Roy Williams began his head coaching career at the University of Kansas, where he turned the Jayhawks into a perennial national contender before returning to his alma mater, the University of North Carolina. Known for his fast-paced offense and deep tournament runs, Williams earned over 900 career wins and led the Tar Heels to three NCAA Championships (2005, 2009, 2017). He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and is celebrated as one of college basketball’s all-time greats. Since retiring in 2021, Coach Williams has remained a beloved figure in Chapel Hill and a lasting ambassador for the game.
Jim Boeheim spent 47 years as the head coach of Syracuse University, the only school he ever coached. A former Syracuse player himself, Boeheim became a legend by guiding the program to the 2003 NCAA Championship and five Final Four appearances. He earned numerous national and conference coaching awards and is known for his signature 2-3 zone defense. With over 1,000 career wins, Boeheim’s name is nearly synonymous with Syracuse basketball.
Tubby Smith rose to prominence through successful stints at Tulsa, Georgia, and most notably Kentucky, where he led the Wildcats to the 1998 NCAA Championship. Smith earned multiple Coach of the Year honors during his career, recognized for his ability to turn programs around and maintain high academic standards. Over his 30+ year career, he accumulated over 600 wins and took several teams to deep NCAA tournament runs, solidifying his reputation as one of the game’s great leaders. Coach Smith most recently served as the head coach at High Point University, his alma mater.
Gary Williams’ coaching career began at American University, then moved through Boston College and Ohio State before returning to his alma mater–the University of Maryland. Williams won several national coaching honors due to his relentless defensive style and ability to develop under the radar talent. He finished his career with over 650 wins and is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Williams now serves as a special assistant to the athletic director at the University of Maryland, where he’s most revered for leading the Terps to their only NCAA Championship in 2002.
Bruce Weber is a former men’s college basketball coach who most recently led Kansas State, where he won two Big 12 regular-season championships and reached the 2018 Elite Eight. Before that, he coached at Illinois—guiding the Illini to the 2005 NCAA Championship game and earning National Coach of the Year honors—and at Southern Illinois, where he turned around the program with back-to-back MVC titles and a Sweet Sixteen run. Weber began his career as a longtime assistant under Gene Keady at Purdue, gaining 18 years of experience before becoming a head coach. Over 24 seasons, he led teams to 13 NCAA tournaments, earning conference Coach of the Year honors at all three schools. Known for rebuilding programs and consistent postseason appearances, Weber is now a Big Ten Network analyst.
Nancy Lieberman first rose to fame as a teenage star at Old Dominion, where she won two AIAW national championships and earned Player of the Year honors. Lieberman later became one of the first women to play professionally with men in the USBL and coached in the NBA G League and Big3, earning widespread acclaim for breaking gender barriers. She is a Hall of Famer with a long list of accolades and continues to influence the game through leadership and advocacy. Lieberman is currently involved in coaching and broadcasting while serving as a pioneer and mentor in women’s basketball.
Andy Landers is a Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach best known for building the University of Georgia into a national powerhouse, where he led the Lady Bulldogs from 1979 to 2015. Hired at just 26 years old after a successful 82–21 run at Roane State Community College, Landers inherited a struggling Georgia program and quickly transformed it into a perennial contender, reaching five NCAA Final Fours and the 1985 national championship game. Over his career, he won 944 games, earned four National Coach of the Year honors, and led Georgia to 23 NCAA Tournament appearances. Landers is credited with one of the most impressive program turnarounds in college basketball history and now serves as a women’s basketball analyst for ESPN and SEC Network.
Phil Martelli is a veteran college basketball coach best known for his 24-year tenure as head coach at Saint Joseph’s University (1995–2019), where he led the Hawks to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and six NIT berths. After a decade as an assistant, Martelli took over the program and orchestrated one of the greatest seasons in school history in 2003–04, guiding an undefeated regular season and an Elite Eight finish. A four-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year and the 2004 Naismith National Coach of the Year, Martelli became the winningest coach in Saint Joseph’s history with 444 wins. Following his time at SJU, he served as associate head coach at Michigan under Juwan Howard (2019–2024), stepping in as interim head coach on multiple occasions and continuing to impact the game through leadership and mentorship. He has remained active in the sport as a broadcaster, podcast host, and advocate for Coaches vs. Cancer, earning national recognition for his contributions on and off the court.
Photo Credit-Michigan Athletics & Michigan Photography
