Big East Basketball: Ranking all 11 head coaches after Pitino/English hires

3. Dan Hurley – Connecticut

Long ago a point guard at Seton Hall, Hurley was a high school coach in New Jersey for nearly a decade, as recently as 2010. That year, he became head coach at Wagner, built a quick turnaround with the Seahawks, and departed for Rhode Island. After taking the Rams to success in the A-10, including a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and wins, he was brought to Connecticut in 2018. He preached a dream to the Huskies and that dream is coming true this season.

Turning things around in his first two years, he’s helmed the Huskies as they’ve returned to the Big East and has them in a third straight NCAA Tournament. After two first round upsets, Connecticut has shed all past demons and have stampeded their way to this year’s Final Four as a 4-seed, the highest seed left in the field. Hurley’s impact with a Huskies program in dire shape is easily seen in this year’s team, and they are certainly the favorites to cut down the nets.

Hurley would certainly be a spot higher on this list with a national title, which could certainly happen one week from now. The important thing about Hurley is that he engineered turnarounds at all three D1 schools where he’s been head coach. He put Wagner in better shape, took Rhode Island back to the Tourney, and has the Huskies as a national contender again. This season was no fluke either, it’s just an indication of what he can do in the Big East after a masterful season.