century, but now they are establishing themselves as a frontrunner in the CAA as well.

At mid-majors like Charleston, it’s all about making the NCAA Tournament and Grant has already delivered. Clearly, there’s still plenty of work ahead for Grant, but he’s certainly made his mark in his first six years with the Cougars. You won’t find Charleston named among mid-majors to watch moving forward, but they certainly made a smart hire back in 2014.