64. Rod Strickland (LIU)
0 NCAA Tournaments
Even with this success, Strickland is certainly more known for his playing career, starring at DePaul in the late 80’s before spending more than a decade playing in the NBA. The former first round pick did plenty of impressive work, including an All-NBA Second Team honor as a player. As a coach he’s far less experienced, with early work as a staffer under John Calipari and an assistant at South Florida. Strickland took LIU’s job in 2022 and has spent the last four years turning the Sharks around, culminating in this year’s impressive NEC Tournament title.
63. Alex Pribble (Idaho)
0 NCAA Tournaments
It’s been quite the ascension for Pribble since graduating from California nearly two decades ago. He worked on several early staffs, including his alma mater as a grad assistant, and had success as a high school coach. Pribble showed his potential as a D2 head coach with Saint Martin’s but has really found his footing since landing at Idaho in 2023. The Vandals have improved in each of his first three seasons, leading up to this year’s Big Sky Tournament title and their first trip to the Big Dance in 36 years.
62. Gerry McNamara (Siena)
0 NCAA Tournaments
McNamara lived and breathed Syracuse basketball for more than two decades, starting as a guard back in the early and mid-2000’s under Jim Boeheim. He was a big part of the Orange as a player, graduate manager, and assistant, even spending some time as associate head coach. McNamara finally left Syracuse in 2024 to take over at Siena, finally getting his shot to run his own program. Clearly the Saints aren’t regretting that hire, with McNamara turning things around in his second year, including a MAAC Tournament title and the program’s first bid in well over a decade.
61. Byron Smith (Prairie View A&M)
1 NCAA Tournament (0-1)
While he did briefly serve as head coach of the Harlem Globetrotters, Smith has carved his own success as a head coach in recent years in the SWAC. He’s a former player and assistant at Houston who’s spent much of his career working in the state of Texas. Smith joined Prairie View A&M’s coaching staff in 2013 and was elevated to interim head coach in January 2016. He’s never vacated that position, once won three straight regular season titles in the SWAC and just led the Panthers to the SWAC Tournament title for the second time.