Connect with us

College Sports

Colleges with best football, men's basketball coach tandems

Getty Images If this was the 2022 season — when Baylor won both the 2021 basketball title and 2022 Sugar Bowl — this pair would have a case for No. 1. However, the last few years have leaned a little inconsistent. Drew is still considered one of the sport’s elite coaches after winning a tourney […]

Published

2 months ago

on

Colleges with best football, men's basketball coach tandems

University of Alabama vs University of Auburn
Getty Images

If this was the 2022 season — when Baylor won both the 2021 basketball title and 2022 Sugar Bowl — this pair would have a case for No. 1. However, the last few years have leaned a little inconsistent. Drew is still considered one of the sport’s elite coaches after winning a tourney game in five straight years, including the 2021 title. He rebuffed Kentucky last season and is set to produce his sixth first-round pick in five years. Aranda should rocket back up coaching lists after a resurgent 2024 season that ended on a six-game regular season winning streak. The Bears are poised to be one of the preseason Big 12 favorites. Heupel found success faster than anyone could have expected, posting 30 wins in his last three seasons with an appearance in the College Football Playoff. It’s the most wins over a three-year period at Tennessee since 1998 when the Vols won a natty. Barnes just keeps chugging along in Knoxville, capturing a pair of SEC regular season titles and reaching an Elite Eight. The pair have brought unbelievable steadiness to Tennessee. 2024 rank: 1

1. Kansas: Lance Leipold/Bill Self

It’s difficult to perfectly rate Smith after a 5-7 record in his first year with the Spartans, but leading Oregon State to 25 wins over three years in the Pac-12 still counts for a lot. And as he transitions in, Izzo has been happy to take the mantle. Michigan State fielded its best basketball team since 2019 with a Big Ten title run. And even without 2024, his Hall of Fame resume is off the charts. Not many coaches are still thriving at 70, but Izzo is one of the greats. Fell off the list: Kentucky, North Carolina, Miami

2. Alabama: Kalen DeBoer/Nate Oats

2024 rank: NRHaving stability and talent at both coaching spots is a major luxury, one only emphasized with the departure of legends like Nick Saban and Mike Krzyzewski from the game. Since we debuted this list last season, the landscape has shifted dramatically. UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley won his second consecutive championship, making the Huskies a surefire factor. John Calipari left Kentucky and Jim Larrañaga retired at Miami, shaking up the case for both schools. 

3. Iowa State: Matt Campbell/T.J. Otzelberger

2024 rank: 9Yes, two-time national champion Hurley paces this choice, but there’s some darn good football being played in Storrs. Mora took over a flailing Huskies program and led them to a pair of bowl games, the best run since the collapse of the Big East. UConn went 9-4 and beat North Carolina in the Fenway Bowl. Hurley had a frustrating 2025 but still lords above the rest of college basketball after his consecutive titles, with another chance to go on a run. And, by the way, we don’t even get to factor in legendary women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma’s greatness. 

4. Tennessee: Josh Heupel/Rick Barnes

2024 rank: NRGood coaches can put together a run; great ones can do it again. After leading Iowa State back to the Big 12 title game in 2024, Campbell officially belongs with the greats. Campbell led Iowa State to 11 wins for the first time in program history. Otzelberger has been a game-changer since taking over a 2-22 Iowa State squad in 2021. He has a pair of Sweet 16 runs with a Big 12 Tournament title sprinkled in. Most exciting — the coaches are both under 50 and seem content in Ames. It’s a golden era, Cyclones fans, don’t take it for granted. 

5. Clemson: Dabo Swinney/Brad Brownell

Sampson, 69, only seems to be getting better. After transitioning Houston to the rough-and-tumble Big 12, the Cougars went a combined 34-4 with back-to-back conference championships. Houston has reached at least the Sweet 16 in five straight NCAA Tournaments, including Elite Eight and Final Four trips. Fritz takes a slight knock after a 4-8 transition year in his first campaign at the power conference level, but the Cougars are positioned well to take a step in his second season and vault back up the list. Sampson, 69, only seems to be getting better. After transitioning Houston to the rough-and-tumble Big 12, the Cougars went a combined 34-4 with back-to-back conference championships. Houston has reached at least the Sweet 16 in five straight NCAA Tournaments, including Elite Eight and Final Four trips. Fritz takes a slight knock after a 4-8 transition year in his first campaign at the power conference level, but the Cougars are positioned well to take a step in his second season and vault back up the list. Sampson, 69, only seems to be getting better. After transitioning Houston to the rough-and-tumble Big 12, the Cougars went a combined 34-4 with back-to-back conference championships. Houston has reached at least the Sweet 16 in five straight NCAA Tournaments, including Elite Eight and Final Four trips. Fritz takes a slight knock after a 4-8 transition year in his first campaign at the power conference level, but the Cougars are positioned well to take a step in his second season and vault back up the list. The Tigers were on the cusp of the list last year, but a strong showing by both coaches helped cement their spot in 2025. Two-time national champion Swinney found a second wind, capturing his ninth ACC championship and returning to the College Football Playoff. Even at his worst, Swinney is easily a top-five coach. Fourteen seasons into his tenure, Brownell suddenly elevated himself into the elite of the ACC. Clemson reached an Elite Eight last season and surprisingly elevated themselves to 18-2 in conference play in 2025. 

10. Houston: Willie Fritz/Kelvin Sampson

Oats continues to elevate his stock as one of the best coaches in college basketball after leading the Crimson Tide to the first Final Four in program history. In six years, he has two SEC regular season titles, two SEC tournament titles and five straight NCAA Tournament appearances. DeBoer’s first season at Alabama had ups and downs but still ended on the edge of the expanded College Football Playoff. Nominally, it was the worst season of his coaching career with a 9-4 record — but that says more about his storied coaching career. This combo is on the way up. The Ducks stayed steady as Lanning lived up to lofty expectations in Year 3. The Ducks earned the No. 1 overall seed in the first 12-team CFP and a Big Ten championship with an undefeated 13-0 record in the regular season. Lanning is perhaps the best coach in the country under the age of 45. The older Altman had a resurgence during his first year in the Big Ten, posting a 24-8 record. Altman has 15 straight 20-win seasons and has won a postseason game every year, including a Final Four in 2017. 

The Jayhawks narrowly hang onto the top spot, but the race is closer than ever. In the past year, Self has lost his stranglehold on the No. 1 coach spot and took a pair of preseason No. 1 teams to underwhelming seasons. Leipold also failed to build on a breakout nine-win season, though the Jayhawks finished the year strong. Still, Self is the most accomplished coach in the sport with more than 800 wins and two national titles. Leipold took the worst program in FBS and already made it so 5-7 was a disappointment, following up a dazzling run at Buffalo. We’ll give KU a mulligan, but next year must go better. 

5
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

College Sports

SEC adjusting its gymnastics tournament | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Let us read it for you. Listen now. Your browser does not support the audio element. MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — The 2025 gymnastics season was the first in which the SEC had nine teams, but only eight qualified for the conference championship meet. Arkansas was the odd team out after finishing ninth in the conference […]

Published

47 minutes ago

on

May 31, 2025

By


MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. — The 2025 gymnastics season was the first in which the SEC had nine teams, but only eight qualified for the conference championship meet.

Arkansas was the odd team out after finishing ninth in the conference by National Qualifying Score, calculated by taking a team’s top six overall scores — three of which must be away from home — then dropping the top score and averaging the remaining five.

It was the first time in the league’s history that every team did not participate at the conference championship meet, and it was the only conference in which that happened.

Beginning in 2026, however, all SEC gymnastics programs will compete.

“All nine will be invited,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said at the conclusion of the league’s spring meetings Thursday. “Noting just the high level of competition and the impact on some of the score opportunities, it’s important for all of us to compete together.”

The Razorbacks’ NQS was ninth in the league but 16th in the country, meaning a team that did not qualify for its conference tournament was still a national seed in the NCAA postseason.

Arkansas was the only team not competing during conference championship weekend, giving it one less opportunity than every other team to boost its NQS before the NCAA Championships.

The Razorbacks tried to add a meet at Oregon State, which held a final meet against Fisk University because it is the only member of the Pac-12, but the NCAA did not permit Arkansas to add the competition after a request and subsequent appeal.

For 2026 and beyond, there will be an afternoon session of competition with four teams and a night session with the remaining five. A bye rotation will presumably be used for the session with an odd number of teams.

Sankey also announced the league would begin exploring a neutral site to host the SEC softball tournament in 2027 and beyond.

Christina Long

Christina Long is the editor of Hawgs Illustrated magazine. She has previously covered Arkansas athletics for the Southwest Times Record and Clemson athletics for the Greenville (S.C.) News. Long is a member of the Association for Women in Sports Media, Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.



Link

0
Continue Reading

College Sports

Dartmouth in a Strong Position After Day One of IRA National Championship

By: Justin Lafleur Story Links CAMDEN, N.J. – The Dartmouth men’s lightweight rowing team saw both its first and second varsity eights qualify for grand finals following strong heats on Friday at the IRA National Championship.   The second varsity eight began the day, and the regatta, by placing […]

Published

3 hours ago

on

May 31, 2025

By



By: Justin Lafleur

CAMDEN, N.J. – The Dartmouth men’s lightweight rowing team saw both its first and second varsity eights qualify for grand finals following strong heats on Friday at the IRA National Championship.
 
The second varsity eight began the day, and the regatta, by placing second in its heat with a time of 5:52.760. The Big Green only trailed Penn (5:49.120) and was less than one quarter of a second ahead of both Yale (5:52.940) and Georgetown (5:53.010) in a down-to-the-wire finish for top three and qualification into the grand final.
 
The varsity eight followed by also coming in second (5:42.910), just ahead of MIT (5:43.110) while beating Ivy League foes Yale (5:47.550) and Columbia (6:01.330). Dartmouth only trailed Harvard (5:39.840) and that was by barely over three seconds.
 
The varsity four came in ninth in its time trial with a time of 6:31.749 then came in fifth in the AB semifinals (6:54.490). The Big Green will compete in the B final on Saturday. Saturday’s B final is set for 2:40 p.m.
 
Meanwhile, the two eights will compete in grand finals Sunday, with the 2V set for 10:10 a.m. and varsity eight at 11:40.

Complete Results
 
Varsity Eight
Heat 1
1. Harvard – 5:39.840
2. Dartmouth – 5:42.910
3. MIT – 5:43.110
4. Yale – 5:47.550
5. Columbia – 6:01.330
 
Second Varsity Eight
Heat 2
1. Penn – 5:49.120
2. Dartmouth – 5:52.760
3. Yale – 5:52.940
4. Georgetown – 5:53.010
 
Varsity Four
Time Trial
9. Dartmouth – 6:31.749
(out of 11 crews)
 
Semifinal
1. Penn – 6:26.010
2. Harvard – 6:28.550
3. Mercyhurst – 6:29.590
4. Princeton – 6:53.030
5. Dartmouth – 6:54.490
 





Link

0
Continue Reading

College Sports

Marian's Kattner will attend Lackawanna College – Times News Online

Published May 30. 2025 10:53AM Marian’s Maddie Kattner will continue her academic and athletic careers at Lackawanna College. Kattner will play soccer for the Falcons. Attending a signing ceremony at the school with Kattner were her parents Sheila and Jeff Kattner, Marian head of school Mike Brennan, sister Emma Kattner, and Marian Athletic Director Peter […]

Published

6 hours ago

on

May 31, 2025

By

Marian's Kattner will attend Lackawanna College – Times News Online

Published May 30. 2025 10:53AM

0
Continue Reading

College Sports

New soccer league coming to Snohomish County

Snohomish United is helping aspiring professional soccer players reach their dreams. SNOHOMISH, Wash. — Some of the best young soccer players are descending upon Snohomish County, forming Washington’s newest soccer team. All of them have one goal in mind. “I’d like to see if I can land myself in a professional soccer environment,” said Chase […]

Published

6 hours ago

on

May 31, 2025

By

New soccer league coming to Snohomish County

Snohomish United is helping aspiring professional soccer players reach their dreams.

SNOHOMISH, Wash. — Some of the best young soccer players are descending upon Snohomish County, forming Washington’s newest soccer team.

All of them have one goal in mind.

“I’d like to see if I can land myself in a professional soccer environment,” said Chase Potter.

“In the long term, I want to play professional soccer,” said Sebastian Rangel.

Both are currently on the roster for Snohomish United. The team consists of some of the top college soccer players in the state. 

They play in USL League Two. USL League Two is a developmental league for players looking to move from college into the pros.

Coach Anthony Sardon said the competition is top tier.

“A lot of these guys are gonna be drafted. Some will get drafted after this summer. We have a couple of MLS draftees on our roster already.”

Sebastian Rangel and Chase Potter both play for Gonzaga.

“Everyone here is dedicated to what they’re doing,” said Potter. “They’re obsessed with what they’re doing and it’s a great environment because that rubs off on you.”

“You’ve weeded out the people who are just playing for fun,” added Rangel. “These are people who all want to take that next step to play pro.”

Christian Soto was First Team All-PAC-12 and played for a national championship at the University of Washington.

“There’s a lot of talent. Goals are gonna be scored, plays are gonna be made,” he said.

Though players come from all over, the team is rooted in its Snohomish community.

“We are part of this community,” said Coach Sardon. “We want people from downtown to come down here and watch us play. Then go eat, go shop.” 

Under the Snohomish United umbrella is TOPSoccer – a league for youth with intellectual, emotional, or physical disabilities.

“We build soccer skills, gross motor skills, but more than that they get to be part of a team,” said TOPSoccer organizer Linda Kautz.

USL League Two is hoping to bring a women’s team to Snohomish in the near future.

For now, the young men of Snohomish United pursue their professional soccer dreams. The team was already 4-0 as of May 30. They play their home opener June 1 at Stocker Fields in Snohomish.

“Our guys like to get the fans into it and get them pumped,” said Soto. “It’s exciting to watch.”

0
Continue Reading

College Sports

Versatile trio of Butte College soccer players sign at NCAA level

BUTTE VALLEY — The Butte College men’s soccer team has now had seven players transfer to the four-year level from its team, which finished runner up in the California Community College Athletic Association state championship. The latest to do so are Hayden Teixeira, Marco Arduino and Tommaso Duri. Teixeira signed with Division II Harding University, […]

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 31, 2025

By

Versatile trio of Butte College soccer players sign at NCAA level

BUTTE VALLEY — The Butte College men’s soccer team has now had seven players transfer to the four-year level from its team, which finished runner up in the California Community College Athletic Association state championship.

The latest to do so are Hayden Teixeira, Marco Arduino and Tommaso Duri.

Teixeira signed with Division II Harding University, Arduino signed with NAIA Texas Wesleyan University and Duri signing with D-II Florida Southern College in a ceremony Friday at Butte College.

Roadrunners’ coach Ross Sandberg said the trio’s versatility stood out to coaches in the recruiting process.

Teixeira played six different positions for the Roadrunners his sophomore season, with Sandberg saying he possesses the skill to play striker, wing or center midfield at the next level. Arduino arrived to Butte College in 2023 and played left back, and as a sophomore he was moved to center defensive midfield and he received First-Team All Conference honors. Duri was a striker in 2023 as a freshman, and after spring practices and games he was moved to right back as a sophomore and received Second-Team All Conference honors.

“Their versatility and work ethic, our tradition of moving guys on, the reputation of Butte and me in being very honest about their level was all key,” Sandberg said. “These sophomores are graduating and moving on and have created such a legacy from this season that we have a target on our back as big as it’s ever been. The incoming freshman and freshman becoming sophomores next year understand how high the bar is.”

When the three players were asked why they chose the school they did, each player had a unique answer.

Arduino said he was looking to go to a school in a big city, and Texas Wesleyan offered him the chance to live in Dallas while still being able to play soccer at a high level. The school is also a nationally ranked school for his major — psychology.

For Duri his choice to play at Florida Southern was largely location-based as well.

“South Florida was a top place if I had to choose,” Duri said. “There’s sun all the time, and it’s closer to home. We can take direct flights back home to Europe and the jet leg is less, so that was a big part of it.”

For Teixeira he chose Harding in Arkansas because of the high level of soccer and his connection with the coach, but academics were important as well. Harding has a good computer science program that Teixeira will be majoring in.

All three players had unique stories on why they chose the schools they did, but all three players talked about the family culture Butte College gave them and how living alone for the first time helped them grow as people.

“It was a big step to come here to Butte because it’s the first time I lived by myself,” Arduino said. “I met all nice guys and a nice coach, and the main part is we are a family here at Butte.”

Teixeira shared similar comments, but also talked about what he learned in his time at Butte College.

“What I learned most is to stay dedicated and to keep working, because if you work hard then you’ll get the results,” Teixeira said. “In that postseason run we came up against some good opposition. It was really good to play against them and see the level and teams we don’t play against in our conference.”

Teixeira and Duri appeared in all 27 games for the Roadrunners, and Arduino appeared in 26 of 27 games after having to sit out one game due to too many yellow cards.

In their sophomore season Teixeira had five goals and six assists, Arduino scored three goals and had three assists, and Duri had one goal.

0
Continue Reading

College Sports

Utah State Men Battle on Third Day of NCAA West First Rounds

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Utah State’s men’s track & field team fielded 10 athletes in five events at the 2025 NCAA West First Rounds in College Station, Texas, on Friday.   The men’s 4×100-meter relay team, comprised of freshmen Daniel Chase, Ayodele Ojo, Mathew Hall and Diego Aguirre-Stewart, led the way for the Aggies, finishing […]

Published

7 hours ago

on

May 31, 2025

By


COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Utah State’s men’s track & field team fielded 10 athletes in five events at the 2025 NCAA West First Rounds in College Station, Texas, on Friday.
 
The men’s 4×100-meter relay team, comprised of freshmen Daniel Chase, Ayodele Ojo, Mathew Hall and Diego Aguirre-Stewart, led the way for the Aggies, finishing in a time of 39.54 that finished one-tenth of a second shy of qualifying for the national championships, The quartet, who are the only relay team at the NCAA West First Rounds comprised of entirely freshmen, also posted the third-fastest time in Utah State history in the event.
 
A pair of Aggies competed in the second heat of the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Sophomore Garrett Woodhouse clocked in at 8:51.69 to finish seventh in the heat and 20th in the field, improving on his starting seed by 14 places. Junior Logan Garnica finished in 9:48.24 to take 46th place overall, capping off a 2024-25 athletic campaign that included setting the Utah State record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and earning the NCAA Elite 90 Award at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships.
 
Senior Nate Franz and sophomore Joseph Turner got things started for the Aggies in the discus on Friday. Franz placed 30th in the competition with a throw of 54.95 meters (180-3), finishing his Aggie career with four all-time top-10 marks and two Mountain West silver medals. Turner, who joined Franz on the discus podium at the MW Outdoor Championships, posted a mark of 50.37 meters (165-3) to finish 44th. Each of the throwers made their first career appearance at the NCAA West First Rounds.
 
Freshman Taite Priestley capped off his stellar debut in a Utah State uniform by clearing 2.09 meters (6-10.25) in the high jump to tie for 25th in the competition. The Preston, Idaho, product matched the height he cleared two weeks ago to claim a bronze medal at the MW Outdoor Championships.
 
Sophomore Landon Bott competed in the quarterfinals of the 800 meters, where he placed sixth in his heat and 21st overall with a time of 1:49.14. Bott, who won MW gold medals in the indoor and outdoor 800 meters, made his second consecutive appearance in the NCAA West quarterfinals.
 
Saturday’s competition will turn back to the women’s side, where sophomore Shelby Jensen will feature in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and a pair of Aggies, senior Emma Thornley and junior Sarah Ellis, will race in the 5,000 meters. Live coverage will continue from College Station on ESPN+.
 
Fans can follow the Utah State track and field programs on X at USUTF_XC, on Facebook at USUTrack and on Instagram at USUTF_XC. Aggies fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on X at USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
 
2025 NCAA West First Rounds – Day 3
E.B. Cushing Stadium | College Station, Texas | May 30, 2025
 
USU Men’s Results:
 









Event (Heat) USU Finishers (qualifiers for next round in bold)
800 Meters (2) 6. Landon Bott, 1:49.14.
3,000-Meter Steeplechase (2) 7. Garrett Woodhouse, 8:51.69; 16. Logan Garnica, 9:48.24.
4×100-Meter Relay (3) 5. Utah State (Daniel Chase, Ayodele Ojo, Mathew Hall, Diego Aguirre-Stewart), 39.54.
High Jump 25. Taite Priestley, 2.09 meters (6-10.25).
Discus 30. Nate Franz, 54.95 meters (180-3); 44. Joseph Turner, 50.37 meters (165-3).

 
-USU-
 





Link

0
Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending