College Hoops Today

Serving College Basketball 365 Days a Year

10 head coaches on the rise entering the 2025-26 college basketball season

It’s never too early to start looking ahead to the upcoming year!

Check below for our list of 10 head coaches on the rise entering the 2025-26 college basketball season.

In no particular order:

Chris Gerlufsen, San Francisco: The Dons’ last two head coaches — Todd Golden (Florida) and Kyle Smith (Stanford) — are currently running power conference programs. Is Gerlufsen next? It’s very possible. 68 wins in the last three seasons and back-to-back appearances in the Postseason NIT have reiterated this guy’s coaching chops. A trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2026 would put Gerlufsen into a different stratosphere.

Drew Valentine, Loyola Chicago: In just four years as a head coach, the 34-year old Valentine has tallied three seasons where he’s won 23 games or more, highlighted by an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2022. He’ll likely coach one of the best non-power conference teams in college basketball this season, as the Ramblers look primed to again challenge for an Atlantic 10 regular season title. Confident, passionate, and seasoned beyond his years, Valentine is on track to be a major name in the coaching profession for many years to come. 

Tony Skinn, George Mason: Not many coaches in college basketball did a better job last season than Skinn, who led the Patriots to 27 wins and a trip to the Atlantic 10 Tournament title game for the first time in program history. He’s won 47 games in two years as head coach of his alma mater and received interest last spring from both Florida State and Maryland before securing a long-term extension to remain in Fairfax. It’s only a matter of time before Skinn is running a power conference program. 

Preston Spradlin, James Madison: A former graduate assistant under John Calipari at Kentucky, Spradlin took Morehead State to multiple NCAA Tournaments before leaving for James Madison in 2024. He then proceeded to win 20 games and a share of the Sun Belt regular season title in his first year with the Dukes. Keep an eye on this guy. 

Jerrod Calhoun, Utah State: Many people — including myself — wondered how Calhoun would adjust in Logan after spending his entire coaching career on the other side of the country. He responded with 26 wins and an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. This guy can win anywhere and should have Utah State in position to again challenge San Diego State in the Mountain West in 2025-26. An elite offensive mind, Calhoun has made the Aggies one of the most aesthetically pleasing teams in the sport. 

Takayo Siddle, UNC Wilmington: A North Carolina native, Siddle has made the Seahawks a perennial contender for the CAA title. He finally broke through last season and reached the NCAA Tournament before losing to Texas Tech in the Round of 64. After only coaching in 17 games during the 2020-21 season due to COVID, Siddle has averaged 24.8 wins over the past four years and continues to impress folks with his temperament, coaching acumen, and consistency. 

Duane Simpkins, American: A former guard who played for Gary Williams at Maryland, Simpkins’ infectious personality is apparent as soon as he walks into a room. He’s also a heck of a coach. After patiently waiting to run his own program, Simpkins has made the most of his first opportunity, leading the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament in just his second season as a head coach. Armed with deep DMV roots, Simpkins is a prime candidate for any major openings on the East Coast in the next few seasons.

Patrick Sellers, Central Connecticut: No resources? No problem. Sellers has one of the hardest jobs in Division 1, but that hasn’t stopped him from having incredible success. The Blue Devils have managed to win at least a share of the NEC regular season title in back-to-back seasons despite limited resources. A terrific recruiter when he was an assistant coach, Sellers ran point on many of the key players that took UConn to the 2009 Final Four and the 2011 national title. This guy has the whole package for a program that’s looking to rebuild the hard way. 

Dan Earl, Chattanooga: Winning 29 games and the Postseason NIT at Chattanooga is an incredible accomplishment. It’s not a surprise to those who have followed Earl’s career. After battling for respectability in seven years at VMI, Earl left the Keydets in good shape before leaving for Chattanooga, where he’s won a combined 68 games in the last three seasons. Keep a close eye over the next few seasons on Earl, who has deep roots in the Northeast. 

Chris Crutchfield, Omaha: Crutchfield had the “it” factor as an assistant and he’s displaying the same type of intangibles as a head coach. He led Omaha — his alma mater — to an outright Summit League regular season title last season and the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time as a Division 1 program. Crutchfield has also been known to find hidden gems in recruiting. Remember: It was Crutchfield that recruited an under-the-radar shooting guard named Buddy Hield to play for Lon Kruger at Oklahoma over a decade ago. 

Leftovers