Fresh Faces: Bo Ryan Reaches Final Four in 30th Season as College Coach

Final Four debuts were a long time coming the past two seasons for Big Ten Conference coaches John Beilein (Michigan) and Bo Ryan (Wisconsin). Since the start of the NCAA Tournament in 1939, no coach ever took longer in his four-year college career to reach the DI Final Four than Beilein (31 seasons). Ryan (30) joined five other coaches to take more than 20 years - Jim Calhoun (27), Dick Bennett (24), Gary Williams (23), Jim Larranaga (22) and Norm Sloan (22).

There has been at least one fresh face among the bench bosses at the national semifinals all but twice in the last 30 years (1993 and 2012). Connecticut's Kevin Ollie joined Indiana's Mike Davis and VCU's Shaka Smart as coaches only in their second campaign to steer squads to the Final Four in the 21st Century. Following is a look at the coaches who advanced to the Final Four for the first time since the field expanded to at least 64 teams in 1985 (in reverse order):

• 2014 - Kevin Ollie (Connecticut/2nd season as head coach at four-year college level) and Bo Ryan (Wisconsin/30th).
• 2013 - John Beilein (Michigan/31st) and Gregg Marshall (Wichita State/15th).
• 2012 - All returnees.
• 2011 - Shaka Smart (Virginia Commonwealth/2nd).
• 2010 - Brad Stevens* (Butler/3rd).
• 2009 - Jay Wright (Villanova/15th).
• 2008 - Bill Self* (Kansas/15th).
• 2007 - Thad Matta* (Ohio State/7th) and John Thompson III (Georgetown/7th).
• 2006 - John Brady (Louisiana State/15th), Ben Howland* (UCLA/12th) and Jim Larranaga (George Mason/22nd).
• 2005 - Bruce Weber (Illinois/6th).
• 2004 - Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech/7th).
• 2003 - Rick Barnes (Texas/16th) and Tom Crean (Marquette/4th).
• 2002 - Mike Davis (Indiana/2nd) and Kelvin Sampson (Oklahoma/20th).
• 2001 - Gary Williams* (Maryland/23rd).
• 2000 - Dick Bennett (Wisconsin/24th) and Billy Donovan* (Florida/6th).
• 1999 - Jim Calhoun* (Connecticut/27th), Tom Izzo* (Michigan State/4th) and Jim O'Brien (Ohio State/17th).
• 1998 - Bill Guthridge* (North Carolina/1st), Rick Majerus (Utah/14th) and Tubby Smith (Kentucky/7th).
• 1997 - Clem Haskins (Minnesota/17th).
• 1996 - John Calipari* (Massachusetts/8th) and Richard Williams (Mississippi State/10th).
• 1995 - Jim Harrick (UCLA/16th).
• 1994 - Lon Kruger (Florida/12th).
• 1993 - All returnees.
• 1992 - Bob Huggins* (Cincinnati/12th).
• 1991 - Roy Williams* (Kansas/3rd).
• 1990 - Bobby Cremins (Georgia Tech/15th) and Nolan Richardson* (Arkansas/10th).
• 1989 - P.J. Carlesimo (Seton Hall/14th) and Steve Fisher* (Michigan/1st).
• 1988 - Billy Tubbs (Oklahoma/14th).
• 1987 - Jim Boeheim* (Syracuse/11th) and Rick Pitino* (Providence/7th).
• 1986 - Mike Krzyzewski* (Duke/11th).
• 1985 - Lou Carnesecca (St. John's/17th), Dana Kirk (Memphis State/14th) and Rollie Massimino (Villanova/14th).

*Subsequently returned to the Final Four.