NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 363 D-I head coaches for 2022-23 season
By Joey Loose
30. Tommy Lloyd (Arizona) (Last year: 80)
- Overall record: 33-4
Lloyd became widely known following more than two decades as an assistant to Mark Few, developing a talent for international recruiting as Gonzaga’s presence grew on the world stage. Last year, Lloyd finally left Gonzaga, taking the Arizona job in a marriage that was instantly perfect for Lloyd and the Wildcats. He led Arizona to a major comeback, finishing 33-4, with a Sweet Sixteen run and the Pac-12 regular season and tournament titles. There wasn’t more than last year’s AP Coach of the Year could do in his first season, though he certainly has his eyes on deeper Tournament runs.
29. Ed Cooley (Providence) (Last year: 51)
- Overall record: 313-210
Much of Cooley’s early coaching career was spent under Al Skinner, spending a decade as his assistant at Rhode Island and Boston College. He started his head coaching career with a decent five-year run at Fairfield before landing at Providence back in 2011. He’s been a revolution for the Friars, leading the program to five straight NCAA Tournaments earlier in his tenure. This past season was his best effort yet, leading Providence to the Big East regular season title and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen.
28. Hubert Davis (North Carolina) (Last year: 82)
- Overall record: 29-10
- Final Four in 2022
A former Tar Heel guard and longtime NBA player, Davis served as a college basketball analyst at ESPN before joining Roy Williams’ staff back in 2012. He was a North Carolina assistant for nearly a decade, helping the program win the national title in 2017, before succeeding Williams as head coach last offseason. His first year leading the Tar Heels went far better than anyone expected, as he led the Tar Heels all the way to the national championship game, knocking out rival Duke in a historical Final Four matchup.
27. Chris Holtmann (Ohio State) (Last year: 25)
- Overall record: 221-141
Holtmann has really transformed his coaching career with a successful decade. A former aide at several schools, including at Ohio under John Groce, he had a decent stint leading Gardner-Webb before eventually taking over at Butler. Holtmann led the Bulldogs to three straight NCAA Tournaments and four wins before heading for Ohio State in 2017. Holtmann’s first five years in Columbus have been prosperous, leading the Buckeyes to four more trips to the NCAA Tournament, but has yet to win a Big Ten title or lead this team beyond the opening weekend of the Tournament.
26. Greg McDermott (Creighton) (Last year: 33)
- Overall record: 425-268
McDermott has had a long and successful coaching career, with Creighton the fifth stop on his journey. He had success at Wayne State and North Dakota State before leading Northern Iowa to three straight NCAA Tournaments. After tumult at Iowa State, Creighton brought him aboard in 2010 and the results have been fantastic. McDermott led the Bluejays into the Big East and has taken them to seven NCAA Tournaments, including a Sweet Sixteen in 2021 and another quality finish this past season.
25. Leonard Hamilton (Florida State) (Last year: 20)
- Overall record: 617-452
One of NCAA basketball’s prominent figures, Hamilton has been a collegiate head coach for nearly four decades. A longtime assistant at Kentucky, he started his head coaching career at Oklahoma State before a very solid decade at Miami, leading the Hurricanes to a Sweet Sixteen in 2000. After a brief stint in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, Hamilton landed at Florida State in 2002 and now enters his twenty-first season. He’s had great success with the Seminoles, appearing in an Elite Eight and two Sweet Sixteen’s in the last five years alone, though last year’s 17-14 mark was a bit of a down season.
24. Jim Larranaga (Miami) (Last year: 29)
- Overall record: 668-450
- Final Four in 2006
Larranaga has been a D1 head coach for nearly four decades. A former assistant at Virginia, he helped coach Ralph Sampson before beginning his head coaching career with long stints at Bowling Green and George Mason. Larranaga is perhaps most famous for leading the Patriots to the Final Four as an 11-seed back in 2006. The Hurricanes brought him to southern Florida in 2011 and he’s just had his finest success on campus, leading the program to the Elite Eight as a 10-seed, his third trip to the second weekend of the Big Dance at Miami.
23. Nate Oats (Alabama) (Last year: 22)
- Overall record: 157-79
Certainly one of the younger names on the rise in recent years, Oats was a longtime high school coach before joining the Buffalo staff under Bobby Hurley. He became the Bulls’ head coach in 2015 and was immensely successful, taking them to multiple first-round NCAA Tournament wins in his four seasons. Alabama lured him down south in 2019 and he won the SEC regular season and conference titles in his second season, capping that year off with a Sweet Sixteen birth. Last year was not as prosperous, but 19 wins and another trip to the Big Dance isn’t bad work at all.
22. Brad Underwood (Illinois) (Last year: 24)
- Overall record: 203-93
Underwood has been a revelation at Illinois, but he’s been successful throughout his career. A former junior college coach, he spent a number of years as an assistant under Frank Martin and had a wildly successful run at Stephen F. Austin, leading the Lumberjacks to 89 wins in three years, with two of those coming in the NCAA Tournament. After a brief sojourn at Oklahoma State, Underwood arrived at Illinois in 2017. He’s gotten the Illini into the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons, winning the Big Ten Tournament in 2021 and the conference’s regular season crown this past season.
21. Mike Brey (Notre Dame) (Last year: 26)
- Overall record: 571-311
Another one of Coach K’s former aides has made quite the head coaching career for himself. Brey was a Duke assistant for eight seasons before setting off on his own, spending five years leading Delaware. Notre Dame hired him way back in 2000 and he remains one of the longest-tenured power conference head coaches. Brey has taken the Fighting Irish to a slew of NCAA Tournaments, including back-to-back Elite Eights within the last decade. This past year was also a big bounce back for the program, tying for 2nd place in the ACC and returning to the Big Dance for the first time in five years.