Leaving Comfort Zone: Coaches Thrive at Facing New Challenges

Jim Larranaga, in his debut campaign with Miami (FL), is positioning the 'Canes for a possible NCAA at-large bid after 14 seasons coaching George Mason. Another coach winning about two-thirds of his games in a debut season after a long stint elsewhere is Georgia State's Ron Hunter, who served 17 seasons with IUPUI (moved up to the Division level in 1998-99).

Retired Jim Calhoun posted a 9-19 mark with Connecticut in 1986-87 after serving 14 campaigns with Northeastern. Active coaches who had the longest tenures before leaving willingly for a similar job with another DI school are:

Fran Dunphy--12-18 record with Temple in 2006-07 after 17 years with Penn
Dana Altman--21-18 with Oregon in 2010-11 after 16 years with Creighton
Roy Williams--19-11 with North Carolina in 2003-04 after 15 years with Kansas