As the curtain begins to close on Ross Hodge's inaugural season with WVU Hoops, there's still some postseason action left to savor. Hodge's first year ends with an 18-14 overall record and a balanced 9-9 in conference play. Starting the season with a KenPom ranking of 68, the Mountaineers nudged up to 62, though their hopes for an NCAA Tournament spot were dashed after a Big 12 tournament loss to BYU.
Let's dive into how this rookie season stacks up against other first-year coaches at high-major programs in 2025. We'll break it down alphabetically.
Auburn - Steven Pearl
Steven Pearl had big shoes to fill after his father, Bruce, constructed the roster before stepping down. The transition wasn't entirely smooth, as Auburn wrapped up the season 17-16, missing the NCAA Tournament after a stellar 32-6 run and Final Four appearance last year. The Tigers began with a KenPom ranking of 31 but slipped to 38.
Florida State - Luke Loucks
After Leonard Hamilton's departure, FSU turned to Loucks, fresh from an NBA assistant role with the Kings. The Seminoles had a rocky start at 7-11 (0-5) but rallied to finish 18-15 (10-8), climbing from a 96th to a 59th KenPom ranking. Their highlight was a road win against a top-30 Miami team.
Indiana - Darian DeVries
Darian DeVries took over from Mike Woodson, who left after a 19-13 season. Starting with a KenPom ranking of 38, the Hoosiers finished 18-14 (9-11), landing at 45th. Despite being on the bubble, they missed out on the Big Dance.
Iowa - Matt McCollum
Iowa's choice of offensive guru Matt McCollum paid off. He turned around a 17-16 team to win 21 games and secured a KenPom ranking of 23. The Hawkeyes, seeded ninth, just toppled Clemson in the NCAA Tournament's first round.
Maryland - Buzz Williams
Buzz Williams brought a wealth of experience, but his first year at Maryland was challenging. The Terps fell to a 12-21 (4-16) record, plummeting from a preseason KenPom of 34 to 119.
Miami - Jai Lucas
Jai Lucas stepped in after Jim Larranaga's retirement. Lucas led Miami to a 24-8 (13-5) record, and a first-round NCAA Tournament win as a 7-seed. The team improved from 76th to 30th in KenPom rankings.
Minnesota - Niko Medved
Niko Medved faced a rebuilding task at Minnesota, matching the previous 15-17 record. The Gophers slightly dipped from 73rd to 77th in KenPom, but snagged quality wins over Michigan State and UCLA.
NC State - Will Wade
Will Wade's first season at NC State was a mixed bag. The team improved to 20-14 but faltered late, barely making the NCAA Tournament play-in game, where they lost to Texas. The Wolfpack ended 37th in KenPom.
Texas - Sean Miller
Texas made a splash by hiring Sean Miller. The Longhorns finished 18-14 (9-9) and advanced past NC State and BYU in the NCAA Tournament. Their KenPom rank rose from 39th to 33rd.
Utah - Alex Jensen
Alex Jensen's first year at Utah was tough, with the Utes going 10-22. They began 74th in KenPom but fell to 125, marking a complete rebuild.
Villanova - Kevin Willard
Kevin Willard revitalized Villanova, leading them to a 24-9 (15-5) record and an NCAA Tournament berth as an 8-seed. Despite a first-round loss, they improved from 50th to 35th in KenPom.
Virginia - Ryan Odom
Ryan Odom took over a solid program and excelled, guiding Virginia to a 30-5 (15-3) record and a 3-seed in the tournament. The Cavaliers, now ranked 17th in KenPom, started at 50th.
Xavier - Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino's first year at Xavier was challenging, with a 15-18 (6-14) record. The Musketeers fell from a 62nd to a 97th KenPom ranking, hindered by injuries.
These new coaches have navigated their debut seasons with varying degrees of success, setting intriguing foundations for the future.