This is our first edition with a list of names in no particular order.
North Texas head coach Ross Hodge
Age: 44
Hodge has been the head coach for the Mean Green since 2023 and has amassed a 46-23 record during that time with the program. That includes a 27-8 record in 2024-25. Prior to that Hodge spent six seasons on the staff there as the associate head coach where he worked under Grant McCasland. He also had been an assistant at Arkansas State, Colorado State and Southern Mississippi. He also previously served as the head coach at both Paris JC and Midland College where he had a combined 146-24 record in his five seasons and was the NJCAA runner up in 2010-11. There is a connection here as Wren Baker was the athletic director at North Texas from 2016-22.
High Point head coach Alan Huss
Age: 46
Huss started his career at the high school level and was an assistant at both New Mexico and Creighton for nine seasons prior to getting an opportunity to lead his own Division I program at High Point. In his two seasons there, Huss has led the Panthers to two Big South regular season conference championships and a record of 56-14 including 27-5 in the league. Huss led the Panthers to a 29-5 campaign this past season and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Illinois native played his college basketball at Creighton.
Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes
Age: 59
Forbes has been at Wake Forest for five season and amassed a 92-65 record during that time with three 20+ win seasons under his belt. He was named ACC Coach of the Year following the 2021-22 campaign. Prior to that, Forbes was at East Tennessee State where he had a 130-43 record with one trip to the NCAA Tournament and another but the event was canceled due to COVID-19. He was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2020. Forbes also had successful stints as a coach at the junior college level at Southwestern Community College, Barton County Community College and Northwest Florida State. In his two seasons at Northwest Florida State, Forbes led the team to a 62-6 record and back-to-back national runner ups. Forbes also spent time as an assistant at Southwestern C.C., Barton County C.C., Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Illinois State, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Wichita State. A native of Iowa.
Grand Canyon head coach Bryce Drew
Age: 50
Drew started his coaching career at his alma mater Valparaiso in 2005 where he started as an assistant before being elevated to associate head coach after a season. Drew was named head coach in 2011 and served in that role for five seasons going 124-49 with two trips to the NCAA Tournament. Drew then was hired at Vanderbilt where he spent three seasons and was 40-59 with a trip to the NCAAs in his first year. After being relieved of his duties, Drew was hired by Grand Canyon where he has gone 120-39 over five seasons with four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Furman head coach Bob Richey
Age: 41
Richey began his career as an assistant at Charleston Southern for five seasons and then moved onto Furman as an assistant joining the staff under Jeff Jackson. Richey was retained by Niko Medved and spent six seasons as an assistant before he was elevated into the interim head coach role when Medved left for Drake. Following the season, the interim tag was lifted making Richey the 22nd head coach in Paladins program history. During his eight years over top the program, Richey has gone 181-79 including a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2022-23 where his team advanced to the round of 32. The Louisiana native has one conference championship under his belt.
Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz
Age: 49
Schertz is another name that was on this list last season after successful stints at both Division II Lincoln Memorial and Indiana State. During his time at Lincoln Memorial, Schertz amassed an impressive 337-69 record and 10 of the 13 years was in the tournament including a Final Four and Runner Up. At Indiana State, Schertz spent three years and was 66-40 including a 32-7 mark in his final season there. Was hired by Saint Louis last off-season and was 19-14 in his first year but was on the West Virginia radar during the search last year. A native of New York.
West Virginia associate head coach Chester Frazier
Age: 38
Frazier arrived in Morgantown with previous head coach Darian DeVries and has lived up to his billing on being a high-level assistant with great recruiting chops. Frazier has served as an assistant at Kansas State, Virginia Tech and Illinois previously since he first became the associate head coach in Morgantown. Frazier appears primed for the next step in his career and clearly knows what it’s like to coach at West Virginia but it’s unclear if the Mountaineers would want to make the leap to give him the reins.
North Texas head coach Ross Hodge
Age: 44
Hodge has been the head coach for the Mean Green since 2023 and has amassed a 46-23 record during that time with the program. That includes a 27-8 record in 2024-25. Prior to that Hodge spent six seasons on the staff there as the associate head coach where he worked under Grant McCasland. He also had been an assistant at Arkansas State, Colorado State and Southern Mississippi. He also previously served as the head coach at both Paris JC and Midland College where he had a combined 146-24 record in his five seasons and was the NJCAA runner up in 2010-11. There is a connection here as Wren Baker was the athletic director at North Texas from 2016-22.
High Point head coach Alan Huss
Age: 46
Huss started his career at the high school level and was an assistant at both New Mexico and Creighton for nine seasons prior to getting an opportunity to lead his own Division I program at High Point. In his two seasons there, Huss has led the Panthers to two Big South regular season conference championships and a record of 56-14 including 27-5 in the league. Huss led the Panthers to a 29-5 campaign this past season and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Illinois native played his college basketball at Creighton.
Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes
Age: 59
Forbes has been at Wake Forest for five season and amassed a 92-65 record during that time with three 20+ win seasons under his belt. He was named ACC Coach of the Year following the 2021-22 campaign. Prior to that, Forbes was at East Tennessee State where he had a 130-43 record with one trip to the NCAA Tournament and another but the event was canceled due to COVID-19. He was named Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2020. Forbes also had successful stints as a coach at the junior college level at Southwestern Community College, Barton County Community College and Northwest Florida State. In his two seasons at Northwest Florida State, Forbes led the team to a 62-6 record and back-to-back national runner ups. Forbes also spent time as an assistant at Southwestern C.C., Barton County C.C., Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Illinois State, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Wichita State. A native of Iowa.
Grand Canyon head coach Bryce Drew
Age: 50
Drew started his coaching career at his alma mater Valparaiso in 2005 where he started as an assistant before being elevated to associate head coach after a season. Drew was named head coach in 2011 and served in that role for five seasons going 124-49 with two trips to the NCAA Tournament. Drew then was hired at Vanderbilt where he spent three seasons and was 40-59 with a trip to the NCAAs in his first year. After being relieved of his duties, Drew was hired by Grand Canyon where he has gone 120-39 over five seasons with four trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Furman head coach Bob Richey
Age: 41
Richey began his career as an assistant at Charleston Southern for five seasons and then moved onto Furman as an assistant joining the staff under Jeff Jackson. Richey was retained by Niko Medved and spent six seasons as an assistant before he was elevated into the interim head coach role when Medved left for Drake. Following the season, the interim tag was lifted making Richey the 22nd head coach in Paladins program history. During his eight years over top the program, Richey has gone 181-79 including a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2022-23 where his team advanced to the round of 32. The Louisiana native has one conference championship under his belt.
Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz
Age: 49
Schertz is another name that was on this list last season after successful stints at both Division II Lincoln Memorial and Indiana State. During his time at Lincoln Memorial, Schertz amassed an impressive 337-69 record and 10 of the 13 years was in the tournament including a Final Four and Runner Up. At Indiana State, Schertz spent three years and was 66-40 including a 32-7 mark in his final season there. Was hired by Saint Louis last off-season and was 19-14 in his first year but was on the West Virginia radar during the search last year. A native of New York.
West Virginia associate head coach Chester Frazier
Age: 38
Frazier arrived in Morgantown with previous head coach Darian DeVries and has lived up to his billing on being a high-level assistant with great recruiting chops. Frazier has served as an assistant at Kansas State, Virginia Tech and Illinois previously since he first became the associate head coach in Morgantown. Frazier appears primed for the next step in his career and clearly knows what it’s like to coach at West Virginia but it’s unclear if the Mountaineers would want to make the leap to give him the reins.
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