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

Mar 17, 2023; Albany, NY, USA; Iona Gaels head coach Rick Pitino looks on against the UConn Huskies during the first half at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2023; Albany, NY, USA; Iona Gaels head coach Rick Pitino looks on against the UConn Huskies during the first half at MVP Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Providence Friars head coach Ed Cooley Big East Basketball Syndication The Enquirer
Providence Friars head coach Ed Cooley Big East Basketball Syndication The Enquirer /

7. Ed Cooley – Georgetown

The big talk has been Cooley’s departure from Providence in taking the Georgetown job. A native of Providence, Cooley was a longtime assistant under Al Skinner, mostly at Boston College, before beginning his head coaching career at Fairfield nearly two decades ago. After five seasons with the Stags, he took the Providence job in 2011 and did incredible work across the next twelve years with a program in pretty dormant shape.

Cooley got right to work with the Friars, leading the program to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in their history. He took Providence to a regular season title and a Sweet Sixteen berth in 2022 and made that seventh appearance in the Big Dance in this last season with the program. Immensely familiar with this league, he takes over at Georgetown with heavy lifting ahead.

Cooley’s 3-7 record in the NCAA Tournament remains somewhat disappointing, a big reason why he’s not higher on this list. After sufficient work with the Friars, he inherits a Georgetown program that has been really bad the last few seasons. Cooley has his work cut out for him to get the Hoyas back into winning shape, but he’s already done that kind of rebuild at Providence. Will his magic work with a second Big East program in these coming years?