Regal Rookie: First-Year Coach Becker Bends Rules in Playoff Debut

March 16th, 2012 - 21:50

It might not end up on his tombstone but Vermont's John Becker achieved something NCAA championship coaches Jim Calhoun, Billy Donovan, Tom Izzo, Rick Pitino, Bill Self, Tubby Smith and Roy Williams failed to do - win NCAA playoff debut in his first season as an NCAA Division I head coach.

Krzyzewski (Duke) and Calhoun (Connecticut) were eliminated in the first round in back-to-back years by Anthony Grant (Virginia Commonwealth in 2007) and Bill Grier (San Diego in 2008). Following is an alphabetical list of active coaches who guided teams to an NCAA Tournament triumph in their first full season at the DI level:

Coach School Debut Year Win in First NCAA Playoff Game
Rod Barnes Mississippi 1999 Villanova in Midwest Regional
John Becker Vermont 2012 Lamar in Midwest Regional
Tony Bennett Washington State 2007 Oral Roberts in East Regional
Jim Boeheim Syracuse 1977 Tennessee in OT in Mideast Regional
Jamie Dixon Pittsburgh 2004 Central Florida in East Regional
Mark Few Gonzaga 2000 Louisville in West Regional
Steve Fisher Michigan 1990 Illinois State in West Regional
Mark Fox Nevada 2005 Texas in Midwest Regional
Anthony Grant Virginia Commonwealth 2007 Duke in West Regional
Bill Grier San Diego 2008 Connecticut in OT in West Regional
Stan Heath Kent State 2002 Oklahoma State in South Regional
Dick Hunsaker Ball State 1990 Oregon State in West Regional
Rob Jeter Wisconsin-Milwaukee 2006 Oklahoma in Midwest Regional
Steve Lavin UCLA 1997 Charleston Southern in Midwest Regional
Chris Mack Xavier 2010 Minnesota in West Regional
Frank Martin Kansas State 2008 Southern California in Midwest Regional
Thad Matta Butler 2001 Wake Forest in Midwest Regional
Brad Stevens Butler 2008 South Alabama in East Regional

NOTE: Barnes (Cal State Bakersfield), Bennett (Virginia), Fisher (San Diego State), Fox (Georgia), Grant (Alabama), Heath (South Florida), Hunsaker (Utah Valley), Lavin (St. John's) and Matta (Ohio State) coached different schools this season. Fisher was interim coach in 1989 when he directed Michigan to the NCAA title.