More Than Half of Power-League Member Coaches Hired From Mid-Majors

A total of 38 power-conference members - Pac-12 (9)/ACC (7)/Big Ten (7)/SEC (6)/Big 12 (5)/Big East (4) - hired coaches directly from the mid-major level. Who'll be next to move up to the big time? Mark Few (Gonzaga) and Gregg Marshall (Wichita State) generate most of the headlines, obscuring the following most overlooked achievements by current mid-major mentors:

Coach Mid-Major School Recent Success
John Becker Vermont six 20-win campaigns in as many seasons
Randy Bennett Saint Mary's 10 consecutive campaigns compiling more than 20 victories
Will Brown Albany six consecutive seasons posting at least 19 victories
Rick Byrd Belmont eleven 20-win seasons in last 12 years
Tim Cluess Iona seven 20-win seasons in as many years
Keith Dambrot Duquesne 12 consecutive 21-plus win seasons with Akron before departing
Kermit Davis Jr. Middle Tennessee State averaged nearly 26 wins annually over last six seasons
Joe Dooley Florida Gulf Coast four 21-plus win seasons in as many years
Mitch Henderson Princeton six winning records in as many years, including four 20-win seasons
Jason Hooten Sam Houston State averaged more than 22 triumphs annually over previous four seasons
Ben Jacobson Northern Iowa seven 20-win seasons in last nine years
James Jones Yale six winning records and top three Ivy League finishes in last seven seasons
Pat Kelsey Winthrop averaged 22 victories annually over previous four seasons
Bashir Mason Wagner four top three finishes in Northeast Conference in first five seasons
LeVelle Moton North Carolina Central four seasons compiling at least 22 victories in last five years
Dan Muller Illinois State manufactured at least 18 victories each of first five seasons
Leon Rice Boise State five consecutive 20-win seasons
David Richman North Dakota State three seasons notching at least 19 victories in as many years
Mark Schmidt St. Bonaventure four consecutive seasons registering at least 18 victories
Rob Senderoff Kent State posted at least 19 victories in five of first six seasons
Tony Shaver William & Mary three 20-win seasons in a row
Pat Skerry Towson three 20-win seasons in last four years after Tigers went 1-31 in his inaugural campaign with them in 2011-12
Rodney Terry Fresno State three 20-win seasons in last four years
Russell Turner UC Irvine won more than 20 games each of last five seasons