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

1. Tim Cluess – Iona (2010-2019)

While it’s hard to match up to McCaffery’s postseason victories, what Cluess has done in the MAAC this past decade has been virtually unmatched. After playing at St. John’s and Hofstra, he embarked in a head coaching career on the high school and junior college level before Iona tabbed him in 2010. He replaced Kevin Willard, who accepted the Seton Hall job for his success, but Cluess’s accomplished far more than his predecessor could dream.

In his nine seasons at Iona, Cluess is responsible for six NCAA Tournament teams. Each of his final eight seasons the program won either the regular season or conference tournament title. The Gaels won at least 20 games in all but Cluess’s final season, topping at 26 during the 2015 season, one of the few that ended in the NIT. He won nearly 73% of conference games and dominated the MAAC, especially in postseason play.

Cluess retired for health reasons after missing his past season, though with Rick Pitino taking over I’m sure the program won’t miss a beat. Looking back, it’s extremely impressive for any coach who can lead a team to six NCAA Tournaments in nine years in a one-bid league. Cluess couldn’t win a postseason game while he was there (aside from a deep CIT run in 2011), but his accomplishments are still clear.

We’re done with our deep dive into the ten best MAAC coaches since the turn of the century. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with this mid-major league in the future, and how new coaches and players shape these programs for years to come.