3. Pat Kelsey (Louisville)
In their last two seasons under Kenny Payne, Louisville won just twelve games total, finishing an abhorrent 5-35 in ACC play. After making the change in the offseason, the program turned towards Kelsey, who had just had a couple of awesome seasons leading the College of Charleston and had over a decade of head coaching experience under his belt. Heading to an ACC school was very different but the results speak for themselves.
The former Wake Forest assistant has Louisville 15-5, with an 8-1 mark in league play. He’s already exceeded Payne’s win totals in less than a third of the games and threw together a talented roster that’s ready to win. Nobody of note is back from those ugly seasons and this new-look roster is starting to play excellent basketball. They had some struggles with tough teams but have now won nine games in a row and just might be the 2nd best team in the ACC.
Even with the additions from the Transfer Portal, some might have called Louisville’s 9th place prediction generous in the preseason, but Kelsey is laughing at anyone still doubting him. There’s certainly work left for the Cardinals, but they’re handling everything the ACC is throwing at them since a rough one against Duke in December and Kelsey absolutely deserves to be among the top names in all conversations about Coach of the Year awards.