Dan Hurley remains college basketball’s top coach after guiding UConn to another national title game, with Houston’s Kelvin Sampson and St. John’s Rick Pitino holding steady at Nos. 2 and 3. Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Illinois’ Brad Underwood made major jumps after reaching the 2026 Final Four, while five newcomers entered the Top 25 and 1.

By the Numbers
  • Hurley has ranked No. 1 for 3 straight years.
  • 5 coaches joined this year’s ranking after missing last year’s list.
  • Hurley led UConn to its 3rd national title game in 4 years.
  • Sampson has reached 30 wins for 5 consecutive seasons.
  • Pitino is 61-12 over the past 2 seasons at St. John’s.
Yes, But

The rankings reflect both sustained achievement and recent results: Dusty May left for the NBA after leading Michigan to a championship, while Mark Pope, Chris Beard and Shaka Smart fell off the list after their teams underperformed. Sampson’s résumé remains short of a national title, and Hurley fell just short of winning a third championship in four seasons.

Bottom Line

The top three remain unchanged, but the next tier is shifting: Final Four runs lifted Lloyd and Underwood, while this year’s turnover shows that even elite coaches must keep delivering.