Longest-Tenured Coaches Exiting For Another School After NCAA Tourney Play
March 25th, 2026 - 9:30
No coach is remotely close to Randy Bennett in terms of longest tenure at a school before leaving for another institution on the heels of an NCAA Tournament appearance. Bennett was bench boss at Saint Mary's for 25 seasons prior to accepting similar position with Arizona State.
Following are mentors since NCAA tourney field expanded to at least 64 entrants in 1985 with double-digit tenures when leaving for another school:
| Coach | Next Destination | Double-Digit Tenure at Departing School |
|---|---|---|
| Randy Bennett | Arizona State | 25 seasons at Saint Mary's from 2001-02 through 2025-26 |
| Mike Young | Virginia Tech | 17 at Wofford from 2002-03 through 2018-19 |
| Cy Alexander | Tennessee State | 16 at South Carolina State from 1987-88 through 2002-03 |
| John Calipari | Arkansas | 15 at Kentucky from 2009-10 through 2023-24 |
| Roy Williams | North Carolina | 15 at Kansas from 1988-89 through 2002-03 |
| Mick Cronin | UCLA | 13 at Cincinnati from 2006-07 through 2018-19 |
| Jamie Dixon | Texas Christian | 13 at Pittsburgh from 2003-04 through 2015-16 |
| Bob Marlin | Louisiana-Lafayette | 12 at Sam Houston State from 1998-99 through 2009-10 |
| Ben Braun | California | 11 at Eastern Michigan from 1985-86 through 1995-96 |
| Barry Collier | Butler | 11 at Butler from 1989-90 through 1999-00 |
| Steve Pikiell | Rutgers | 11 at Stony Brook from 2005-06 through 2015-16 |
| Eddie Sutton | Kentucky | 11 at Arkansas from 1974-75 through 1984-85 |
| Dick Bennett | Wisconsin | 10 at Wisconsin-Green Bay from 1985-86 through 1994-95 |