NCAA Basketball: Top 10 impact head coaching hires from 2010 offseason

3. Greg McDermott (Creighton)

Creighton has had some good times over the years. In the MVC, they were one of the better programs in the conference, part of the reason they joined the new Big East in 2013. However, three years before that, they were forced into a head coaching hunt after losing the great Dana Altman to Oregon. There was a solid head coach with MVC experience available and the Bluejays jumped at the chance.

Greg McDermott had actually played at center at Northern Iowa over a decade before he served in the MVC as their head coach. He had previously spent time as head coach at Wayne State and North Dakota State before leading his alma mater to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Unfortunately for McDermott, his four-year stint at Iowa State was not successful, but he was about to bounce back with Creighton.

The Blue Jays were fantastic in their final three years in the MVC, with a pair of NCAA Tournament wins, and have played a dynamic role in the new Big East. McDermott’s squad has finished in the top 3 in the conference each of the last five seasons, with a Sweet Sixteen this past year marking significant progress.