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Big Ten’s Newest Coaches Power Rankings

The Big Ten Conference has plenty of changes for the 2024-25 season. There are plenty of new players and new teams. The biggest difference is the new coaches in the league. The Big Ten now features 18 teams, and two of the four new teams also feature new coaches. In total, there are four first-year coaches in 2024-25, who are ready to tackle the Big Ten by force.

Here we will look at how the new coaches sit as they prepare for their first season in the Big Ten. Without further waiting, let’s look at the Big Ten’s Newest Coaches Power Rankings. This ranking might be a little shaky given two of the six on the list aren’t first-year coaches (just new to the Big Ten), but still. It is all subject to change the longer the coaches last at their school.

Big Ten’s Newest Coaches Power Rankings

No. 1 Dana Altman (Oregon)

Sure, Dana Altman has been at Oregon for 15 years, but he’s new to the Big Ten. So we won’t count that against him. He just happens to be the most experienced of this group of coaches, so he holds the top spot. Altman has led the Ducks to plenty of success both in the Pac-12 and the NCAA Tournament. In his time in Eugene, Altman has a 345-152 record. He led Oregon to the Final Four in 2017. It was the first for the school since 1939 when they won the inaugural NCAA Tournament Championship. With plenty of star power in Eugene, led by sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad, Altman’s Ducks could contend quickly in the Big Ten. He’s certainly got a small edge in this power ranking of the newest coaches in the Big Ten.

No. 2 Mick Cronin (UCLA)

Cronin, like Altman, has had success at his current job, and previously at another stop. Cronin’s story started at Cincinnati where he made the Bearcats a yearly contender. He took his talent to the most historic program in NCAA Men’s Divison 1 college basketball, UCLA, in 2019. Mick hasn’t looked back as he has tallied a 115-53 record. That has also included three NCAA Tournament trips and a Final Four berth in 2021. UCLA has plenty of history, and they will be looking to continue to add to it. Cronin’s coaching style fits the Big Ten, and he certainly looks like he could have the Bruins contending fairly quickly.

This isn’t the Conference of Champions like the late Bill Walton used to describe the Pac-12, but the Big Ten is lucky to have UCLA. Cronin could easily have been tied with Altman for the number-one spot on this list.

No. 3 Dusty May (Michigan)

Now we get into the interesting part of the list. Dusty May made a name for himself at Florida Atlantic and now will try to do the same in Ann Arbor. He’s struck a chord with the fanbase, and Michigan basketball could be back to the level they were under John Beilein. Coach May has some big expectations for year one, but he should after they completely rebuilt the roster. This isn’t the same team that went 8-24 in 2023-24. May took his former team, FAU, to a Final Four only two seasons ago. That was something no one saw coming. Can you imagine what he can do with the Wolverines, once they get their culture fully established? The Wolverines are ready to throw a two-headed monster frontcourt at everyone else in the Big Ten.

Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf are a scary duo. Not counting out the other first-year coaches this year, but May might have the jump on the rest of the new guys. Michigan means business it appears, and Coach May does too.

No. 4 Eric Musselman (USC)

Eric Musselman might be the biggest question mark on the list. He left the SEC and Arkansas to jump to USC. Either conference is a big pool. After leading Nevada and Arkansas to six total NCAA trips, Coach Muss appears ready to rebuild another historic program. His most famous act while coaching the Razorbacks was upsetting defending national champion Kansas during the second round of the 2023 tournament. He also famously would climb in the crowd and take his shirt off to celebrate. Now he gets to do so out in sunny Southern California. It’s a bit of a rebuild, but the resources are there for Musselman to get the Trojans to a competitive level.

No. 5 Danny Sprinkle (Washington)

It has been an adventure for Huskies coach Danny Sprinkle. He’s on his third team in six seasons. First, he led Montana State to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2022 and 2023. He spent last season at Utah State where he led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament and a second-round appearance. Now he’s the head man at Washington. He isn’t alone, as he brought along his star player for his last two teams, Great Osobor, who could come in and be the Big Ten’s best player in 2024-25. Sure Sprinkle hasn’T been coaching for quite a long time, but his credentials give him the edge over the final spot in this power rankings of newest coaches in the Big Ten. Can he elevate the Huskies in one season? They have been at the bottom of the barrel in the Pac-12 and now they are in the Big Ten, that’s a big change.

No. 6 Jake Diebler (Ohio State)

Jake Diebler certainly has plenty to prove. I’m not bashing the guy, he stepped in midway through the season in 2023-24 and had the Buckeyes playing at a high level. He went 8-3 (5-1) in the 11 games he was the head coach for Ohio State last season. That included three games in the NIT. Not to mention he didn’t back down against some of the Big Ten’s elite coaches. He even beat Michigan State and Tom Izzo at the Breslin Center. That’s quite a first impression. Diebler has his guys in the fold, so it will be interesting to see how Meechie Johnson and company will do in Diebler’s first full-time season.

Kaleb Kraus

Kaleb Kraus

Kaleb Kraus is a proud graduate of Michigan State Universities School of Journalism. Kaleb strives to use his vast knowledge of sports in any way he can. Kaleb's sports interests include the NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR and both College Football and Basketball.

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