Dribble Handoff: First Goal For New Head Coaches as 2025-26 Season Unfolds
November 23rd, 2025 - 13:17
First things first! As part of building blocks, following are initial goals for new NCAA DI head coaches (including 15 power-conference members):
| School | New DI Head Coach | Goal as 2025-26 Season Unfolds |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama A&M | Donte Jackson | Assemble first winning overall record since 2004-05. |
| Alcorn State | Jake Morton | Lose fewer than 13 games for first time since 2001-02. |
| Arkansas State | Ryan Pannone | Reach 20 wins for third consecutive campaign for first time since 1986-87 through 1988-89. |
| Auburn | Steven Pearl | Participate in NCAA playoffs for fifth successive season for second time in school history (first was 1984 through 1988). |
| Bellarmine | Doug Davenport | Post first winning record in Atlantic Sun Conference competition since 2021-22. |
| Bryant | Jamion Christian | Notch winning overall record for sixth straight season. |
| UC Riverside | Gus Argenal | Compile winning record for sixth time in last seven campaigns. |
| UC San Diego | Clint Allard | Win more than 20 games for third straight season. |
| Cal State Bakersfield | Mike Scott (interim) | End streak of four consecutive losing records. |
| Campbell | John Andrzejek | Stop streak of three straight losing marks. |
| Central Michigan | Andy Bronkema | Register second winning worksheet in last seven seasons. |
| Chicago State | Landon Bussie | Halt streak of 16 consecutive losing campaigns. |
| Cleveland State | Rob Summers | Win at least 19 contests for sixth straight season. |
| Colorado State | Ali Farokhmanesh | Post at least 20 victories for sixth time in last seven years. |
| Columbia | Kevin Hovde | End streak of eight straight losing records. |
| Denver | Tim Bergstraser | Manufacture first winning record since 2016-17. |
| Drake | Eric Henderson | Reach 20-win plateau for eighth season in a row. |
| Florida A&M | Charlie Ward | Halt streak of 18 consecutive losing records. |
| Florida State | Luke Loucks | Reach 20-win plateau for first time since 2019-20. |
| Fordham | Mike Magpayo | Register third winning record since 2006-07. |
| Grambling | Patrick Crarey II | Return to NCAA playoffs for second time in school history. |
| High Point | Flynn Clayman | Return to NCAA playoffs for second time in school history. |
| Indiana | Darian DeVries | Advance to an NCAA Tournament regional final for first time since 2002. |
| IU Indianapolis | Ben Howlett | Win more than 10 games for first time since 2018-19. |
| Iona | Dan Geriot | Win at least 16 contests for fifth consecutive campaign. |
| Iowa | Ben McCollum | Advance to an NCAA Tournament regional semifinal for first time in 21st Century. |
| La Salle | Darris Nichols | Compile first winning record since 2014-15. |
| Lipscomb | Kevin Carroll | Reach 20-win plateau for fourth straight season. |
| Longwood | Ronnie Thomas | Post fifth consecutive winning campaign. |
| Louisiana | Quannas White | Don't incur back-to-back losing marks for first time since 2009-10 and 2010-11. |
| Louisiana-Monroe | Phil Cunningham | End streak of six losing records in a row. |
| Maryland | Buzz Williams | Incur fewer than average of 14 setbacks over the previous six seasons. |
| McNeese State | Bill Armstrong | After averaging 29 victories annually over last two years, refrain from going back to losing marks each of the previous 11 campaigns. |
| Miami (Fla.) | Jai Lucas | Suffer fewer than 16 defeats which the Hurricanes have done only twice in previous seven seasons. |
| Minnesota | Niko Medved | Lose fewer than 13 contests for only the second time since 2008-09. |
| Murray State | Ryan Miller | Sustain fewer than 15 reversals for first time since 2021-22. |
| Navy | Jon Perry | Win at least 12 games for 12th straight season. |
| New Mexico | Eric Olen | Win more than 20 contests for fourth consecutive campaign. |
| North Carolina State | Will Wade | Reach 20-win plateau for 17th time in 21st Century. |
| North Florida | Bobby Kennen | Achieve first winning record since 2019-20. |
| North Texas | Daniyal Robinson | Notch ninth straight winning record with at least 18 triumphs. |
| Oral Roberts | Kory Barnett | Win more than 12 outings after failing to do so each of last two years. |
| Penn | Fran McCaffery | Reach 20-win plateau for only third time since 2006-07. |
| Radford | Zach Chu | Register at least 16 victories for fourth year in a row. |
| Sacramento State | Mike Bibby | Assemble third winning record since moving up to NCAA DI level in 1991-92. |
| Saint Francis (Pa.) | Luke McConnell | Cease string of five straight losing seasons. |
| Saint Joseph's | Steve Donahue | Exceed 20 triumphs in three consecutive campaigns for first time since 2002-03 through 2004-05. |
| Samford | Lennie Acuff | Exceed 20 wins for fifth successive year. |
| South Dakota State | Bryan Petersen | Manufacture 16th straight winning worksheet. |
| South Florida | Bryan Hodgson | Post third winning mark in last 14 seasons. |
| Stephen F. Austin | Matt Braeuer | Win at least 14 assignments for 21st consecutive campaign. |
| Tennessee State | Nolan Smith | Win at least 17 games for fourth straight season for first time at DI level. |
| Texas | Sean Miller | Win at least 19 contests for ninth year in a row. |
| Texas A&M | Bucky McMillan | Win more than 20 games for fifth successive season. |
| UNLV | Josh Pastner | Return to NCAA Tournament for first time since 2013. |
| Utah | Alex Jensen | Sustain fewer than 12 setbacks for first time since 2015-16. |
| Villanova | Kevin Willard | Lose fewer than 15 games for first time since 2021-22. |
| Virginia | Ryan Odom | After losing mark a year ago, return to winning ways like from 2010-11 through 2023-24. |
| Virginia Commonwealth | Phil Martelli Jr. | Win at least 22 contests as Rams did in 16 of previous 19 seasons. |
| West Virginia | Ross Hodge | Return to 20-win plateau for first time since 2019-20. |
| Wofford | Kevin Giltner | Manage eighth consecutive winning campaign. |
| Xavier | Richard Pitino | Avoid second losing record in three-year span for first time in more than 40 seasons (1980-81 through 1982-83). |