Starting Block: Recent Trend Goes Against New NCAA Division I Members
September 1st, 2013 - 19:55
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.