20. Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) (Last year: 21)
Overall record: 198-68
Final Four in 2023
His head coaching career may be just eight years old, but Dutcher has been impacting college basketball for decades. He spent more than 25 years under Steve Fisher, first at Michigan and then while building San Diego State into a notable program. Dutcher was promoted to head coach in 2017 when Fisher retired and has his put his mark on the Aztecs with MWC titles and a plethora of victories. He most notably took San Diego State to the national title game in 2023 and is coming off a season with the Aztecs’ fifth straight trip to the Big Dance.
19. Shaka Smart (Marquette) (Last year: 18)
Overall record: 370-183
Final Four in 2011
An unheralded point guard at Kenyon, Smart worked his way up the coaching ranks, including work under Billy Donovan. He wasted no time becoming a national name as a head coach, taking VCU to the Final Four in his second season. Smart’s six years at VCU were full of impactful victories, but the next six at Texas were underwhelming and lacked a single NCAA Tournament win. Smart has bounced back nicely at Marquette in his hometown, with 98 wins and four straight trips to the Big Dance, including that Sweet Sixteen in 2024 and another Top 4 finish in the Big East last season.
18. Chris Beard (Ole Miss) (Last year: 25)
Overall record: 215-97
Final Four in 2019
Successful virtually everywhere he’s gone, Beard coached at several smaller colleges before leading Little Rock to a 30-win season and NCAA Tournament victory in his D1 debut. Beard has coached several years under Bob Knight at Texas Tech and one-upped him years later, taking the Red Raiders to the national title game in 2019. Beard later jumped to Texas, but personal issues led to his dismissal halfway through year two. Ole Miss came through with a second chance for Beard and he rewarded them in a big way, fresh off leading just the second Sweet Sixteen appearance in program history.
17. Brad Underwood (Illinois) (Last year: 20)
Overall record: 274-128
A former guard at Kansas State in the mid-80’s, Underwood would one day coach for that school under Bob Huggins and Frank Martin, though he first was a junior college head coach. His first D1 head coaching opportunity was quite the eye opener, as he took Stephen F. Austin to nearly 90 wins in three seasons, including a pair of victories in the Big Dance. Underwood briefly jumped to Oklahoma State and took the Cowboys dancing before landing at Illinois in 2017. He’s now led the Fighting Illini to five straight NCAA Tournaments and revitalized the program, including 2024’s run to the Elite Eight and multiple Big Ten titles.
16. Jon Scheyer (Duke) (Last year: 28)
Overall record: 89-22
Final Four in 2025
A phenomenal guard as a player, Scheyer cut down the nets as a national champion at Duke back in 2010. After a few seasons playing overseas, he returned and joined the Blue Devils’ coaching staff under Mike Krzyzewski for nearly a decade. Scheyer gained a reputation as a top-level recruiter and was chosen as Coach K’s successor. His first three years have seen him establish himself, with a pair of ACC titles, an Elite Eight in year two, and his first Final Four run as head coach this past season.
15. Sean Miller (Texas) (Last year: 24)
Overall record: 487-196
Miller picked up plenty of experience and tips as a player and assistant, working with names like Ralph Willard, Herb Sendek, and Thad Matta. Xavier gave him his first head coaching gig, where he’d win three A-10 titles and make an Elite Eight. Success followed at Arizona, with three more Elite Eight runs before tuckering out with the Wildcats. Miller got second life at Xavier, with a Sweet Sixteen and last year’s return to the Big Dance. He’s bolted from Cincinnati again, this time hoping to turn Texas into a power in the years to come down in the SEC.
14. Dana Altman (Oregon) (Last year: 17)
Overall record: 780-405
Final Four in 2017
More than four decades have passed since Altman was a guard at Eastern New Mexico and he’s carved out quite the coaching career. After early work coaching junior college ball, he’s spent 36 years as D1 head coach, with decent starts at Marshall and Kansas State. Altman spent 16 seasons building an MVC power at Creighton before jumping to Oregon back in 2010. Next came a number of Pac-12 titles and the Ducks’ first Final Four run in generations. Now Altman has authored the program’s move into the Big Ten and got the Ducks dancing yet again last season.
13. Mick Cronin (UCLA) (Last year: 15)
Overall record: 503-235
Final Four in 2021
A Cincinnati native and alum, Cronin has had many great years with the Bearcats, starting his career as an assistant there. His first head coaching work actually came with Murray State before a 13-year run helming the Bearcats, including nine straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Cronin accepted a new challenge with UCLA in 2019 and finally had postseason breakthroughs, taking the Bruins to the Final Four in 2021 followed by a pair of Sweet Sixteens. Year one in the Big Ten was solid with a tie for 4th during a 23-win campaign.
12. Todd Golden (Florida) (Last year: 71)
Overall record: 133-69
Final Four in 2025
National Championship in 2025
The current epitome of a rising name in the coaching world, Golden has only been a head coach for six years but has already reached the peak of this sport. A former Saint Mary’s player, he gained experience on the staffs of Bruce Pearl and Kyle Smith before succeeding Smith as head coach at San Francisco. Golden took the Dons to a number of wins and the 2022 NCAA Tournament before departing for Florida soon after. Work was slow at first, but Golden led the Gators to the ultimate breakthrough, not just getting his first NCAA Tournament win but claiming the national championship this past April.
11. Nate Oats (Alabama) (Last year: 10)
Overall record: 241-106
Final Four in 2024
Under the radar as a player and assistant at Marantha Baptist in Wisconsin, Oats did great work coaching high school ball in Detroit before catching on the coaching staff at Buffalo. After helping Bobby Hurley shape the Bulls, he did his own magic with a pair of NCAA Tournament wins. Oats took the challenge at Alabama in 2019 and has completely transformed that program. With the Crimson Tide, he has a pair of SEC titles, a Final Four run in 2024, and four deep Tourney runs, including this past season’s appearance in the Elite Eight.