Because lists are fun...

NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 353 D-I head coaches for 2018-19

108. Chris Jans (NMSU)
116. Dan Majerle (GCU)
156. Rod Barnes (CSUB)
186. Jim Hayford (SU)
245. Mark Pope (UVU)
302. Lew Hill (UTRGV)
311. Kareem Richardson (UMKC)
336. Rick Croy (CBU)
353. Lance Irvin (CSU)

(I would have included the paragraph summary for each coach, but am currently mobile.)

353. Lance Irvin (Chicago State)

Overall record: 2-8
The first year head coach enters a troubling situation all around at Chicago State with no head coaching experience, though he has nearly two decades of experience as a D-I assistant, most recently with Southern Illinois in 2012. Having spent the last six seasons as a high school assistant, this is quite the jump for Irvin, but there’s nowhere to go but up for the Cougars.

336. Rick Croy (Cal Baptist)

Overall record 4-4
Entering his sixth year at Cal Baptist, Croy will lead this program in their first year in D-I, while he also boasts three years as an assistant under Randy Bennett at Saint Mary’s. He made the D-II NCAA Tournament in his first five seasons with the Lancers, but life in D-I is much rougher.

311. Kareem Richardson (UMKC)

Overall record 66-104
Richardson came to UMKC in 2013 after many stops as an assistant coach, including spending a year each with Chris Mack and Rick Pitino. Outside of a solid 2017 with a CBI bid, things have not gone smoothly, and his career record sits at just 64-97.

302. Lew Hill (UTRGV)

Overall record 31-44
Hill was hired in 2016 after spending twelve years an assistant to Lon Kruger at both UNLV and Oklahoma, a total of 26 years of D-I assistant coaching in his career. He’s 25-40 in his first two years but he’s also stuck in the WAC, though a CBI bid in 2018 might be the sign of better things to come.

245. Mark Pope (Utah Valley)

Overall record 58-49
After several seasons in the NBA, Pope spent six years as an assistant at Georgia, Wake Forest, and BYU before his hiring in 2015. In his first three years at Utah Valley, he’s put together a couple of CBI appearances, but has yet to dethrone New Mexico State in the WAC.

186. Jim Hayford (Seattle)

Overall record 134-107
Hayford has been a college head coach since 1999, with great success at D-III Whitworth and an acceptable tenure at Eastern Washington. Seattle head coach since 2017, Hayford won 20 games in his first year last season, leading the Redhawks to the CBI. It might be hard to build a consistent winner in the unstable WAC, but Hayford is a capable head coach.

156. Rod Barnes (Cal State Bakersfield)

Overall record 308-299
A former Ole Miss head coach (1998-2006), Barnes also had experience at Georgia State before being scooped up in 2011 by Cal State Bakersfield. He led the Roadrunners to their first NCAA Tournament back in 2016 and did have solid success (including a Sweet Sixteen) in his first few years at Ole Miss. Last year was a step back at 12-18 and we’ll have to see how he rebuilds again.

116. Dan Majerle (Grand Canyon)

Overall record 108-61
After fourteen years playing in the NBA and five as an assistant, Majerle made his coaching debut when hired to lead Grand Canyon in 2013. He’s turned the new D-I program into a yearly contender in the WAC, though they’ve yet to break through and make the NCAA Tournament. Whichever way you look at it, 103 wins in a team’s first five years in D-I is solid and Majerle should make that break through with the Antelopes very soon.

108. Chris Jans (New Mexico State)

Overall record 56-19
Jans took the New Mexico State job in 2017, hoping for redemption after losing his job at Bowling Green in 2015 after just one season for lewd behavior. He also has six years of junior college head coaching experience and has already gotten the Aggies into the NCAA Tourney in his first season. I’m not sure if Jans will get a chance soon at a higher institution, but he’ll have New Mexico State winning the WAC for years to come.

(12-12-2018 10:57 AM)Lopes87 Wrote:  353. Lance Irvin (Chicago State)

Overall record: 2-8
The first year head coach enters a troubling situation all around at Chicago State with no head coaching experience, though he has nearly two decades of experience as a D-I assistant, most recently with Southern Illinois in 2012. Having spent the last six seasons as a high school assistant, this is quite the jump for Irvin, but there’s nowhere to go but up for the Cougars.

336. Rick Croy (Cal Baptist)

Overall record 4-4
Entering his sixth year at Cal Baptist, Croy will lead this program in their first year in D-I, while he also boasts three years as an assistant under Randy Bennett at Saint Mary’s. He made the D-II NCAA Tournament in his first five seasons with the Lancers, but life in D-I is much rougher.

311. Kareem Richardson (UMKC)

Overall record 66-104
Richardson came to UMKC in 2013 after many stops as an assistant coach, including spending a year each with Chris Mack and Rick Pitino. Outside of a solid 2017 with a CBI bid, things have not gone smoothly, and his career record sits at just 64-97.

302. Lew Hill (UTRGV)

Overall record 31-44
Hill was hired in 2016 after spending twelve years an assistant to Lon Kruger at both UNLV and Oklahoma, a total of 26 years of D-I assistant coaching in his career. He’s 25-40 in his first two years but he’s also stuck in the WAC, though a CBI bid in 2018 might be the sign of better things to come.

245. Mark Pope (Utah Valley)

Overall record 58-49
After several seasons in the NBA, Pope spent six years as an assistant at Georgia, Wake Forest, and BYU before his hiring in 2015. In his first three years at Utah Valley, he’s put together a couple of CBI appearances, but has yet to dethrone New Mexico State in the WAC.

186. Jim Hayford (Seattle)

Overall record 134-107
Hayford has been a college head coach since 1999, with great success at D-III Whitworth and an acceptable tenure at Eastern Washington. Seattle head coach since 2017, Hayford won 20 games in his first year last season, leading the Redhawks to the CBI. It might be hard to build a consistent winner in the unstable WAC, but Hayford is a capable head coach.

156. Rod Barnes (Cal State Bakersfield)

Overall record 308-299
A former Ole Miss head coach (1998-2006), Barnes also had experience at Georgia State before being scooped up in 2011 by Cal State Bakersfield. He led the Roadrunners to their first NCAA Tournament back in 2016 and did have solid success (including a Sweet Sixteen) in his first few years at Ole Miss. Last year was a step back at 12-18 and we’ll have to see how he rebuilds again.

116. Dan Majerle (Grand Canyon)

Overall record 108-61
After fourteen years playing in the NBA and five as an assistant, Majerle made his coaching debut when hired to lead Grand Canyon in 2013. He’s turned the new D-I program into a yearly contender in the WAC, though they’ve yet to break through and make the NCAA Tournament. Whichever way you look at it, 103 wins in a team’s first five years in D-I is solid and Majerle should make that break through with the Antelopes very soon.

108. Chris Jans (New Mexico State)

Overall record 56-19
Jans took the New Mexico State job in 2017, hoping for redemption after losing his job at Bowling Green in 2015 after just one season for lewd behavior. He also has six years of junior college head coaching experience and has already gotten the Aggies into the NCAA Tourney in his first season. I’m not sure if Jans will get a chance soon at a higher institution, but he’ll have New Mexico State winning the WAC for years to come.

Interesting digs at the WAC with "but he's also stuck in the WAC" (Lew Hill), "it might be hard to build a consistent winner in the unstable WAC" (Jim Hayford), "not sure if Jans will get a chance soon at a higher institution" (Chris Jans)

I get it that the WAC doesn’t receive much respect at any level, but I would be willing to bet there are many P5 coaches who would be pretty poorly ranked if they were given the same paltry resources some of our WAC coaches deal with.

And in my admittedly uneducated opinion, Chris Jans is much better than 108.

(I expanded these descriptions to include who ranks immediately ahead and behind each coach on the list, for the sake of context.)


353. Lance Irvin (Chicago State)

Ranked Higher: Richard Barron - Maine (352)
Ranked Lower: None

Overall record: 2-8
The first year head coach enters a troubling situation all around at Chicago State with no head coaching experience, though he has nearly two decades of experience as a D-I assistant, most recently with Southern Illinois in 2012. Having spent the last six seasons as a high school assistant, this is quite the jump for Irvin, but there’s nowhere to go but up for the Cougars.

336. Rick Croy (Cal Baptist)

Ranked Higher: Dan Engelstad - Mount St. Mary's (335)
Ranked Lower: Dustin Kerns - Presbyterian (337)

Overall record 4-4
Entering his sixth year at Cal Baptist, Croy will lead this program in their first year in D-I, while he also boasts three years as an assistant under Randy Bennett at Saint Mary’s. He made the D-II NCAA Tournament in his first five seasons with the Lancers, but life in D-I is much rougher.

311. Kareem Richardson (UMKC)

Ranked Higher: Tommy Dempsey - Binghamton (310)
Ranked Lower: Byron Smith - Prairie View A&M (312)

Overall record 66-104
Richardson came to UMKC in 2013 after many stops as an assistant coach, including spending a year each with Chris Mack and Rick Pitino. Outside of a solid 2017 with a CBI bid, things have not gone smoothly, and his career record sits at just 64-97.

302. Lew Hill (UTRGV)

Ranked Higher: Dave Dickerson - USC Upstate (301)
Ranked Lower: Rob Krimmel - St. Francis PA (303)

Overall record 31-44
Hill was hired in 2016 after spending twelve years an assistant to Lon Kruger at both UNLV and Oklahoma, a total of 26 years of D-I assistant coaching in his career. He’s 25-40 in his first two years but he’s also stuck in the WAC, though a CBI bid in 2018 might be the sign of better things to come.

245. Mark Pope (Utah Valley)

Ranked Higher: Russ Pennell - Central Arkansas (244)
Ranked Lower: Kevin McGeehan - Campbell (246)

Overall record 58-49
After several seasons in the NBA, Pope spent six years as an assistant at Georgia, Wake Forest, and BYU before his hiring in 2015. In his first three years at Utah Valley, he’s put together a couple of CBI appearances, but has yet to dethrone New Mexico State in the WAC.

186. Jim Hayford (Seattle)

Ranked Higher: Dennis Felton - Cleveland St (185)
Ranked Lower: Kevin Baggett - Rider (187)

Overall record 134-107
Hayford has been a college head coach since 1999, with great success at D-III Whitworth and an acceptable tenure at Eastern Washington. Seattle head coach since 2017, Hayford won 20 games in his first year last season, leading the Redhawks to the CBI. It might be hard to build a consistent winner in the unstable WAC, but Hayford is a capable head coach.

156. Rod Barnes (Cal State Bakersfield)

Ranked Higher: Ray Harper - Jacksonville State (155)
Ranked Lower: John Brannen - Northern Kentucky (157)

Overall record 308-299
A former Ole Miss head coach (1998-2006), Barnes also had experience at Georgia State before being scooped up in 2011 by Cal State Bakersfield. He led the Roadrunners to their first NCAA Tournament back in 2016 and did have solid success (including a Sweet Sixteen) in his first few years at Ole Miss. Last year was a step back at 12-18 and we’ll have to see how he rebuilds again.

116. Dan Majerle (Grand Canyon)

Ranked Higher: Kylr Keller - Stephen F. Austin (115)
Ranked Lower: Mark Schmidt - St. Bonaventure (117)

Overall record 108-61
After fourteen years playing in the NBA and five as an assistant, Majerle made his coaching debut when hired to lead Grand Canyon in 2013. He’s turned the new D-I program into a yearly contender in the WAC, though they’ve yet to break through and make the NCAA Tournament. Whichever way you look at it, 103 wins in a team’s first five years in D-I is solid and Majerle should make that break through with the Antelopes very soon.

108. Chris Jans (New Mexico State)

Ranked Higher: TJ Otzelberger - South Dakota State (107)
Ranked Lower: Leon Rice - Boise State (109)

Overall record 56-19
Jans took the New Mexico State job in 2017, hoping for redemption after losing his job at Bowling Green in 2015 after just one season for lewd behavior. He also has six years of junior college head coaching experience and has already gotten the Aggies into the NCAA Tourney in his first season. I’m not sure if Jans will get a chance soon at a higher institution, but he’ll have New Mexico State winning the WAC for years to come.

Russ Pennell is not a better coach than Mark Pope. I'm sorry, I sat through several years of Pennell's boring offense when GCU was DII. Unless he has changed since then, I'd place him below all of the coaches in the WAC.

Nice find, but you know this is a joke of a ranking when Marvin Menzies is ranked in the 80’s.