340. Gerald Gillion (Chicago State) (Last year: 358)
- Overall record: 7-25
Much of Gillion’s experience came down in Florida, but he’s actually made a decent impact up at Chicago State. A former aide at schools like FIU and South Florida, he began his collegiate head coaching career this past season and his 7-win season with the Cougars is actually impressive, standing out as the most single-season wins for the program in the last seven years. Unfortunately, Chicago State is now an independent and will likely struggle for relevance until they find a new home, but that won’t dissuade Gillion.
339. Johnny Tauer (St. Thomas) (Last year: 340)
- Overall record: 10-20
Tauer has already won more than 220 games across eleven seasons as head coach at St. Thomas, though last year was the Tommies’ first at the D1 level. His entire basketball career has been at St. Thomas, as player, assistant, and head coach, and now he yearns to make an impact in the Summit League, having previously won a D3 national title in 2016. This is a much harder journey, with the Tommies winning just 10 games in their debut season.
338. Rod Strickland (Long Island) (Last year: N/A)
- Overall record: 0-0
A former star at DePaul and a longtime NBA player, Strickland begins his collegiate head coaching career this season with the Sharks. He had previous served a number of roles on college staffs, and was once a full-time assistant at South Florida, but this is a brand new venture for Strickland. This LIU program hasn’t been bad in recent years, but maybe Strickland’s NBA experience can help jumpstart things for the future.
337. Chris Crutchfield (Omaha) (Last year: N/A)
- Overall record: 0-0
Previously a D2 and junior college head coach, this will be the first D1 head coaching season for Crutchfield, though he’s gotten plenty of experience at NCAA basketball’s highest level. He’s bounced around as an assistant, including an 8-year stint at Oklahoma, and recent run with Arkansas and Oregon. He’s been on staffs that have made the Final Four and done all sorts of damage both on the court and on the recruiting trail, perhaps he can inject some life into his alma mater, as the Mavericks hunt for their first NCAA Tournament bid.
336. Patrick Sellers (Central Connecticut) (Last year: 351)
- Overall record: 8-24
After bouncing around the world (he spent time in China), Sellers settled into his first collegiate head coaching position last season with these Blue Devils. He was a former assistant at Connecticut, Creighton, DePaul and a few other schools, while also serving with this Central Connecticut team two decades ago. Year one wasn’t a bad start at all, but there’s still work to be done for a program that hasn’t produced a season above .500 in twelve years.
335. John Aiken (McNeese State) (Last year: 355)
- Overall record: 11-22
A previous head coach at the NAIA level at Belhaven, last year was the first D1 head coaching season for Aiken. A native of Maine, he found himself at the Louisiana school after spending time on a few other staffs. Aiken ascended to the top job when Heath Schroyer became athletic director, and an 11-win season is a decent start to his career. We’ll just have to see what the future holds for these Cowboys, as it’s far too early to make any conclusions about Aiken at this point.
334. Donald Copeland (Wagner) (Last year: N/A)
- Overall record: 0-0
After spending last season as an assistant at Seton Hall, Copeland didn’t follow Kevin Willard to Maryland, instead departing his alma mater to become Wagner’s next head coach. Copeland had actually spent six years on staff with the Seahawks before heading to Seton Hall, helping coach Wagner to a couple NIT’s and a flurry of wins. Now, the program is in his control and we’ll have to see how all that experience has shaped him, especially for a program that can definitely win the NEC.
333. Justin Gray (Western Carolina) (Last year: 348)
- Overall record: 11-21
A few seasons ago, Gray was still playing professionally overseas as well as in The Basketball Tournament, but now he enters his second season as head coach of the Catamounts. The former Wake Forest guard did okay in year one, winning 11 games but finishing last in a challenging Southern Conference. This is just the beginning for Gray, and he certainly will have another couple years to pull Western Carolina out of the conference basement.
332. Quinton Ferrell (Presbyterian) (Last year: 333)
- Overall record: 29-57
A player and assistant with the Blue Hose for nearly a decade, Ferrell begins his fourth years as head coach at Presbyterian. A former collegiate assistant at a number of schools, including a long stint at the College of Charleston, Ferrell has had limited success initial with the Blue Hose, winning just 31% of their conference games in the Big South. A 12-20 mark last season is actually a step in the right direction; we’ll just have to see how competitive Presbyterian will be in this league in the years to come.
331. Daniyal Robinson (Cleveland State) (Last year: N/A)
- Overall record: 0-0
After some success as an assistant coach over the years, Robinson begins his head coaching career at Cleveland State this season. He previously spent the last seven years on staff at Iowa State and served under Porter Moser at three different schools, including a short stint at Loyola-Chicago. Robinson takes over a Vikings program that former coach Dennis Gates left in marvelous shape, but can this former Big 12 assistant continue this success in the Horizon League?
330. Carson Cunningham (Incarnate Word) (Last year: 328)
- Overall record: 30-86
It’s year five for Cunningham at Incarnate Word and it’s year five of hoping for a turnaround. The Indiana native was previously a high school and NAIA head coach, leading Carroll College to success at the NAIA level. The results have not been the same with these Cardinals, who haven’t won more than nine games in any of Cunningham’s first four seasons. Another last place finish in the Southland wasn’t great last year, and you have to wonder how much longer Cunningham will last with this program simply not competitive.
329. Rashon Burno (Northern Illinois) (Last year: 338)
- Overall record: 9-21
A former DePaul player and Illinois high school coach, Burno’s head coaching career is off to a decent enough start back in the state of Illinois. Before Northern Illinois hired him last season, he had spent a decade as a collegiate coach, including a long stint under Bobby Hurley at Arizona. While a 9-21 mark in his debut may seem unimpressive, this program won just three games the year before he was fired, meaning the Huskies are at least heading in the right direction.
328. Levell Sanders (Binghamton) (Last year: 356)
- Overall record: 12-17
After being named interim head coach last season, Sanders proceeded to deliver Binghamton’s best season winning percentage in over a decade. The former Seton Hall point guard played and coached internationally for two decades before joining the Binghamton staff as an assistant. Elevated to that interim spot last year, he’s now been named the full-time coach, and will hope to build on last year’s 12-win campaign and build from a 7th place finish in the America East.
327. Jason Crafton (Maryland-Eastern Shore) (Last year: 349)
- Overall record: 16-43
It’s been a strange journey for Crafton to get to this point, but perhaps things are looking up. He was a Villanova staffer and longtime Navy assistant before becoming head coach at D2 Nyack, his alma mater. After a brief stint coaching the G-League, he took over as head coach at Maryland-Eastern Shore in 2019. The Hawks did not field a basketball team after the pandemic, meaning last year’s 11-win campaign was just Crafton second season, but it was certainly marked improvement.
326. Dwayne Stephens (Western Michigan) (Last year: N/A)
- Overall record: 0-0
After nearly three decades coaching basketball, with much of it at Michigan State, Stephens begins his own head coaching career this upcoming season at Western Michigan. He played under Jud Heathcote and was a longtime Spartans assistant to Tom Izzo, spending the last 19 years on that staff. Stephens was also part of a Final Four on the Marquette staff in 2003 before returning to his alma mater. It took a long time for Stephens to get his shot, but he stays in the state of Michigan, hoping to turn around a MAC program that has really struggled in recent seasons.
325. Anthony Boone (Central Arkansas) (Last year: 327)
- Overall record: 25-51
Boone recently completed his second full season as a collegiate head coach, taking over at Central Arkansas in January 2020 after predecessor Russ Pennell stepped down. Boone had been a collegiate assistant for two decades, with a decade of that run coming under Pennell at multiple schools. These past season’s 11 wins were a high point for Boone, who led the Bears to a 6th place finish in their first season in the A-Sun, but there’s clearly still a long way up to go at Central Arkansas.
324. Mo Williams (Jackson State) (Last year: 341)
- Overall record: 14-35
A longtime former NBA guard, Williams jumps ship to Jackson State this season, spending the last two seasons leading the program at Alabama State. Still very early into his coaching career, he won 10 games with the Hornets last year, taking a solid step forward in year two with the program. Now, his attention turns to a Jackson State program also in the SWAC, but one that’s had a bit more success and an athletics resurgence in recent years. Can Williams lead them to their first NCAA Tournament since 2007?
323. Greg Heiar (New Mexico State) (Last year: N/A)
- Overall record: 0-0
Heiar takes over as head coach at New Mexico State, as Chris Jans departs for Mississippi State after a ton of success. Heiar spent more than a decade as D1 assistant, including stints at Wichita State and LSU, and has also been a successful junior college head coach. Just last season, he won a junior college title with Northwest Florida State College, and now he takes over one of the WAC’s best programs. If Heiar keeps the Aggies program buzzing, we may be looking at him taking a premier job a few years down the line.
322. Darris Nichols (Radford) (Last year: 337)
- Overall record: 11-18
A former aide under Bob Huggins and Mike Young and a longtime assistant under Mike White, Nichols began his head coaching career last season at Radford. He previously spent six years as a full-time assistant at Florida before transitioning into his head coaching career, with a modest 7-9 conference record in the Big South. Nichols is off to a decent start with the Highlanders, and we’ll see how year two goes for the former West Virginia guard.
321. John Smith (Cal Poly) (Last year: 321)
- Overall record: 18-64
Winning hasn’t come easy at Cal Poly in recent years, though that’s not all on Smith. He had previous success at the junior college level as a head coach, and also spent a long stint on staff at Cal State Fullerton. He’s spent the last decade coaching in the Big West, but his work with the Mustangs has been underwhelming so far. Last year’s 7-21 mark was the best of his first three seasons, meaning there’s plenty of improvement possible on the horizon.