NCAA Basketball: Picking each league’s Coach of the Year for 2023-24 season

MVC: Josh Schertz (Indiana State)

There are a few contending teams in the MVC this season but one name certainly floats to the top. Even with another successful season for Darian DeVries and Drake, the attention quickly shifts to the Sycamores. This is Schertz’s third year since making the jump from Lincoln Memorial, a D2 program, and he’s really had a breakthrough with Indiana State this season.

Indiana State was nationally ranked for the first time in 45 years earlier this season and currently sit tied for the league lead at 14-3. The Sycamores are 23-5, matching last season’s win total already, and have made giant steps forward in each of Schertz’s subsequent seasons. The Sycamores look to be in great shape to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2011 and have really come out of nowhere on the national stage, even with struggles the last few weeks.

MWC: Danny Sprinkle (Utah State)

It’s possible that six MWC teams reach the Big Dance this season and all six of those coaches deserve plenty of credit. However, five of those six teams were picked to finish in the Top 5 in this league. Utah State was disregarded in the preseason in Sprinkle’s first season as head coach, but the former Montana State coach has settled into life in the MWC in style.

Those other five teams were picked Top 5, but Utah State was tabbed 9th in the preseason polls in the MWC. Their 10-4 mark in league play has them sitting atop the league standings. The Aggies are already 22-5 and are clearly in great position for a return trip to the Big Dance. There’s a lot of greatness on display with these Mountain West coaches but Sprinkle’s work surpasses the rest, and all in his first season in Logan.