Back to the Future: Familiar Surroundings for NCAA Playoff Coaches

March 18th, 2013 - 21:06

Playoff participation must be extra gratifying for retiring Pacific coach Bob Thomason. UOP's mentor the past 25 seasons is among the following nine individuals coaching their alma mater in college basketball's grandest prize - a berth in the NCAA Tournament:

Thomason, a college teammate of John Gianelli (played with four different NBA teams for eight seasons from 1972-73 through 1979-80), is the only active NCAA Division I mentor who became his alma mater's all-time winningest coach after earning all-conference first-team acclaim as a player. Thomason is among the following "do-as-I-say-and-I-as-I-did" NCAA playoff coaches who were all-conference selections in a DI alliance:

2013 Playoff Coach Current School Alma Mater Conference All-League Honors
Steve Alford New Mexico Indiana Big Ten 1984, 1986 and 1987 (1st); 1985 (2nd)
Tommy Amaker Harvard Duke ACC 1987 (2nd)
Matt Brady James Madison Siena ECAC North Atlantic 1985 and 1987 (2nd)
Jamie Dixon Pittsburgh Texas Christian SWC 1987 (2nd)
Billy Donovan Florida Providence Big East 1987 (1st); 1986 (3rd)
Bryce Drew Valparaiso Valparaiso Mid-Continent 1996 through 1998 (1st); 1995 (2nd)
Travis Ford Oklahoma State Kentucky SEC 1993 and 1994 (2nd)
Fred Hoiberg Iowa State Iowa State Big Eight 1995 (1st); 1994 (2nd)
Andy Kennedy Mississippi UAB Sun Belt 1991 (1st); 1990 (2nd)
Lon Kruger Oklahoma Kansas State Big Eight 1973 and 1974 (1st); 1972 (2nd)
Mike McConathy Northwestern State Louisiana Tech Southland 1976 and 1977 (1st); 1975 (2nd)
Greg McDermott Creighton Northern Iowa Mid-Continent 1987 (2nd)
Sean Miller Arizona Pittsburgh Big East 1992 (2nd)
Bob Thomason Pacific Pacific WCAC 1971 (1st)
Wayne Tinkle Montana Montana Big Sky 1988 and 1989 (2nd)