Humble Backgrounds: Small-College Grads Make Big News in Tourney

March 15th, 2012 - 11:30

In a caste-like era separating the haves from the have-nots, imperial universities are seeking megaconferences and, perhaps in the near future, a restrictive upper division. But the socially elite won't ever be able to exclude small schools from making a big impact on the NCAA playoffs.

Smaller colleges, many of them in the hinterlands, have supplied a striking number of the biggest names in coaching. From 1995 through 2000, five of the six NCAA Tournament championship coaches (Jim Calhoun, Jim Harrick, Tom Izzo, Lute Olson and Tubby Smith) graduated from obscure colleges with smaller enrollments. In fact, it is a rarity for a Final Four not to feature at least one coach who graduated from a non-Division I school.

John Calipari, aspiring to secure his first NCAA title with top-ranked Kentucky, graduated from Clarion (Pa.) State. Following is an alphabetical list of Calhoun, Calipari, Izzo and other NCAA Tournament mentors who worked their way up the ladder after graduating from a small school:

NCAA Playoff Coach School Small-College Alma Mater
Rick Barnes Texas Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) '76
John Becker Vermont Catholic (D.C.) '90
John Beilein Michigan Wheeling Jesuit (N.Y.) '75
Randy Bennett Saint Mary's UC San Diego '86
Jim Calhoun Connecticut American International (Mass.) '67
John Calipari Kentucky Clarion (Pa.) State '82
Anthony Evans Norfolk State St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) '94
Jim Ferry Long Island Keene State (N.H.) '90
Steve Fisher San Diego State Illinois State '67
John Groce Ohio University Taylor (Ind.) '94
Frank Haith Missouri Elon (N.C.) '88
Leonard Hamilton Florida State Tennessee-Martin '71
Tom Izzo Michigan State Northern Michigan '77
Gregg Marshall Wichita State Randolph-Macon (Va.) '85
Tim Miles Colorado State Mary (N.D.) '89
Mike Montgomery California Long Beach State '68
Scott Nagy South Dakota State Delta State (Miss.) '88
Jimmy Patsos Loyola (MD) Catholic (D.C.) '89
Brett Reed Lehigh Eckerd (Fla.) '95
William "Bo" Ryan Wisconsin Wilkes College (Pa.) '69
Shaka Smart Virginia Commonwealth Kenyon (Ohio) '99
Brent "Buzz" Williams Marquette Oklahoma City '94

NOTES: Elon, Illinois State, Long Beach State and Tennessee-Martin are now classified as NCAA Division I colleges.