Starting Block: Recent Trend Goes Against New NCAA Division I Members

What's in store for Grand Canyon (Ariz.), Incarnate Word (Tex.) and Massachusetts-Lowell as they brace for their inaugural season at the NCAA Division I level? Only seven of the first 33 schools moving up to compete at DI in the 21st Century posted a winning record in their debut campaign. The average first-year mark for the last 33 newcomers is 9-19.

In 2008-09, South Dakota became only the second school to reach the 20-win plateau in its first DI season since Stephen F. Austin achieved the feat in 1986-87. But Gardner-Webb's 22 victories in 2000-01 later were vacated. Eight of the nine best first-year seasons occurred in the 1970s when 40 of the 70 institutions elevating their programs to DI during the decade promptly posted winning records.

In 1971-72, Southwestern Louisiana, now known as Louisiana-Lafayette, became the only school ever to finish in the Top 10 of the final DI rankings the year after finishing in the Top 10 of the final Division II poll. But it wasn't long before USL was prohibited from fielding a formal team for two seasons (1973-74 and 1974-75) as part of an NCAA probation.

Alabama State (22-6 in 1982-83) is the only school since the 1970s to win more than three-fourths of its games in its DI debut campaign. Following is a first-year summary of schools moving up to the major-college ranks after the initial season of NCAA classification in 1947-48:

School Moving Up to DI Season Coach W. L. Pct.
Maryland-Eastern Shore 1973-74 John Bates 27 2 .931
Oral Roberts (Okla.) 1971-72 Ken Trickey 26 2 .929
Southwestern Louisiana 1971-72 Beryl Shipley 23 3 .885
Seattle 1952-53 Al Brightman 29 4 .879
Old Dominion (Va.) 1976-77 Paul Webb 25 4 .862
Long Beach State 1969-70 Jerry Tarkanian 24 5 .828
Hawaii 1970-71 Ephraim "Red" Rocha 23 5 .821
Southern (La.) 1977-78 Carl Stewart 23 5 .821
McNeese State (La.) 1973-74 Bill Reigel 20 5 .800
Jackson State (Miss.) 1977-78 Paul Covington 19 5 .792
Alabama State 1982-83 James Oliver 22 6 .786
Alcorn State (Miss.) 1977-78 Davey Whitney 22 7 .759
Idaho State 1958-59 John Grayson 21 7 .750
Memphis State 1955-56 Gene Lambert 20 7 .741
Air Force 1957-58 Bob Spear 17 6 .739
Stephen F. Austin (Tex.) 1986-87 Harry Miller 22 8 .733
Northeastern (Mass.) 1972-73 Jim Calhoun 19 7 .731
Virginia Commonwealth 1973-74 Chuck Noe 17 7 .708
College of Charleston (S.C.) 1991-92 John Kresse 19 8 .704
Miami (Fla.) 1948-49 Hart Morris 19 8 .704
New Orleans 1975-76 Ron Greene 18 8 .692
South Dakota 2008-09 David Boots 20 9 .690
Gardner-Webb (N.C.) 2000-01 Rick Scruggs 22 10 .688
George Mason (Va.) 1978-79 John Linn 17 8 .680
Weber State (Utah) 1963-64 Dick Motta 17 8 .680
American (D.C.) 1966-67 Alan Kyber 16 8 .667
Fairfield (Conn.) 1964-65 George Bisacca 14 7 .667
Florida A&M 1978-79 Ajac Triplett 18 9 .667
Mercer (Ga.) 1973-74 Joe Dan Gold 16 8 .667
Tennessee Tech 1955-56 John Oldham 14 7 .667
Morehead State (Ky.) 1955-56 Bobby Laughlin 19 10 .655
Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) 2000-01 Duane Reboul 17 9 .654
Georgia Southern 1971-72 J.E. Rowe 17 9 .654
James Madison (Va.) 1976-77 Lou Campanelli 17 9 .654
Northwestern State (La.) 1976-77 Tynes Hildebrand 17 9 .654
UNLV 1969-70 Rolland Todd 17 9 .654
Abilene Christian (Tex.) 1970-71 Garnie Hatch 15 9 .625
Arkansas State 1970-71 John Rose 15 9 .625
Drexel (Pa.) 1973-74 Ray Haesler 15 9 .625
Lamar (Tex.) 1969-70 Jack Martin 15 9 .625
Massachusetts 1961-62 Matt Zunic 15 9 .625
Northern Colorado 1973-74 Thurm Wright 15 9 .625
UC Santa Barbara 1963-64 Art Gallon 18 11 .621
Delaware State 1973-74 Ira Mitchell 18 11 .621
Illinois State 1971-72 Will Robinson 16 10 .615
North Carolina A&T 1973-74 Warren Reynolds 16 10 .615
UNC-Wilmington 1976-77 Mel Gibson 16 10 .615
Northeast Louisiana 1973-74 Lenny Fant 16 10 .615
Texas Southern 1977-78 Robert Moreland 16 10 .615
Austin Peay (Tenn.) 1963-64 George Fisher 14 9 .609
Southern Mississippi 1968-69 Lee Floyd 15 10 .600
Chattanooga 1977-78 Ron Shumate 16 11 .593
Chicago State 1984-85 Bob Hallberg 16 11 .593
Wright State (Ohio) 1987-88 Ralph Underhill 16 11 .593
Loyola (La.) 1951-52 Tom Haggerty 20 14 .588
Los Angeles State 1970-71 Bob Miller 15 11 .577
UNC Asheville 1986-87 Jerry Green 15 11 .577
San Jose State 1952-53 Walt McPherson 15 11 .577
UAB 1978-79 Gene Bartow 15 11 .577
New Mexico State 1950-51 George McCarty 19 14 .576
Kentucky Wesleyan 1956-57 Bob Wilson 16 12 .571
North Dakota 2008-09 Brian Jones 16 12 .571
North Dakota State 2005-06 Tim Miles 16 12 .571
Radford (Va.) 1984-85 Joe Davis 16 12 .571
Sam Houston State (Tex.) 1986-87 Steve Tucker 16 12 .571
Utah Valley 2004-05 Dick Hunsaker 16 12 .571
East Tennessee State 1958-59 John Madison Brooks 13 10 .565
East Carolina 1964-65 Wendell Carr 12 10 .545
Cal State Fullerton 1974-75 Bobby Dye 13 11 .542
New Mexico 1950-51 Woodrow "Woody" Clements 13 11 .542
Southern Illinois 1967-68 Jack Hartman 13 11 .542
Boise State 1971-72 Murray Satterfield 14 12 .538
Central Michigan 1973-74 Dick Parfitt 14 12 .538
UNC Charlotte 1972-73 Bill C. Foster 14 12 .538
West Texas 1950-51 W.A. "Gus" Miller 14 12 .538
Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1973-74 Bill Klucas 14 12 .538
Oklahoma City 1950-51 Doyle Parrack 16 14 .533
Iona (N.Y.) 1953-54 Jim McDermott 11 10 .524
Corpus Christi (Tex.) 1972-73 ????? 13 12 .520
Belmont (Tenn.) 1998-99 Rick Byrd 14 13 .519
Eastern Illinois 1981-82 Rick Samuels 14 13 .519
Illinois-Chicago 1981-82 Tom Meyer 14 13 .519
Southeastern Louisiana 1980-81 Ken Fortenberry 14 13 .519
Western Illinois 1981-82 Jack Margenthaler 14 13 .519
Wisconsin-Green Bay 1981-82 Dave Buss 14 13 .519
Cal State Bakersfield 2006-07 Keith Brown 15 14 .517
Gonzaga (Wash.) 1952-53 Thor "Hank" Anderson 15 14 .517
Catholic (D.C.) 1976-77 Jack Kvancz 13 13 .500
Centenary (La.) 1959-60 Orvis Sigler 12 12 .500
Saint Peter's (N.J.) 1964-65 Don Kennedy 10 10 .500
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 1999-2000 Ronnie Arrow 13 13 .500
Texas Tech 1950-51 Polk Robison 14 14 .500
Vermont 1961-62 John "Fuzzy" Evans 12 12 .500
Murray State (Ky.) 1953-54 Harlan Hodges 15 16 .484
Troy State (Ala.) 1993-94 Don Maestri 13 14 .481
Hofstra (N.Y.) 1966-67 Paul Lynner 12 13 .480
Tennessee State 1977-78 Ed Martin 11 12 .478
Regis (Colo.) 1961-62 Joe B. Hall 10 11 .476
Bethune-Cookman (Fla.) 1980-81 Jack "Cy" McClairen 13 15 .464
Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 1950-51 Jack Martin 13 15 .464
South Carolina State 1973-74 Tim Autry 13 15 .464
Southwest Missouri State 1982-83 Bob Cleeland 13 15 .464
Indiana State 1971-72 Gordon Stauffer 12 14 .462
Marist (N.Y.) 1981-82 Ron Petro 12 14 .462
San Diego State 1970-71 Dick Davis 12 14 .462
Maine 1961-62 Brian McCall 11 13 .458
Fairleigh Dickinson (N.J.) 1967-68 Jack Devine 10 12 .455
Mount St. Mary's (Md.) 1988-89 Jim Phelan 12 15 .444
Oakland (Mich.) 1998-99 Greg Kampe 12 15 .444
South Florida 1973-74 Don Williams 11 14 .440
Coastal Carolina (S.C.) 1986-87 Russ Bergman 12 16 .429
Maryland-Baltimore County 1986-87 Jeff Bzdelik 12 16 .429
Southeast Missouri State 1991-92 Ron Shumate 12 16 .429
Howard (D.C.) 1973-74 Marshall Emery 11 15 .423
West Chester (Pa.) 1973-74 Earl Voss 11 15 .423
Grambling (La.) 1977-78 Fred Hobdy 10 14 .417
Northern Illinois 1967-68 Tom Jorgensen 10 14 .417
Saint Francis (Pa.) 1955-56 Dr. William "Skip" Hughes 10 14 .417
Kennesaw State (Ga.) 2005-06 Tony Ingle 12 17 .414
Elon (N.C.) 1998-99 Mark Simons 11 16 .407
IUPUI (Ind.) 1998-99 Ron Hunter 11 16 .407
Northern Kentucky 2012-13 Dave Bezold 11 16 .407
Delaware 1957-58 Irv Wisniewski 8 12 .400
Texas-El Paso 1950-51 Dale Waters 10 15 .400
Albany (N.Y.) 1999-2000 Scott Hicks 11 17 .393
Brooklyn (N.Y.) 1982-83 Mark Reiner 11 17 .393
UC Davis 2004-05 Gary Stewart 11 17 .393
Houston 1950-51 Alden Pasche 11 17 .393
Cleveland State 1972-73 Ray Dieringer 9 14 .391
High Point (N.C.) 1998-99 Jerry Steele 10 16 .385
Louisiana Tech 1973-74 Scotty Robertson 8 13 .381
Ball State (Ind.) 1971-72 Leroy "Bud" Getchell 9 15 .375
Campbell (N.C.) 1977-78 Danny Roberts 9 15 .375
Rider (N.J.) 1967-68 John Carpenter 9 15 .375
Alabama A&M 1998-99 Vann Pettaway 10 17 .370
Coppin State (Md.) 1985-86 John Bates 10 17 .370
Jacksonville State (Ala.) 1995-96 Bill Jones 10 17 .370
Liberty (Va.) 1988-89 Jeff Meyer 10 17 .370
Central Florida 1984-85 Chuck Machock 10 18 .357
Southern Utah 1988-89 Neil Roberts 10 18 .357
Nebraska-Omaha 2012-13 Derrin Hansen 11 20 .355
Florida State 1956-57 J.K. "Bud" Kennedy 9 17 .346
Fresno State 1955-56 Bill Vandenburgh 9 17 .346
Hampton (Va.) 1995-96 Byron Samuels 9 17 .346
Loyola Marymount (Calif.) 1949-50 Edwin "Scotty" McDonald 9 17 .346
Middle Tennessee State 1958-59 Ed Diddle Jr. 9 17 .346
Pacific (Calif.) 1953-54 Van Sweet 9 17 .346
Towson State (Md.) 1979-80 Vince Angotti 9 17 .346
Central Arkansas 2006-07 Rand Chappell 10 20 .333
Missouri-Kansas City 1987-88 Lee Hunt 9 18 .333
Quinnipiac (Conn.) 1998-99 Joe DeSantis 9 18 .333
SIU-Edwardsville 2008-09 Lennox Forrester 10 20 .333
U.S. International (Calif.) 1981-82 Freddie Goss 9 18 .333
Western Carolina 1976-77 Fred Conley 8 16 .333
Florida Gulf Coast 2007-08 Dave Balza 10 21 .323
Binghamton (N.Y.) 2001-02 Al Walker 9 19 .321
Portland State 1972-73 Ken Edwards 9 19 .321
UC Irvine 1977-78 Tim Tift 8 17 .320
UC Riverside 2000-01 John Masi 8 17 .320
Jacksonville (Fla.) 1966-67 Joe Williams 8 17 .320
Texas-Pan American 1968-69 Sam Williams 8 17 .320
Portland 1953-54 James "Mush" Torson 6 13 .316
South Dakota State 2005-06 Scott Nagy 9 20 .310
Eastern Michigan 1973-74 Allan Freund 8 18 .308
Texas-Arlington 1968-69 Barry Dowd 8 18 .308
Arizona State 1950-51 Bill Kajikawa 8 19 .296
Northern Arizona 1950-51 Herb Gregg 8 19 .296
Northern Iowa 1980-81 Jim Berry 8 19 .296
Texas-San Antonio 1981-82 Don Eddy 8 19 .296
South Alabama 1971-72 Jimmy Taylor 7 17 .292
Augusta (Ga.) 1984-85 Marvin Vanover 8 20 .286
Cal State Northridge 1990-91 Pete Cassidy 8 20 .286
Winthrop (S.C.) 1986-87 Steve Vacendak 8 20 .286
Florida International 1986-87 Rich Walker 7 18 .280
Central Connecticut State 1986-87 Bill Detrick 8 21 .276
Bryant (R.I.) 2001-02 Max Good 7 19 .269
Providence 1948-49 Lawrence Drew 7 19 .269
Robert Morris (Pa.) 1976-77 Tom Weirich 7 19 .269
Tennessee-Martin 1992-93 Cal Luther 7 19 .269
Evansville (Ind.)* 1977-78 Bobby Watson 1 3 .250
Hartford (Conn.) 1984-85 Jack Phelan 7 21 .250
IUPU-Fort Wayne (Ind.) 2001-02 Doug Noll 7 21 .250
UNC Greensboro 1991-92 Mike Dement 7 21 .250
Houston Baptist 1973-74 Lonnie Richards 6 19 .240
Trinity (Tex.) 1970-71 Jimmy Littleton 5 16 .238
South Carolina Upstate 2007-08 Eddie Payne 7 23 .233
Arkansas-Little Rock 1978-79 Habib "Happy" Mahfouz 6 20 .231
Southwest Texas State 1984-85 Celester Collier 6 20 .231
Stetson (Fla.) 1971-72 Dr. Glenn Wilkes 6 20 .231
Lipscomb (Tenn.) 2001-02 Scott Sanderson 6 21 .222
Monmouth (N.J.) 1983-84 Ron Kornegay 6 21 .222
Norfolk State (Va.) 1997-98 Michael Bernard 6 21 .222
Armstrong State (Ga.) 1986-87 Raleigh Pastrick 6 22 .214
Nicholls State (La.) 1980-81 Jerry Sanders 6 22 .214
North Florida 2005-06 Matt Kilcullen 6 22 .214
Morris Brown (Ga.) 2000-01 Derek Thompson 6 23 .207
Stony Brook (N.Y.) 1999-2000 Nick Macarchuk 6 23 .207
Appalachian State (N.C.) 1973-74 Press Maravich 5 20 .200
Baptist (S.C.) 1974-75 Billy Henry 4 16 .200
Buffalo 1973-74 Leo Richardson 5 20 .200
Samford (Ala.) 1972-73 Ron Harris 5 20 .200
San Diego 1979-80 Jim Brovelli 5 20 .200
Longwood (Va.) 2003-04 Mike Gillian 5 22 .185
New Jersey Institute of Tech 2006-07 Jim Casciano 5 24 .172
Winston-Salem State (N.C.) 2006-07 Bobby Collins 5 24 .172
Presbyterian (S.C.) 2007-08 Gregg Nibert 5 25 .167
Baltimore 1978-79 Frank Szymanski 4 21 .160
Savannah State (Ga.) 2000-01 Jack Grant 4 21 .160
Eastern Washington 1983-84 Jerry Krause 4 22 .154
Utica (N.Y.) 1981-82 Larry Costello 4 22 .154
Wofford (S.C.) 1995-96 Richard Johnson 4 22 .154
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1997-98 Harold Blevins 4 23 .148
Cal State Sacramento 1991-92 Joseph Anders 4 24 .143
North Texas State 1957-58 Henry "Pete" Shands 3 18 .143
North Carolina Central 2007-08 Henry Dickerson 4 26 .133
New Hampshire 1961-62 Bill Olsen 3 20 .130
Wagner (N.Y.) 1976-77 Peter "P.J." Carlesimo 3 21 .125
Florida Atlantic 1993-94 Tim Loomis 3 24 .111
Mississippi Valley State 1979-80 William "Pop" Gaines 3 24 .111
Morgan State (Md.) 1984-85 Tom Dean/Ray McMillian 3 25 .107
Sacred Heart (Conn.) 1999-2000 Dave Bike 3 25 .107
Prairie View A&M (Tex.) 1980-81 Calvin White 2 22 .083
Pepperdine (Calif.) 1955-56 Robert "Duck" Dowell 2 24 .077
Northeastern Illinois 1990-91 Rees Johnson 2 25 .074
Georgia State 1973-74 Clyde "Jack" Waters 1 25 .038
Cal Poly 1994-95 Steve Beason 1 26 .037

*Evansville had an abbreviated schedule because of a plane crash.