Busting Brackets
Fansided

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

By Joey Loose

SPOKANE, WA - MARCH 20: Lawrence Alexander #12 of the North Dakota State Bison plays against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second round of the 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2014 in Spokane, Washington. North Dakota State won the game 80-75. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - MARCH 20: Lawrence Alexander #12 of the North Dakota State Bison plays against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second round of the 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2014 in Spokane, Washington. North Dakota State won the game 80-75. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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LAWRENCE, KS – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Derrin Hansen of the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KS – DECEMBER 18: Head coach Derrin Hansen of the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images) /

10. Derrin Hansen – Omaha (2012-2020)

It seems quite absurd, but Hansen has spent his entire basketball career and life working and playing in the state of Nebraska. He was an assistant at a few high schools and junior colleges before joining the Omaha staff in 1998. He was promoted to head coach in 2005, lead them to some D2 success, and has been aboard as they joined D1 and the Summit League in 2012.

While Hansen still hunts for Omaha’s first NCAA Tournament, he has done a great job leading this program’s adjustment to D1 athletics. They made the CIT in their second season in the conference and have finished in the top 4 in four of the last five seasons. The 19-win second-place finish in 2019 was their closest shot to a Summit League crown and these Mavericks are certainly in position to contend again in the future.

There’s clearly plenty of work ahead, and it’s no easy task to recruit talent to a program like Omaha. Hansen has done phenomenal work throughout his 15 years with the program, including since they joined the conference. The Mavericks had yet to really make an impact in the Summit League, but perhaps that day nears, and at least they’ve joined D1 as a contender and not a doormat.