Dan Hurley Tops CBS Sports’ 2026 Coaches Ranking — SkimNews
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- CBS Sports’ Top 25 And 1 coaches ranking carried nearly 20% churn in 2026 by adding five coaches; Dusty May’s move to the NBA after leading Michigan to a national title helped ensure further attrition.
- Dan Hurley remained No. 1 for a third consecutive year and was the unanimous choice of the five panelists after guiding UConn to a third national-title game appearance in four seasons.
- Kelvin Sampson stayed No. 2 after guiding Houston to 30-plus wins for a fifth straight season, a No. 2 NCAA Tournament seed and a Sweet 16 run, with seven straight years beyond the tournament’s first weekend.
- Rick Pitino held No. 3 as St. John’s won consecutive outright Big East titles and conference tournament titles, with Pitino compiling a 61-12 record, including 36-4 in Big East play, over two years.
- Tommy Lloyd jumped from No. 15 to No. 6 after Arizona finished 36-3 and reached its first Final Four in 25 years; he won 80.4% of his games over five seasons.
- Brad Underwood climbed from No. 19 to No. 12 after leading Illinois to the 2026 Final Four, a breakthrough achieved after years in junior-college and low-major coaching.
- Mark Pope was one of three coaches dropped from last year’s ranking after failing to meet expectations in 2025-26, alongside Chris Beard and Shaka Smart.
Why it matters: The nearly 20% turnover changes the hierarchy: Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd rises from 15th to sixth and Illinois’s Brad Underwood from 19th to 12th after Final Four appearances. Mark Pope, Chris Beard and Shaka Smart lose their places, while the top three remain unchanged.
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