15. Ben McCollum (Drake)
Three of the last four NCAA Tournament’s included Drake, who did fantastic things under Darian DeVries for the last six seasons. But DeVries left town in the offseason after winning at least 20 games for six straight years, and the cupboard was pretty bare in Des Moines. However, things haven’t really changed for the Bulldogs this season, as McCollum has this team right there in contention again.
After winning four D2 national titles at Northwest Missouri State, McCollum finally jumped to D1 this offseason and is proving his coaching mettle. Almost nothing returned from last year’s Tournament team, but this Drake squad sits 17-2 and have received national attention already. They beat Miami and Vanderbilt to win the Charleston Classic during a 12-0 start that also included a true road win at Kansas State.
The Bulldogs came down to earth a bit with a pair of losses in MVC play but have since regained that momentum with five wins in a row. Drake certainly looks like one of the top teams in this league and could very well find themselves back in the Big Dance yet again. Remember, almost nobody from last year’s team, either roster or coaching staff has returned and the Bulldogs are still looking like one of the nation’s best mid-majors.