Regal Rookies: G-Men Ganot and Gard Win NCAA Tournament Debuts
March 18th, 2016 - 16:40
It might not end up on their tombstones but Hawaii's Eran Ganot and Wisconsin's Greg Gard achieved something NCAA championship coaches Jim Calhoun, Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino, Bill Self, Tubby Smith and Roy Williams failed to do - win NCAA playoff debut in his first season as a college head coach. Following is an alphabetical list of active coaches who guided team to an NCAA Tournament triumph in their first season at the DI level:
Active Coach School Debut Year Win in First NCAA Playoff Game Rod Barnes Mississippi 1999 Villanova in Midwest Regional John Becker Vermont 2012 Lamar in Midwest Regional Tony Bennett Washington State 2007 Oral Roberts in East Regional Jim Boeheim Syracuse 1977 Tennessee in OT in Mideast Regional Jamie Dixon Pittsburgh 2004 Central Florida in East Regional Mark Few Gonzaga 2000 Louisville in West Regional Steve Fisher Michigan 1990 Illinois State in West Regional Mark Fox Nevada 2005 Texas in Midwest Regional Eran Ganot Hawaii 2016 California in South Regional Greg Gard Wisconsin 2016 Pittsburgh in East Regional Chris Mack Xavier 2010 Minnesota in West Regional Frank Martin Kansas State 2008 Southern California in Midwest Regional Thad Matta Butler 2001 Wake Forest in Midwest Regional Brad Underwood Stephen F. Austin 2014 Virginia Commonwealth in South Regional
NOTE: Barnes (Cal State Bakersfield), Bennett (Virginia), Fisher (San Diego State), Fox (Georgia), Martin (South Carolina) and Matta (Ohio State) coached different schools this season. Fisher was interim coach in 1989 when he directed Michigan to the NCAA title.