Ivy League Basketball: Top 10 head coaches of the century (2000-20)
By Joey Loose
1. Steve Donahue – Cornell (2000-2010), Penn (2015-2020)
It’s hard enough to find a coach with as much experience in the Ivy League as Donahue, but it’s even more impressive when you consider what he’s accomplished. Even before he became head coach at Cornell in 2000, he spent a decade under Dunphy at Penn, helping build several NCAA Tournament teams. However, his true impact was realized as head coach.
He spent ten years at Cornell and the results speak for themselves. He led the Big Red to three straight NCAA Tournament bids, culminating in a Sweet Sixteen run as a 12-seed in 2010. Cornell had made just two Tournament appearances prior to Donahue’s arrival, and things certainly haven’t been the same since he left for Boston College after that Sweet Sixteen. The icing on the cake is his success as head coach at Penn, leading them back to the Tournament in 2018.
When you look at all the factors, there’s no question that Donahue is the best Ivy League head coach of the century. He’s the only one to make a Sweet Sixteen run and the lone coach to take multiple teams to the Tournament. He turned around multiple programs and is a true Ivy League success story. We can forgive his lack of success at Boston College; he’s clearly found his fit.
Next. Early mid-major power rankings for 2020-21. dark
We’ve taken a deep look at the ten greatest Ivy League head coaches since the turn of the century. The stature of this conference won’t change in the near future, but it’ll still be fun to watch how new and old coaches influence the future for these programs.