College basketball coaches rankings: UConn's Dan Hurley beats Kansas' Bill Self for No. 1 in top 25 and 1 poll

When CBS Sports debuted its annual Top 25 and 1 coaches rankings ahead of the 2022-23 season, UConn coach Dan Hurley was still finding his place at the top of the game. He was four years into his tenure with the Huskies and had yet to win a Big East title or an NCAA Tournament game.

His college coaching trophy cabinet included a 2017 Atlantic 10 tournament title and a 2018 A-10 regular-season title at Rhode Island but little else. As a result, he looked outside the coaches rankings, which are filled each year with some of the sport's most accomplished leaders.

What a difference two seasons can make.

When Harley breaks, she breaks in a seismic, sport-changing way. As a result, he is now the dean of college basketball coaches. Hurley took Bill Self from Kansas, Number one in last year's ranking2024-25 CBS Sports Top 25 and 1 for the top spot in the coaches rankings.

With back-to-back national titles to his credit, Harley surpassed legends like Scott Drew, Mark Few, Kelvin Sampson and Tom Izzo.

Hurley's rapid ascent also explains how the coaching ranks have thinned in recent years. While Virginia's Tony Bennett He announced his retirement Three weeks into the season, he joined other national title-winning coaches such as Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jay Wright and Jim Boeheim who have called for his resignation in recent years.

The departure of the sport's old guard has opened the door for a new generation of star coaches. That's reflected in this year's top 25 and 1 coaches, including names like Alabama's Nate Oates, Duke's John Scheer and Iowa State's TJ Otzelberger.

Here are the top 25 and 1 college basketball coaches combined rankings as the new season begins.

Top 25 and 1 College Basketball Coaches

The rankings were determined by a vote of CBS Sports' Gary Parrish, Matt Norlander, Kyle Boone, David Cobb, Cameron Salerno, Adam Finkelstein and Isaac Trotter.

1. Dan Hurley, Yukon

Hurley is riding a wave of rocket fuel. After finishing outside the top 25 and 1 ranking in 2022, he rose to No. 7 in 2023 after winning his first national title. Now, he has surpassed every coach in the game after leading UConn to back-to-back national championships and turning down an opportunity to coach the Los Angeles Lakers. (Last year: 7)

2. Bill Self, Kansas

Kansas bounced back to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons following its 2022 national title. But if you thought KU's foundation was cracked, think again. Self has restocked its 2024-25 roster with improved depth and an elite group of potential starters who should ensure KU has a chance at its third national title. (1)

3. Kelvin Sampson, Houston

Sampson eased Houston's transition from the AAC to the Big 12, as he led the Cougars to the league's regular season title in their first season in the conference. It was the latest impressive feat in the 69-year-old's remarkable coaching journey. The only thing missing from Sampson's resume is a national title, and his 2024-25 squad appears to have the ingredients to contend for one. (3)

4. Scott Drew, Baylor

A 24-11 (11-7 Big 12) season and second-round NCAA Tournament appearance in what felt like a “down” year is the ultimate testament to what Drew has accomplished as he enters his 22nd year at Baylor. Baylor was desolate upon his arrival and has become one of the premier programs in the nation. The Bears should be at or near the top of the Big 12 again in 2024-25. (5)

5. Nate Oates, Alabama

Oates cemented his place as one of the rising stars in basketball coaching as he guided Alabama to its first-ever Final Four appearance last season. The Crimson Tide have reached the Sweet 16 in three of the past four seasons and aren't going away anytime soon as Oates continues to attract top-tier talent. (19)

6. Matt Painter, Purdue

Painter led Purdue to its first Final Four appearance last season since 1980 as the Boilermakers reached the Final Four in star center Jack Eddy's final year. The post-AD era will force Purdue to make adjustments, but Painter can get the job done. He led the Boilermakers to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in 19 seasons on the job. (10)

7. Mark Few, Gonzaga

Gonzaga's case for an NCAA Tournament bid looked shaky early in WCC play last season. But Few rallied his troops and led the Jags to their ninth Sweet 16, the longest active streak in college basketball. He's one of the great program makers of all time and has another team capable of making a deep run at the Big Dance. (4)

8. Tom Izzo, Michigan State

After Michigan State's second-round loss to North Carolina in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Izzo vowed he would lead the Spartans to another deep run or “I'm going to die trying.” Entering his 31st season, Izzo knows better than any of his peers what it takes to succeed in March. He has made eight Final Four appearances, the most among active coaches. (2)

9. Rick Pitino, St. John's

Pitino's seven Final Four appearances are second only to Izzo among active coaches. He led St. John's to the brink of the NCAA Tournament in his first year on the job and now has the roster to reach the Big Dance. Although he's 72, Pitino appears to have more than enough energy to meet the challenges of an evolving game. (9)

10. John Calipari, Arkansas

Calipari is tied for third behind Izzo and Pitino in most Final Four appearances by an active coach with six. He's in a race with Pitino to see who will be the first coach to lead all four programs to the Final Four. Arkansas certainly has the talent to make a run on his first team, but Calipari's coaching acumen will be tested in an SEC that should be as deep as ever. (8)

11. Bruce Pearl, Auburn

Pearl won his second SEC Tournament title with Auburn last season as he guided the Tigers to a 27-8 (13-5 SEC) season. Although a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Yale made for a disappointing finish, it was another strong season for a program that was lifeless before his arrival. Now entering his 11th season, the Pearl Tigers are poised to once again contend for the SEC title. (13)

12. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona

Lloyd breathed new life into Arizona in his three seasons after spending more than two decades as Mark Few's right-hand man at Gonzaga. He has already guided the Wildcats to two Pac-12 titles and two Pac-12 Tournament championships. Under Lloyd's guidance, the program could become an immediate threat as it transitions into the Big 12. (14)

13. Rick Burns, Tennessee

In six NCAA tournament appearances under Barnes, Tennessee was a no. 5 or better, leading the Volunteers to their second-straight Elite Eight appearance. Now entering his 10th year on the job, Burns shows no signs of slowing down. The 70-year-old former Texas coach coached Tennessee into the SEC's increasingly crowded upper tier as a consistent winner. (20)

14. Shaka Smart, Marquette

Smart has established Marquette as a model of stability in the portal era, managing to keep its teams intact in a way that is virtually unparalleled anywhere else in the country. He posted a 75-30 mark in three seasons with the Golden Eagles while guiding them to three NCAA Tournament appearances. (16)

15. Greg McDermott, Creighton

McDermott found his stride at Creighton, leading the Bluejays to three Sweet 16 appearances over the past four seasons. As he enters his 15th season on the job, his program is firmly in the upper echelon of a competitive Big East. With star center Ryan Kalbrenner returning for his fifth season, Creighton should again be positioned for a deep March run. (17)

16. TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State

Otzelberger inherited an Iowa State program that went 2-22 in the 2020-21 season and led it to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a pair of Sweet 16s. The Cyclones have been lethal defensively under his guidance and return their top four goal scorers from a team that reached the doorstep of the Elite Eight. (N/A)

17. John Shear, Duke

Duke posted 27-9 records in each of Share's first two seasons and advanced to the postseason last season, reaching the Elite Eight. He cements the Blue Devils as a prime destination for blue-chip prospects and has a very talented 2024-25 team headlined by No. 1 overall prospect Cooper Flagg. (N/A)

18. Brad Underwood, Illinois

Underwood led Illinois to the Elite Eight last season, the Illini's deepest plunge into the Big Dance since reaching the 2005 national title game. He guided Illinois to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since the tenures of Bill Self and Bruce Weber in the early 2000s. (N/A)

19. Mick Cronin, UCLA

Cronin led UCLA to three straight Sweet 16 appearances and the 2021 national title before the 2023-24 16-17 season. Don't count on the former longtime Cincinnati coach for years. Even with the transition to the Big Ten, Cronin appears to have the right mix of returning talent and transfers to get the Bruins dancing again. (11)

20. Randy Bennett, St. Mary's

Bennett is entering his 24th season at St. Mary's and is leading the Gaels to a higher level than ever before. He has led the program to a No. 5 seed in three straight NCAA Tournaments and continues to be toe-to-toe with Gonzaga for WCC supremacy. The Gaels won the league outright last season after sharing the title in 2023. (15)

21. Brian Dutcher, San Diego State

San Diego State followed up its appearance in the 2023 national title game by reaching the Sweet 16 last season. The Aztecs made the NCAA tournament four consecutive years under Dutcher. He won no fewer than 21 games in his seven seasons and owns a 91-30 mark in the growing Mountain West. (24)

22. Hubert Davis, North Carolina

North Carolina won two straight ACC games in 2024, marking the first league title in Davis' three seasons on the job. With All-American guard RJ Davis returning for a fifth season, the Tar Heels are poised to once again challenge for league supremacy. Succeeding a legend like Roy Williams is a tall task, but Davis is handling it with a deft touch. (N/A)

23. Eric Musselman, USC

After three straight trips to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas went down in Musselman's fifth and final season. Now at USC, the fiery and well-traveled former Golden State Warriors coach is tasked with improving a USC program that is transitioning into the Big Ten. Given his success with the Razorbacks and Nevada, he should be up for the task. (12)

24. Sean Miller, Xavier

Miller's second stint at Xavier was a 2-year snag as the Musketeers missed the NCAA Tournament last season with a 16-18 record. But Miller's track record speaks for itself. In a 10-season span between 2008 and 2017, Miller's teams at Xavier and Arizona reached the second weekend of the Big Dance seven times. (21)

25. Dusty May, Michigan

After carrying out the difficult task of turning FAU into a basketball brand, May is headed to Michigan to replace Juwan Howard. He has built a competitive roster for his first season on the job but will still be challenged by the rigors of a deep conference. We'll soon find out if May found lightning in a bottle with the Owls or if he's one of the elite coaches of his generation. (N/A)

And 1: Chris Beard, Ole Miss

Baird's first team at Ole Miss ran out of gas in the second half of the season and missed the NCAA Tournament with a 20-12 record. But he's got a strong track record of turning programs around quickly, and signs of progress with the Rebels were evident. His second team should improve enough to go to the dance. (26)