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

By Joey Loose | Jul 15, 2020

DAYTON, OH - MARCH 20: The Siena Saints celebrate a double overtime win over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 20, 2009 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK – MARCH 09: Head coach Bobby Gonzalez (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

3. Bobby Gonzalez – Manhattan (2000-2006)

After a playing career at Buffalo State, and several years at high school and junior colleges, Gonzalez broke onto the basketball scene as an assistant under Pete Gillen. He served under Gillen at Xavier, Providence, and Virginia before beginning his head coaching career with the Jaspers in 1999. He learned plenty in his six years under Gillen, all of which led to great success for the Manhattan program.

By his third season, he had already led Manhattan to the NIT, but this was only the beginning. Gonzalez led the Jaspers to NCAA Tournament bids in 2003 and 2004, while the latter team upset 5-seed Florida in the first round of the Tournament. Gonzalez won three MAAC regular-season titles and led Manhattan to another NIT in 2006. He won 103 games in his final five seasons, establishing the Jaspers as a force to be reckoned with in the league.

After that success, Gonzalez landed the Seton Hall job in 2006, though his four years with the Pirates weren’t very successful, failing to finish higher than 10th in the Big East. Regardless, his work with Manhattan is extremely impressive, especially pulling off that upset win in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. He built a great legacy with the Jaspers and one that surely won’t be forgotten by this conference soon.