Fresh Faces: John Beilein and Gregg Marshall Make Final Four Debuts

In 1987, Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) and Rick Pitino (Providence) each made their Final Four debut. Indiana won the championship that year but they both subsequently captured at least one NCAA title.

This year, John Beilein (Michigan) and Gregg Marshall (Wichita State) are Final Four newcomers. They better enjoy the experience while they can. Although their two counterparts have ascended to this plateau multiple times, it's difficult enough to get there and most mentors don't return.

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). The five other coaches to take more than 20 years were 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 29 years (1993 and 2012). 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:

  • 2013 - John Beilein (Michigan/31st season as head coach at the four-year college level) 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), 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.